Cathryn Beeks is simply devoted to promoting local music. Her organization, called Listen Local, stages myriad events at numerous locations around town. The latest happening on her calendar is a free weekly Thursday night acoustic music showcase, The Happy Hour Jam, at Winston’s in Ocean Beach. Today, Oct. 22, the performers will include Will Edwards, Roger, Podunk Nowhere and Jeffrey Joe Morin. Beeks, who also hosts KPRI-FM’s Homegrown Hour, a show dedicated to local artists, considers Ocean Beach to be the perfect place for a showcase of this sort. “The community is known for music,” Beeks said. “Everywhere you turn, there’s music. This event is a way to shine a light on one specific part of it.” Beeks plans to have up to six artists perform each week. “We’re going for short sets, mainly because it’s a way to give more performers a chance to take the stage,” she said. “As a bonus, the quick changeovers keep the audience’s interest high. A music fan can take in a lot of different artists in a short time this way.” The shows’ early start time seems to be part of a current trend at area nightclubs, with two events per day: an early evening happening and a later, generally more raucous event. “There are pluses and minuses to playing early or late,” Beeks said. “In this case, though, I think we’re filling a niche. There are lots of people who would like to see many of these performers but can’t on weekdays, for example, because most of the shows start so late and they have to work in the morning.” Beeks notes that the show is a good steppingstone for artists hoping to work their way up to her bigger events, such as the biweekly live concert KPRI simulcast from the downtown nightspot Anthology. Edwards said he is grateful for Beeks’ new music series. “I know there’s a lot of live music in OB,” he said. “But Listen Local’s new showcase at Winston’s and Jefferson Jay’s events at Portugalia are really the only two open spaces for singer-songwriters in the area,” he said. Edwards has released three albums to date, most recently 2008’s “Contradiction,” but rather than rush back into the studio to make a new record, he’ll be concentrating on touring for the next year. Dates are planned for Australia in the spring of 2010, followed by the West Coast and England. In the meantime, he hopes to fine tune his craft with as many area gigs as he can muster. While he enjoys playing solo concerts, he will soon be heading, at least part-time, into a collaborative mode. “Well, I’m getting back to band life, but I won’t give up my solo performances for a minute,” Edwards said. “I’m going electric with new material and new instrumentation, mixed with fresh input from musicians I respect.” Edwards said he believes the musical shift to provide new artistic opportunities. “With a band I can paint with a broader palette,” Edwards said. “I love the subtlety of playing electric, but I also love the integrity of acoustic performances as well.  To continue the metaphor, they are like oil and watercolors; both are amazing and hard to compare.” He concedes, however, there is one major advantage to being the only musician onstage. “Playing solo is straightforward,” he said. “I can do what I want from start to finish. It’s one musician, one intention, so it’s easier to manage.  I’ve always liked that control.” Beeks plans to continue the series indefinitely. Though promoting music in the 21st century is harder than ever, she remains enthusiastic about the talent the area has to offer. “I am continually amazed at how many great artists there are in San Diego,” Beeks said. “As great as it hopefully is for them to play an event like this, I feel just as lucky that I get the chance to experience so much great music and so many wonderful people.” Listen Local’s Happy Hour Jam takes place at Winston’s, 1921 Bacon St., on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information visit http://www.listenlocalsd.com.