A Hot Night of Cool Jazz

On Friday, October 8th in the Cooper Music Center, the Point Loma Nazarene University Jazz Band put on an unforgettable show, playing the broad spectrum of jazz music in all of its glory in a concert called “A Hot Night of Cool Jazz.” The energy of the music even preceded the show itself with performers and attendees alike sharing in the anticipation.

One such case of anticipation is Karin Campbell, a Senior Chemistry major who sings in the Vocal Jazz ensemble. “They are amazing,” she said. “They add a new dimension [to the music].” This anticipation for jazz wasn’t present in the performers only but also in the people in attendance.

Kaylun Rice, who attended the show to see his wife perform, said that “[he] likes coming to these things because [he gets to] hear music that [he] doesn’t normally hear.” This sentiment was likely that of many of those attending and hopefully an anticipation that would soon be rewarded. After a few more minutes of mingling in the lobby before the show, the doors opened and everyone filed into their seats.

The band entered to thunderous applause and began to play. Their first piece was one called “Manteca,” an energetic and jazzy song that helped to remove any weariness one felt upon entering. What followed was a set of brilliant swing and jazz songs that even required some audience participation in clapping to the beat of the song. It was this informal nature that made it even more of a treat to watch. There was also a brilliant amount of variety in the show’s songs. To counter the vibrancy of “Manteca,” songs like “El Abrazo,” which had a considerably slower tone, were played. The show even played a cover of the Sesame Street theme in a jazzy tune that put a smile on everyone’s faces. It was also surprising how such a diverse variety of instruments were able to work together so well and produce an unforgettable sound. The show finally closed with the song “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” which was a slower song, but one that beautifully wrapped up the production.

After the show, the impact on the audience was obvious. Junior Music Education Major Russell Price Jr. said, “[The] Jazz concert was really good [with] phenomenal musicians [which] really made me enjoy the musical selections, and I can’t wait to attend the next concert.” In all, the audience left in a good mood, looking forward to the next show.

This is not the one and only show that the Jazz band intends to put on this year. The next show is soon: Saturday, October 15th with the Gaslamp Quarter Jazz Orchestra.