When envisioning the perfect Valentine’s Day date, a jazz concert on campus might not immediately come to mind.
But the musicians behind the Cultural Affairs Commission’s free Monday Night JazzSeries want to change that.
Tonight’s Valentine’s Date Night, the first of two special JazzSeries events this quarter, is designed to share with students the romance of the genre.
“They’ll be playing jazz standards for the romantically inclined,” said Brent Canter, a fourth-year political science and jazz studies student who is co-director of the series.
The event’s organizers want to take advantage of Valentine’s Day’s universal appeal in order to expand the genre’s audience.
“We want this event to be interactive because the fact is that most people just won’t go see jazz,” said Will Magid, fourth-year ethnomusicology student and Canter’s co-director. “If there’s a little chocolate cake and it’s social people will come. We’re really just tricking people to come.”
Chocolate cake is just the beginning. The event, which takes place in Kerckhoff Grand Salon, will also feature CD giveaways, a silent film to set the mood and a performance by the student group, the Tom Terrell Quartet, featuring vocalist Kathy Hoye.
“We’re trying to make this night unforgettable for all those young lovers out there,” said Terrell, a fourth-year music student and trumpeter.
But even though the evening’s entertainment will center around the well-tested and well-loved tunes of Nat King Cole and other genre essentials, Terrell assures skeptics that the free-flowing, improvisational nature of jazz will keep it interesting.
“It’s very much a locational thing. With jazz you have to be there to witness what’s going on,” said Terrell. “It’s not just turning on the radio and singing along to your favorite tune, because jazz is something that’s different every time.”
Similarly, the series as a whole relies on the improvisation factor to liven up the evenings. Trios and quartets materialize and dissolve in a matter of days ““ the Tom Terrell Quartet formed specifically for this event ““ and players often sit in with friends.
The weekly JazzSeries features around 80 percent UCLA student performers, though Magid explained that they are looking to branch out more into the Los Angeles jazz scene. Alumni sometimes drop by to play a few tunes, and the organizers, whenever possible, recruit non-music students to showcase their talents.
“We have an overwhelming amount of talent on this campus and the talent needed an outlet,” Magid said.
On some nights, a few talented individuals draw quite a crowd to Kerckhoff Coffee House. Pianist Berkeley Everett, a fourth-year jazz studies student, for example, has acquired a devoted fan following.
“It’s a variety show: he has games and speed dating and audience interaction,” said Veronica Bianqui, second-year ethnomusicology student and special events coordinator for Valentine’s Date Night.
While Everett and others frequent the shows, new performers and special events like Valentine’s Date Night ensure that the series appeals to a larger audience.
On Feb. 25, the JazzSeries will also host an event focusing on aid for New Orleans, one of the nation’s jazz hotspots.
“They’re going to have free food ““ gumbo ““ and speakers to talk about different ways of going to go to help with recovery efforts. We’ll have a small ensemble,” said Canter.
But whether they play solo or in a small ensemble, and whether they prefer gumbo or chocolate cake, the performers in the JazzSeries have one thing in common: they profess their passion for music and its ability to bring people together.
“Jazz can be very intimate and that’s what we intend to do,” Terrell said.