The Academic Advancement Program at UCLA has taken many hits, all in stride. After 40 years of struggling with budget cuts, funding deficiencies and economic crises, the Academic Advancement Program at UCLA is still standing.
On Saturday, AAP will host a Latin jazz event to celebrate its 40th anniversary and bring attention to its new programs and scholarships.
“40 years for programs like AAP on public campuses don’t really happen. … Especially given the budget climates we’ve been through … but to withstand all of these hits and still be a viable program … it’s very significant,” said Charles Alexander, director of AAP.
The show will feature performances by several well-known artists such as Bobby Matos and Luis Conte, as well as UCLA student groups such as the UCLA student Folklorico Dancers and the LatinJazz Big Band. The night will also feature a surprise appearance by a Grammy Award-winning jazz performer, who has yet to be announced.
“Latin jazz is a wonderful music to party to: It’s dance-able, it’s fun, there’s singing, there’s great rhythm and … improvisation.
Some of that improvisation will be jazz in character and some of it will be Latin in character, but the point of Latin jazz is that it brings together cultures,” said Bobby Rodriguez, a UCLA professor of jazz performance and trumpet.
Rodriguez will be performing at the event in the Latin Jazz All-Stars group, a group of musicians he put together just for the event. He will also be conducting the UCLA LatinJazz Big Band.
“We are going to have a huge jam session at the end of the show, where all of the groups will get together and play a few songs at the end. … We are going to have a big grand finale party,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said the Latin jazz genre is perfect not only for the Cinco De Mayo date which the event falls on, but also perfect for the AAP event which prides itself on its outreach to minorities and cultural diversity.
“The show is going to feature an up-and-coming world fusion Latin-esque group called KoTolán. … Their music is very interesting and I think they are going to be a big hit,” said Rodriguez.
KoTolán is a cross-cultural based world beat music group that fuses pop, rock, salsa and funk. It features Japanese-born singer Junko Seki and trombone player Otto Granillo, a former student of Rodriguez.
AAP prides itself on being the nation’s largest university-based student diversity program. Associate Director of AAP, Masai Minters said they help more than 5,700 students in the program this year.
According to Alexander, the event will kick off a scholarship campaign for students who attend the summer program.
“To have it during alumni weekend is very important because we capture the attention of our alumni, but we also get to celebrate with them as well. Alumni play a huge role: At least 23,000 had been through AAP or participated in the summer programs … it’s pretty huge for us,” Alexander said.
Minters said AAP hosted a similar event for its 35th anniversary and also had important appearances from Sen. Gil Cedillo and former UCLA student Brad Delson from Linkin Park.
This year, the event will also include guest appearances from Chancellor Gene Block, among many. Rodriguez said there would also be an appearance from a “living legend in the Jazz field.”
Minters said he hopes to make the event a tradition and to keep the program successfully running for future UCLA students. He said that as long as UCLA has applicants, the AAP will have help for its students.