Ready for some smooth, classy fun? On Oct. 25, Plant Hall is prepared to get its new-found jazz groove going with a five, six, seven, eight!
“People are always asking me, ‘Where can I go to hear jazz in Tampa?’ and my reply is usually, ‘I have no idea,’” quips UT’s trumpet instructor, Aric Brian. Brian has observed that Tampa’s jazz scene is really lacking these days. All that is about to change when the Minaret Concert Series presents “An Evening of Jazz.”
This event will be featuring a newly-formed Tampa jazz ensemble. “This is a group of freelance jazz musicians who are getting together for the first time to perform as a quartet,” explained Brian, who will be showing his own skills in the ensemble. Brian is a freelance trumpet player and UT educator who has performed with the Florida Orchestra, Opera Tampa and the Performing Arts Center. Brian is currently on faculty at UT, the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg College and Southeastern University.
Playing on the bass will be Alejandro Arenas, who received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance from the University of South Florida and is currently instructing at St. Petersburg College in the Music Industry and Recording Arts Program.
During “Evening of Jazz,” Mark Feinman will be lending his drumming talents. Feinman is a professional drummer and drum teacher in the Tampa Bay area and has studied jazz performance at the University of South Florida, as well as the Purchase College State University in New York. Rounding out the quartet is John O’Leary on piano, another accomplished Tampa Bay area musician.
The quartet will be performing a selection of jazz pieces at the event from different styles and periods including arrangements of jazz standards and original compositions.
“Since jazz is mainly an improvised art form, a lot of what we do will not be determined until we are on stage,” stated Brian. “The ironic part is that, if we do well, the listener will have no idea that we didn’t plan for everything they heard to sound exactly as it did.” The pure improvisational nature of the jazz performance is sure to create a suspense-filled and exciting evening for attendees.
This event is free, so students are encouraged to come out and support jazz music. “For the students of UT, having a free jazz performance on campus is a great opportunity to hear a type of music they may not have heard of before,” says Brian.
Students can check out “An Evening of Jazz” on Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Plant Hall’s Grand Salon — just be sure to warm up those jazz hands.
Amanda Sieradzki can be contacted at asieradzki@spartans.ut.edu.