After a long day of teaching, working, or studying, jazz has a way of making you forget about exhaustion. As patrons gathered in Sanctuary Pub the evening of Sept. 2, all eyes were turned expectantly toward the musicians setting up their instruments for a night of memorable jazz.
The musicians for the evening were University of Iowa faculty, students, and volunteers led by UI Professor of Jazz Studies and assistant professor of trumpet instruction, Curtis Taylor.
Taylor and his colleagues, including saxophone professor Dr. Damani Phillips and jazz studies area head William Menefield, came up with the idea to do monthly jazz jam sessions to connect their students with the community.
“Since its inception, it’s grown to a community event,” Taylor said. “We’ve developed a following. People come from all over from Des Moines and Northern Iowa for our Tuesday night jazz jams, so we’re thrilled about it.”
The event started at 7 p.m.. Minutes after, the Sanctuary Pub’s already crowded tables became even more packed as patrons gathered to enjoy some food and drinks alongside the free entertainment. As the musicians started their first set, the air filled with a lively energy that had patrons and musicians alike tapping their feet and bobbing their heads.
For the first set, the featured instruments were keyboard, drums, double bass, and trumpet. Taylor played the trumpet, Menefield worked the keyboard, and visiting assistant professor of percussion jazz studies Michael D’Angelo played the drums.
The musicians performed in tandem, filling the small pub with powerful, fast-paced music. Then, one by one, each musician stopped playing in order to showcase their fellow performers, cheering them on alongside the audience. When only the drums remained, the three musicians rejoined the drummer to bring the first song home with a final, resounding flourish.
Their music captivated the audience, making every head turn to watch the musicians play, applauding before the songs even ended. When they did end, the applause, cheers, and whistles were nearly deafening.
Longtime Sanctuary Pub attendee and fellow jazz enthusiast Andre Perry was happy to see jazz come to Sanctuary. He found the music to be very energetic, bobbing his head and tapping his foot alongside the other audience members.
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“I’ve lived in Iowa City for 20 years, and it’s awesome to see music happening in this space again.” Perry said. “If you’re a fan of jazz, it’s great to see live jazz, both the amazing players who are faculty at the UI as well as students who are cutting their teeth.”
As the evening progressed, the energy never died. Patrons laughed, cheered, and socialized. The original group of musicians began swapping with volunteers who signed up to perform, encouraging them with a round of healthy applause.
When establishing this jazz jam event, Taylor had hoped it would connect students to the community by giving them the chance to perform in front of a live audience.
“We want our students to be able to play for people and get a sense for what that really means and feels like,” Taylor said. “That’s what we’re very passionate about here at the school is making sure that students not only are equipped with the skills, but how that converts in the real world.”
Chase Karr and Julian Dominguez, first-year UI students and saxophonists, were among the volunteers to perform at the event.
“It was definitely scary at first, but once you get into the groove it’s actually really fun,” Karr said.
Dominguez added that it was a valuable experience for both of them.
“It’s a great experience because we’re aspiring to do this professionally.” he said.
Perry was glad to see an event like this, with a wide range of performers and audience members.
“I think it’s just awesome as a community event to see live music with an intergenerational range of folks in here,” he said. “I think celebrating any and all of our music and arts venues is a fantastic thing to do.”