On Friday, Oct. 18, at Northpoint Church, doors opened at 7 p.m. to welcome more than 100 people to the Art of Swing and Groove concert by the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts at California Baptist University.
The church was filled with alumni from the music program, grandparents, parents, friends and families. The CBU Jazz Studies fall concert showcased the jazz ensemble featuring saxophones, trumpets, trombones and rhythm, along with a jazz quartet.
The music was smooth and serene, seamlessly replicating songs from key musicians in the industry.
As the audience trickled in, the world of jazz opened its doors to welcoming ears. “I wouldn’t go out of my way two or three years ago to go see a concert like this,” said Andrew Calvillo, a music education alumnus. “But knowing people in the ensemble who are going to expose me to the music, I’ve been enjoying it a lot more.”
The musicians described the motivation they gain from being part of such a hardworking group, especially seeing friends in the ensemble.
“Being around such great musicians really helps me feel like I need to set my own bar even higher,” said Canon Adkins, a trumpet player for the Jazz Ensemble. “It is kind of my responsibility to meet that kind of expectation and excellence.”
The peaceful evening continued as the ensemble and quartet connected with the audience through music, filling the room with jazz.
“We focused on a set of seven pieces,” said Dan St. Marseille, director of jazz studies. “We selected pieces that had a variety for the musician’s sake so they could get a healthy mix and also for the audience. There will be music represented that has been around for 80 years and some that is contemporary.”
St. Marseille, a renowned jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, has won praise from jazz critics worldwide and worked with many major jazz and commercial artists. His recordings are also heard internationally on jazz radio.
St. Marseille emphasized jazz music’s emotional depth and its unique ability to connect.
“The hope would be that we connect with them emotionally. Music should always be a relationship between the audience and the musicians for it to be effective,” St. Marseille said. “It’s very hard for jazz music not to be received from an audience. It’s very emotionally driven, very relational.”
Warm and melodic jazz filled the church as St. Marseille and the jazz ensemble and quartet played through their final songs. As the night closed and the musical journey ended, St. Marseille shared his gratitude for teaching at CBU.
“For me, it’s being in a university that has a Christian worldview, where I can feel free to express myself… It’s a very comfortable place to be in,” St. Marseille said. “The university’s emphasis on nurturing and growing the student separates CBU from a lot of other universities because we constantly hear from students how much they feel like they have a close relationship with their professors and that they care about them.”
For St. Marseille, building connections and relationships is at the core of his work. Through music, he connects with audiences and aims to do the same with his students.
As the final notes lingered, smiles and laughter filled the lobby as attendees shared their thoughts on the performance. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to witness such talent, underscoring the importance of community support in fostering the arts. With hearts warmed by the music, the audience departed, already looking forward to the next celebration of jazz at CBU.
