Students dressed in formal attire on Saturday, Jan. 31, to listen to jazz in a small dorm room in Colony, one of California Baptist University’s upperclassmen living areas. The student-led event invited attendees to experience music through community.
Three roommates, Jules Nguyen, junior interior design major, Adrienne Venning, junior marketing major and Gracie Sprecco, junior health and human sciences major, hosted the jazz night in their dorm.
The hosts said they planned the event because they enjoyed organizing gatherings and wanted to bring friends together.
“Since we’re so heavily involved in the music department, we have a ton of connections with musicians, so all of the musicians that played were all of our friends,” Nguyen said.
To transform the space, the roommates moved furniture into their bedrooms to open up the living room. They added colorful streamers and sunset lamps to create a party atmosphere.
The hosts originally planned the jazz night for October but postponed it to the spring semester. Nguyen and Sprecco began planning over winter break and contacted friends once the semester began.
Nguyen and Sprecco asked Sam Moffat, junior public relations major, to play the trombone. The band included six musicians, three of whom had never played jazz before.
“Ultimately, that was the first time that group of people had ever performed,” Moffat said.
The band rehearsed only a few times before performing that evening.
“I was really proud of those guys cause it’s kinda stressful… being thrown in there, they did really well,” Moffat said.
The musicians performed songs Nguyen suggested through a Spotify playlist featuring artists such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. They also added additional selections, including “Blue Bossa,” to provide variety.
The event began at 7 p.m. Guests socialized over snacks and drinks such as cold brew while wearing tuxedos, suits, dresses and blazers. Shortly after attendees arrived, the musicians began to play.
Caleb Slagter, a sophomore electrical and computer engineering major, attended after receiving an invitation from his girlfriend and residential adviser. He said he arrived to find the dorm crowded.
“15 minutes into them playing, there was like a line out the door, like for people trying to get in, and so we had to keep on like squishing in and rotating,” Slagter said.
The hosts said their biggest concerns included potential noise complaints and limited space.
“There were so many people and such little space, but honestly, it was part of the fun of it,” Nguyen said.
The event created a strong sense of community among attendees and performers.
“When I would finish a song… being able to look up and see friends who don’t normally come to my concerts, it was like pretty special… they’re here for a good time, but they came and supported,” Moffat said.
The band closed the night by transitioning from a slow ballad into a praise break, filling the room with gospel music.
“The maturity of the musicians there… they were so synced the entire time… they would just be like communicating while they were playing,” Slagter said.
The hosts said future jazz nights could take place outdoors in Colony’s communal area to allow more guests to attend. They planned to host another event later in the semester.
“It was a lot of fun. A big thank you to our hosts who funded everything… they really did a lot more of the work than us musicians did,” said Moffat.
