Finding Jazz: A Journey Through Sound and Soul
By Diana Vidals
I’d like to think that my music taste cannot be defined in any single genre. Throughout my playlists, you can find traces of rock, country, pop, and rap, in languages ranging from Spanish to Russian. The one genre I couldn’t seem to cement myself in was Jazz. The name brought on images of posh, sophisticated, older, and more serious people. Besides a few Billie Holiday songs, the genre had never caught my attention, so I kept my distance.
When it comes to music, my philosophy is to let it find me. And it has worked, it's led me to The Beatles, Bowie, Mariachi, and more. So, I decided not to force it and let Jazz find me. And it did, on the fifth floor of a building tucked away in NoMad.
For the past few months, I have been fortunate enough to find myself interning at a venue that services the NYC Jazz scene, allowing emerging artists to take the stage and established artists to continue to grow and hone their craft, and it has been such a gift.
Initially, I would watch each performance on the lounge’s TV until, at my co-worker’s urging, I sat in on a performance. “It's very different; you can feel the music.”
It’s true. I couldn’t tell if it was the loud trumpets or the excitement radiating from the other patrons, but I could feel the notes in my bones! After that, I made it a point to try to sit in on a show every week, each cultivating a new feeling. On some occasions, the music lets me think, and I meditate to the sounds of the Erica Seguine Orchestra; other times, I can’t help but smile and itch to dance to Roy Hargrove’s Big Band.
Aside from the music, my favorite thing to witness is the fans. I believe the most you can learn about music is from someone who genuinely cares about it. Many sit throughout the set with their eyes closed, taking in all the music and its nuances. Others voice their excitement at a song with cheers and “whoos”. During one particular set, an audience member cheered on Trion’s Johnathan Blake during a drum solo with, “Yeah, JB!” or “Show ‘em how it's done”, making the moment all the more exciting.
There are some patrons who come for a set so often, I’ve learned their names after a month of interning. My favorites are the ones who come in quietly and leave with a bright smile, bursting with excitement. They take a minute to ensure that I, too, will have a chance to watch.
With each performance, I learn more and more about the genre I once overlooked, and correct every assumption I had about Jazz. I am glad it found me, perhaps not in the time or way I expected it to, but it makes the story all the better.
If you’d like to take a chance on Jazz, listen to the following tunes and definitely try to catch a live show! There is nothing quite like it!
