Union Coffee Shop Hosts Jazz Hour Featuring the Student Jazz Band

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the Union University Jazz Band played their third performance on Barefoots’ stage at the new weekly Jazz Hour from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., during which Barefoots’ drinks were discounted by $1.

Barefoots has hosted live music in the form of concerts, but Jazz Hour is the first of jazz combo performances.

“Live music is such a part of what Barefoots is here for, and so we decided we would give it a try, and it’s been so much more successful than we even could have imagined,” Karis Murila, the director of Barefoots, said.

Jazz Hour has succeeded in bringing new faces to Barefoots and has financially benefited the coffee shop during usually slow hours of the day.

Dr. David J. Culp, associate music professor and director of the Jazz Band, initiated Jazz Hour.

“The idea is getting students that are interested in jazz … playing in its natural environment … But also to bring jazz to the students that have really never been exposed to it or that have and love it,” Culp said.

There were six performers on stage, one vocalist and five musicians, including Culp on the vibraphone. The vocalist, Annebelle Aerhart, a sophomore audio production major, sang four songs and instrumental pieces were performed between songs.

Aerhart said, “I think [Jazz Hour] is neat, because it showcases the music students, and I feel like we don’t have a lot of opportunities outside of class to perform. We have our concerts that we do each semester, but we don’t really have opportunities to just get together and perform.”

Many students in attendance were studying. Others came and went to get discounted coffee and hear jazz, while a smaller percentage stayed the entire hour to listen. A few students noted the volume was loud and that the Jazz Hour, though entertaining, was not conducive to conversation or a productive study session.

Sarah Wood, a senior Christian ministry and missions major, said Jazz Hour was how she pictured Union: “Sitting in Barefoots and doing school and watching live jazz. That’s just ideal college because you’re combining the two things that Union loves: the beauty and art of live music and the intellect of doing school and being with people. And it’s so beautiful.”

There was also increased attendance of faculty and staff at Barefoots to listen to students perform, and because the monthly Faculty Coffee Hour coincidentally overlapped with Jazz Hour this month.