Jazz Spoken Here plays tonight at the Front Room, but their style of jazz is actually a hybrid of classics, contemporary songs and reggae.
While the group is new, having just formed over the summer, they are looking to offer a sound beyond conventional jazz, said Michael Parkinson, band leader and director of the Ohio University School of Music.
We're not playing the typical jazz standards that a lot of people would hear
Parkinson said. We're playing a more modern repertoire and we're also playing things that are stylistically a little further removed from the typical style of music.
This approach allows more of an interaction with the audience, said guitarist Nik Gruber, an OU jazz professor.
We don't want to alienate the audience with 'old' music he said. Sometimes people have that perception that if they're going to a jazz thing it's going to be that kind of deal.
Audiences can expect driving, funky rhythms, African and Cuban beats and even some reggae, Gruber said.
I think people are tired of hearing (jazz standards like)-
'-
' Parkinson said.
And this is experimentation that makes jazz the art form it is, said bassist Terry Douds, broadcast operations supervisor for WOUB.
(Jazz) is one of the few original American art forms and as such
it's always experimental
Douds said.
Despite the experimentation, though, Parkinson described an open musical environment, one that educates, rather than lectures, its audience.
We're not going to be up there playing and not paying any attention to the audience
Parkinson said. We're going to talk about [the music] with the audience.
The group includes Parkinson, Douds, Gruber, Guy Remonko on drums and Kyle Slemmer on woodwinds.
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