June 29, 2005
Rent parties pay homage to jazz music
Northwest Michigan Jazz Experience aids area musicians, educates audiences
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With a multi-faceted mission to champion jazz music, the Northwest Michigan Jazz Experience formed last fall to support area jazz musicians, educate audiences and interest young people in jazz.
To those ends, the group held a rent party at the home of a member where a three-member house band backed up jazz musicians who came by to jam. The party drew numerous musicians, including Jeff Haas and Janice Keegan, as well as an audience of 30 people.
The concept of a rent party harks back to the days when jazz musicians would gather and play for a colleague who needed help paying rent. In NMJE's case, the funds raised by an admission fee compensate the house band.
"I think it's a good idea to get together like that, the jazz community to get something happening," said Dave Collini, a drummer who played Sunday afternoon.
Another benefit is that participating musicians listen to each other and their musical adventures in the ever-evolving world of jazz.
"It is also an opportunity to check out the performer's musical concepts and chops, both of which are constantly evolving in this challenging art form," said Jeff Haas, a board member of the group. "And since most professional musicians are frequently working, they rarely have a chance to check one another out and perform together."
Rob Weiler, a co-founder of the NMJE, has been a long-time jazz enthusiast, migrated to this American art form after a youthful jaunt through rock 'n' roll. Weiler, who is not a musician himself, noted that the NMJE membership of 80 includes only a small percentage of musicians. The non-musician members provide the audience, the support and the enthusiasm for the musicians.
"I just find jazz much more intellectually inspiring," Weiler said. "If you're a real music lover, you just kind of evolved into jazz if you're looking for a deeper musical experience. There's a lot of crossover, too, between classical and jazz listeners."
As the performing arts manager at the Milliken Auditorium for the past three years, Weiler has watched enthusiasm and audiences for jazz concerts drop, reflecting a nationwide trend. NMJE formed last September hoping to reverse this in the region.
The organization, which has filed paperwork for non-profit status, co-sponsored the Jazz, Blues & Tango series at the City Opera House this spring. Its other two events have been rent parties, but the board has plans for a range of outreach in the future.
"We want to cover the width and breadth of jazz," Weiler noted. "We're also interested in any other kinds of art forms that are jazz related: visual art that's inspired by jazz and culinary arts that's inspired by jazz."
Reaching the next generation of audience and musicians is also key to NMJE's goals. Aaron DeGabriele, a 2005 graduate of West High School, is at the forefront of this younger set of jazz musicians.
A tenor sax player, DeGabriele was a member of the school's jazz combo for years and plans to continue playing jazz as an adult. He also jammed with other musicians at the group's first rent party, relishing the experience.
"I actually didn't plan on playing but I was enticed by several other musicians," he recalled.
Jazz appeals to DeGabriele because it allows for personal expression.
"The basis is improvisation and it's one of the best types of music that one can express themselves in," said DeGabriele, who plans to study physics next year at Michigan Tech.
"In other types of music, people try and sound like other people," he added. "Like if you want to be a good guitar player you want to sound like Jimi Hendrix, but in jazz you want to sound like yourself."
The next scheduled event for the Northwest Michigan Jazz Experience will be another house party in September. For more information on that event or the society, visit the website www.nmje.org or call Rob Weiler at 995-1573.