Music Review: SB Jazz Collective

Jazz. In a decade of electronic desktop computer music and musically void cover bands, we find a new local straight no chaser band, the SB Jazz Collective [SBJZ], designed by millennial and UCSB grad Andrew Williams. To get a taste of this ear candy, head over to their next gig at SOhO nightclub on Tuesday, September 18.

Meanwhile, talking about the band is best served by our interview this week:

Q: How did the SB Jazz Collective start out, what spawned it?

A: I wanted to take this generation and revitalize the music and jazz scene in Santa Barbara, to take the burning passion I had for the music and find others who were willing to help spread the joy of playing jazz with me. I founded and started to build out the SBJC in February 2017, after graduating from UCSB and being involved in the jazz program there (I majored in electrical engineering but did music on the side), by reaching out to local musicians, posting recruitment ads on Craigslist, as well as reaching out to the music directors in each of the colleges for referrals and to recruit students. My goal was to unite jazz musicians and vocalists from each of the local colleges: UCSB, SBCC, and Westmont, along with young, professional players in town. 

I built the organization around three ambitions: to unite the local players from the colleges and the community and provide them a space regularly to jam, express their music, and network with a group of energetic and ambitious individuals. To allow them to promote their music, identity, and the organization itself by providing them with opportunities to perform at new venues in the community; and to foster outreach with the community as well as with friends/family/coworkers of the musicians to help revitalize and grow the music and jazz scene.

Is this an open group – can anyone join?

The SBJC is an open group of young, professional jazz musicians. Aside from the bi-weekly jam sessions, we regularly rotate the musicians that play at our established gig venues. The band is Alex Ispa-Cowan on his Godin multiac gypsy jazz guitar, Jacob Acosta on his Fender DeluxePrecisionBass, Evan Kramer on drums, Colby Pines on his Yanagisawa saxophone,our two vocalists, Brie Sanchez and Sydney Kovacs, and myself on my Yamaha YPG635 keyboard. Jacob and I are UCSB grads, Brie and Evan are Westmont grads, Alex is a jazz musician from Chicago, Colby a jazz musician from New York, and Sydney a Santa Barbara local. We also regularly book gigs with other musicians in the community, including Jon Harris and Matt Perko on drums, and Pablo Lopez on bass. 

We tend to play the jazz standards but are transitioning into playing more original compositions from our members. Old jazz standards form a great foundation for us as musicians, and our own compositions allow us to express the passion we have for the music on a deeper, personal level.

Where do you see the group heading…?

To continue to recruit musicians from all the colleges and everywhere, to expand our gig opportunities at private events and major music venues in Santa Barbara County, it would be amazing to see our group on stage at Campbell Hall, the Lobero, and the Granada theatres.

I hope to bring back a jazz festival to Santa Barbara, one for all the local jazz players and bring in guest artists from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and other countries. 

I want to give back to the community with music scholarships for students and special events for our gig venue owners. Also, to bring it back to how people experienced the jazz mid-century in a club, really listening and experiencing it with their friends and loved ones in a composition of song and dance.

For you personally about jazz: any certain musician or song of influence?

I personally enjoy straight-ahead jazz, bebop, Latin jazz, and Neo-bop. My main musical influences are mostly jazz pianists Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Monty Alexander, Billy Taylor, Oscar Peterson, and more recent artist such as Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Esparanza Spalding, and Joey Alexander. 

What are the first songs on your playlist now?

“Giant Steps” by Joe Alexander, “What Is This Thing Called Love” by Wynton Marsalis, and “Invitation” by Bill Evans.

Anything else you want the readers to know..?

Our mission is to uphold and extend the jazz legacy with the next generation of ambitious players. We really encourage people passionate about jazz to connect with us. If you’re a local musical, band director, or really enjoy the music, we invite you to get involved with the organization. Lito Hernandez, an extremely talented local player in town, adopts the term Millennial Jazz – “music that reflects [our] generation and who we are. Just imagine music from all corners of the world conversing in one center point. Now imagine that in an explosion of sound!” I hope to have the organization align itself to and extend beyond that.

411: SBJC Facebook page www.facebook.com/sbjazzco