Spontaneous. Unique. Off the cuff. In the words of Scott Andrews, “Jazz is hot.”
Andrews is the festival director and founder of the Court Street Summer Jazz Series, a sequence of concerts featuring local musicians. Like jazz itself, the series contains elements of improvisation and individuality. Performances are held outside in the Court Street mall in downtown San Luis Obispo, and are free to the public.
The lineup of musicians will showcase a variety of styles ranging from a traditional 1930s mix to a type of jazz infused with Brazilian flavor.
“It’s a really impressive lineup,” Andrews said. “Some of the finest talent on the Central Coast.”
The purpose of the Court Street series extends beyond the shows at hand, Andrews said. The goal of this set of concerts is to raise awareness for the SLO Jazz Festival, an event Andrews said he hopes will take place in late August or early September of next year.
“I got the vision for SLO Jazz Festival in 2008 when I was at the San Jose Jazz Festival,” he said. “Jazz is the traditional, American art form, and right now, San Luis Obispo does not have a jazz festival. We have some good jazz happening in the area, but it’s not really coordinated in any central way. So what I’m doing is to help ally all of the central forces that bring jazz, and jazz related music, to SLO County and make it more coordinated.”
Andrews said he hopes the Court Street series will draw attention to his organization and aid in fundraising. Memberships for the SLO Jazz Festival can be purchased at the Court Street series. Prices start at $55 per year for students. Discounts are also available for senior citizens and couples.
Members receive access to all SLO Jazz Festival events and discounts on other related happenings such as the jazz cruise presented by Onboard Nautical Events in August.
A portion of the money from memberships will go toward starting educational programs, which will provide scholarships, instruction and workshops to aspiring musicians.
Andrews said he is also accepting college-level interns to work between eight to 10 hours per week.
“I’m a big fan of Cal Poly’s Learn By Doing,” he said. “I think education is going to be key in raising grant money.”
Darrell Voss, a jazz musician and professor at Cuesta College, said the Court Street concerts have educational elements too. He said watching live music can help audience members better understand how instruments work.
“I get a lot of young people, teenagers and listeners, that all of the sudden a light bulb goes on, because they realize that ‘Wow! This is really cool, and these guys are actually playing that music,” Voss said. “That’s where that sound comes from.”
Voss said he was drawn to the event by its casual and inclusive nature.
“Sometimes it can be overwhelming with the downtown, Friday night concerts which are usually a rock band or a band with a full-blown amplification system that’s kind of over the top,” he said. “When families go there, it’s a crowded event, and they may have alcohol. So some families, you know, they don’t want to go there.”
The Court Street series, on the other hand, is family friendly and has a little bit of something for everyone, Voss said.
“Anybody’s welcome, and you can leave whenever you want,” he said. “And it’s free. There’s no two drink minimum.”
James “Jim” Davis, the booking agent for the closing band, The Red Skunk Jipzee Band, said much of the draw to the series lays in its evolving and unpremeditated atmosphere.
“I think the fun thing is just the folks that stumble by,” Davis said. “The Court Street (Summer) Jazz Series is just positioned in such a good place up above the stairs there, and so people walk by and they hear the music and it’s live.”
Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and there is standing room for those who do not secure a seat.
There are a few shaded seating areas, which tend to fill up quickly, Voss said. He said there is also generally an audience of approximately 30 to 50 people listening at one time.
The series began June 11 and will run every Saturday with a final show on Sept. 17. The musicians play from 12 to 3 p.m., with the exception of the July 23 and Aug. 6 shows, which will last until 2 p.m.