On Friday, Feb. 20, guests were invited to another year of the finest jazz musicians at UCF. The Orlando Jazz Festival unites artists all over the world and brings the audience together through the smooth tunes of jazz.
Founded in 2008, the Orlando Jazz Festival is hosted by UCF and brings together a community that loves music altogether.
This is the 19th annual UCF-Orlando Jazz Festival and features jazz musicians like Dave Stryker on the guitar, Jared Gold on the Hammond organ, Jeff Rupert on the saxophone, and McClenty Hunter on the drums.
Dave Stryker co-led The Stryker/Slagle Band for 30 years with his partner Steve Slagle. Stryker has been on over 75 CDs as a sideman and included vocalist Kevin Mahogany’s group, Another Place on Warner Bros, and tours of Carnegie Hall, Europe, Japan, Brazil, and Poland.
Jared Gold who is the organist of this Orlando Jazz Festival is known as one of the New York area’s most in-demand musicians that took years of time and dedication in his musical craft. The inspiration of artists such as Larry Young and Jack McDuff inspired Gold in trusting his own opinion and voice.
Jeff Rupert is a jazz professional and faculty member of UCF. Rupert has recorded and toured alongside Maynard Ferguson and Sam Rivers, while just naming a few. His latest albums include contributions from Kenny Barron and have given Rupert more time to express his talent for jazz.
McClenty Hunter is a Grammy-nominated jazz drummer and has performed with Cedar Walton, and Kenny Barron while appearing in many major festivals such as the Monterey Jazz Festival. He is a professor and performer here at UCF and has given many years of his life to jazz.
Understanding the Importance of Jazz
Jazz is originally from the New Orleans city’s African American community and is known as being a fluid form of expression for musicians. Jazz is meant to embody democracy, individual expression and collective collaboration through jazz music.
“Jazz inspires me to feel different emotions and helps me whenever I’m down and uplifts me,” said Adam Ligon, senior at UCF. “Music inspires me to be creative and work towards the future and who I want to become.”
This jazz concert has been going on since 2008 at UCF and different students are given the chance to come out and support the arts.
“Ever since my freshman year at UCF, these Jazz festivals have always been one of the pinnacles of being here at UCF and I always look forward to enjoying them,” said Ligon. “They inspire me to find new Jazz music and artists that I can enjoy in my free time.”
Attending this jazz festival for guests has inspired many to get into this style of music and focus on the better things in life as it is meant to uplift the world and bring a nice positive environment for the audience.
“The first time I ever came to this jazz festival, it was just a lot of emotions at once,” said Ligon. “It really helped me feel music again especially when I wasn’t in a great part of my life and jazz just melts together and creates something beautiful.”
Isabella Gonzalez, a guest at the UCF jazz festival, said music has inspired her to be the absolute best version of herself as she can relate to the hardships that music can bring through the lyrics of the songs.
“I cannot go a day without listening to music and it really gives me a lot of motivation because all the artists I listen to came from nothing and their lyrics show that as well,” said Gonzalez. “I think music definitely shapes me in an emotional and motivational way.”
Jazz music brings elements of improvisation, rhythmic complexity, and rich harmonies to the stage. Jazz creates a uniquely expressive and spontaneous art form in blues, ragtime, and spirituals.
“No matter what type of day I’ve had, if I listen to jazz my day will be better,” said Gonzalez “I wanted to support the jazz artists and appreciate them for their creativity and dedication to this craft as jazz takes a specialty to know how to play.”
Jazz is meant to be a positive outlet for those who are struggling with their own understanding of their feelings and can help listeners release them.
“Jazz influences my musical life in an emotional way because when I listen to jazz, I feel like there’s nothing else that matters in the world besides me and the instrumentalist sharing this music,” said Gonzalez. “Jazz I think brings a sense of community and a peace of mind.”
Through the sound of music, jazz can be an important instrument of peace, harmony and togetherness for a community.
For more information and updates on UCF’s Jazz Festival, visit HERE.