Steven Heffner directing the U’s Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Libby Gardner Concert Hall. Photo: Brandon Cruz

WRITTEN BY SPENCER WINDES

We all know the old chestnut about how the only place you’ll find jazz in Salt Lake City is at the Delta Center, but jazz is everywhere in Utah.

In the 20th century, Salt Lake and Ogden were regular stops for jazz greats touring the country by car and rail. Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, Count Basie all made their way here, often playing with local legend Joe McQueen. After once being denied service at a Salt Lake City hotel in 1940, Duke Ellington had the good grace to return to the Beehive State and perform at the University of Utah in 1961. Tickets for students cost $1.75.

Courtesy Daily Utah Chronicle, 1/26/1968, p6

At around the time of Duke’s visit, jazz was making its way into the repertoire at the U’s School of Music. As the Daily Utah Chronicle wrote in 1962, “Jazz has become important enough to be included in the academic programs of universities, and jazz enthusiasts are turning to the colleges for their music education.” For decades, jazz has been heard in the halls of the U, but it’s also made its way out into the community. The U’s Jazz Studies program has given Utah its beat.

It’s a strong beat. According to Josiah Boornazian, DMA, the Director of Jazz Studies, “Utah punches above its weight in terms of the jazz scene and the jazz culture. For the population size, there’s a lot more jazz than most people realize. In the Salt Lake area, you can hear jazz four or five nights a week, every single week, minimum. For decades, Salt Lake City has been bringing world class, absolute top tier jazz artists to sold-out crowds. There’s been a good tradition of blues and jazz festivals in Salt Lake City for decades.”

Boornazian credits the efforts of local musicians and supporters, especially Gordon and Connie Hanks, who have been guardian angels of the Jazz Studies program and worked tirelessly to bring jazz music to Utah. He also mentions Nathan Royal, U music alum and Executive Director at the nonprofit Hot House West, where he also volunteers. “Last year alone, they put on over 300 jazz and blues, bluegrass, and roots music events on the Wasatch front.”

“I had over 150 performances last year!” says Steven Heffner, DMA, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the U. Heffner’s only been in Utah for two years, but he’s been impressed by the amount and variety of jazz music here. “What’s really cool is there’s a nice balance of people who are very interested in developing young jazz musicians and bringing in great music to the area.”

Courtesy Daily Utah Chronicle, 02/28/1968, p5

Josiah Boornazian, Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor in the School of Music.
Photo: Brandon Cruz

A great deal of this music happens as a direct result of the Jazz Studies program. As Boornazian explains, “We’ve got two big bands and eight small ensembles including a jazz guitar ensemble and an avant-garde ensemble. That means every year at least four big band concerts and eight combo concerts on campus. We do weekly all-ages jam sessions every Monday night. Over the years, we’ve had partnerships with venues where we have weekly University of Utah jazz nights. The students themselves are gigging… my seniors and my master’s degree students, they are all gigging multiple times a week. The students are out there performing professionally at restaurants and clubs and bars in the greater Salt Lake area several times a week.”

Jazz Repertory Ensemble students performing at Libby Gardner Concert Hall. Photo: Brandon Cruz

The sound of the U’s jazz program carries throughout Utah. It’s also the foundation for all kinds of different music across the state. Boornazian elaborates: “Because jazz is so demanding to learn how to play competently, because it requires improvisation, if you can play jazz, you can basically play any other style of music. There’s a very robust scene in Utah of extremely high paying party band and wedding band gigs. You can make a very comfortable middle-class living in Utah as a professional musician if you are willing to take on party band gigs, in addition to doing your own music and playing jazz. Studying jazz equips you to play any style of music.”

It equips students for more than just a life as a gigging musician, though. It brings a greater value to their entire education. “Jazz,” Boornazian explains, “is the only style of music that we do in the West, culturally, that requires collective improvisation. It’s a uniquely democratic form of music. A jazz band is negotiating in a democratic fashion — where are we going to go, how many choruses are we going to play, are we going to crescendo or de-crescendo, what harmonic substitutions are we going to do?”

“This fosters in young people a sense of community, a sense of collaboration, a sense of negotiation, a sense of being able to think creatively on your feet, to be able to roll with the punches. Somebody might play something that you didn’t expect, and you have to react to that in real time. It’s a uniquely democratic music that encourages creative risk taking, personal responsibility, and responsibility to the community. It’s not about you as an individual, it’s about making the whole ensemble function as a cohesive unit to make something beautiful, something that’s worth listening to and worth dancing to. Because of that, it’s got incredible cultural and pedagogical value.”

Heffner adds “What I view the role of this program now is not just to prepare students throughout the region to be successful in a career in music and a career in jazz, but it’s also trying to help the community build a jazz culture.”

Why a jazz culture in Utah?

According to Boornazian, “It’s a uniquely American music. It’s a wonderful musical melting pot, a wonderful metaphor for America at its best: a blending of cultures that results in a unique cultural offering that’s powerful. Jazz is America’s music. It’s in our DNA, culturally.”

“I don’t think that I need to advocate for the art,” Heffner muses, “because jazz is dance music. Jazz is a lot of things, and it can be sad and it can be angry and it can be triumphant, but at the end of the day, when it’s played well, it feels good, and people notice and pay attention. ‘Wow, this person is playing music that makes me wanna move my feet.’”

“All music is joy. When I get to make this music with people who are making it authentically, it’s a joyful experience. I do think that that’s a message that jazz has for Utah. It’s not just some ancient music that might be what you are allowed to listen to or that you’re told is good. This music brings joy, if you want to receive it. It’s nothing more than tapping your toes.”