Join the UC Jazz Club Now!

About UC Jazz

UC Jazz is one of three groups, including the Cal Band and UC Choral Ensembles that comprise Student Musical Activities (SMA), a department within Cal Performances.

UC Jazz provides rehearsal space and instruction for seven ensembles each year, composed primarily of UC Berkeley undergraduate and graduate students from every academic discipline.

Currently UC Jazz consists of nine small combos and one big band. The small combos range in experience from beginning to advanced, and includes a vocal ensemble. UC Jazz also holds monthly master classes taught by our faculty, and occasionally hosts guest artists from the jazz world for clinics.

In the past, groups from UC Jazz have given free performances and clinics, bringing live music to public schools in districts such as Oakland, which have experienced deep cutbacks in arts spending. We are currently producing a jazz recording to increase our exposure and promote entry into festivals and concert settings.

Our goal is to continue to act as musical ambassadors while enhancing our ability to travel to new locations.

UC Jazz Affecting Lives

In the few years that I have been at UC Berkeley, it's interesting to observe the impact that UC Jazz has had on a variety of students; especially those who were not music majors, and who did not originally intend to pursue a musical path after graduating. I would like to recall here a few examples of students who were originally studying something other than music at Cal, but as is often the case, music stepped in (in this case, in the form of UC Jazz) and altered their course.

One student of mine from a few years ago (and a prolific composer at the time) graduated and was headed off to medical school. The next news about him that I heard was that he instead attended Berklee College of Music to study jazz, and was just accepted into the prestigious Monk Institute for graduate study of jazz. Another student who was our equipment manager and worked with our sound system, is now a recording studio owner, and musician in several local Bay Area bands traveling and performing all over the country. A third student graduated recently, having been very active as out UC Jazz president. After year in which he taught in a high school music department, he attended graduate school back East in a Jazz History program (one of the few in the country) and is now employed full time at the Jazz at Lincoln Center offices in New York.

It is heartening to think about these and other students pursuing a chosen path, different from the original, and one which will hopefully be fulfilling to their lives. It is even more heartening to think that UC Jazz may have played a small part in theses decisions. Music is a powerful force.

Ted Moore/Director
UC Jazz

Join the UC Jazz Club Now!

To sign-up for the Jazz Club please send an email to info@riovida.net with the headline
"I wish to join the UC Jazz Club"

SUPPORT UC JAZZ – PARTICIPATE IN OUR FALL FUNDRAISER!

Readers of the UC Jazz Club Newsletter are invited to help UC Jazz with its upcoming fundraiser at International House in Berkeley which will take place on Monday, November 13 from 6 to 11:30 pm.  Ways you can help include:

Become a Sponsor or Advertiser or Donor, print out the linked Sponsor/Advertiser/Donor letter and respond with either or both the linked Sponsor Response Form and Advertiser and Donor Response Form.

Attend the event! There are a few options for your attendance. Come to the pre-concert buffet and participate in a prize drawing. Come to the 8 pm concert with performances by the three advanced combos and the big band. Check out the UC Jazz website at ucjazz.berkeley.edu/support for full information.

If you can't attend and wish to give your support you can do so conveniently by visiting the secure link:

Make a secure online donation using your credit card at:
http://givetocal.berkeley.edu/ucjazz

If you would like to be mailed a printed invitation to the event, please send your name and snail mail address to Carol Suveda at carols@sma.berkeley.edu.

Attend the event!  There are a few options for your attendance.  Come to the pre-performance reception 6PM to 8PM that includes food and beverages, Come to the 8 pm and 10 pm performances by the big band and select ensembles from UC Jazz Ensembles.  Check out the UC Jazz website. http://ucjazz.berkeley.edu/

JOIN THE UC JAZZ CLUB NOW!!
Please send an email to info@riovida.net with the headline "I wish to join the UC Jazz Club".

WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO UC JAZZ WILL SUPPORT

Ted Moore, Director of UC Jazz Ensembles, manages seven combos, a big band, and five part-time faculty members. UC Jazz performs at over 50 concerts/gigs in a year on and off campus. He states, we are at peak efficiency. We regularly perform and Anna's Island in Berkeley. We participated in the Jazz Festival in Hayward this year. We have upgraded our equipment in the past few years to include a drum set, vibes and a Mason & Hamlin grand piano.

Now we wish to continue the Master Classes Series and improve our Large Studio. Call us to see a graphic rendering of how the Large Studio could look when renovated. We hope to be able to fund that in the near future. Ted Moore invites everyone interested in Music Education Programs to join us in our joint effort to maintain and grow this Program.

If you are interested in becoming a major sponsor for the Large Studio renovation please feel free to contact Ted Moore anytime to see the plans.

MEMBER SUPPORT SERVICES
Find out about the UC Jazz Club membership benefits, and explore how you wish to contribute and interact with other members.  Contact Edie Okamoto at eokamoto@riovida.net.