Local vinyl store and music venue, Full Moon Records, welcomed Conwegians to enjoy performances from local bands Conwave, High Ping and Sonder Ponder on Feb. 9.
Conwave showcased their take on jazz, enticing the crowd with lulling melodies.
UCA students and alumni make up the jazz band, which started playing over the summer of 2023, at gigs around central Arkansas.
“We kind of formed accidentally. We just got a call that was like, ‘Hey, do you want to play for a jazz show?’ I was like, ‘Sure.’ I put together a group and then it kind of became a thing,” Danny Isaacs, Conwave’s saxophone player and junior music performance major said.
UCA music alumnus and trombonist Jesse Kinder said, “I love seeing young people at jazz shows; it’s really exciting. It’s cool that there are people that are invested in music that people work really hard on, and that has a very solid tradition behind it that needs to be respected, and it’s just cool to see young people invested in it.”
The group may be new, but their band’s chemistry draws in a crowd like no other.
Isaacs said, “It’s kind of crazy because I didn’t expect that many people to be that interested in going to jazz shows, especially at somewhere like Vino’s or Full Moon Records that aren’t known for being jazz venues. Generally, maybe we won’t pack the house, but we’ll have a pretty good crowd. We’ve packed the house at Vino’s before.”
Josh South, a senior music major who played trumpet for Conwave, explained the importance of jazz and the appreciation it deserves.
“This music is a little complicated. I think for the younger people, they tend to stay away from it because of that. When you go to these shows, you feel like you’re involved in it. You feel like you’re in on a joke that you didn’t know about.
“It’s like, you watch these guys on stage and they’re all you know, pointing out numbers or saying stuff or laughing and giggling and like, and you want to be part of that too,” South said. “That’s what this music is about. It is a joy to play. I’m so glad that the younger audience is finally coming to watch, coming to listen and sharing in the vibe,” he said.
Kinder also elaborated on the lack of a jazz scene in Arkansas.
“I mean, especially here in Arkansas, anyone who goes and sees any kind of jazz show — how sparingly they are — it’s just a bunch of old people, like just reliving the glory days. It’s really exciting to see people our age investing, whether they like it or not, it’s just cool to be a part of it. It’s more than just playing the kind of music we do,” Kinder said.
Isaacs reflected on the highs from performing and the energy a performance can create.
“It doesn’t matter how the performance goes. You just feel good. Being onstage and getting off just allows you to feel the energy in the room. It doesn’t matter how you play, you just know it was cool to be up there. I know in some ways that I was meant for this, and I hope that I can reflect that in my music,” Isaacs said.
Joining Isaacs, Kinder and South in Conwave at the Feb. 9 gig were music alumnus Dylan Betnar on drums, senior music major Simon Podsiadlik on vibraphone and sophomore music major Lucas Alba on double bass.
Conwave promotes its upcoming gigs on Instagram @conwave.ar.