Kirsten Edkins Quintet brings jazz to life in Concert Series
“When life gives you speed bumps, you can choose to either slow down, or speed up and take the bump like a ride. Wuhoo!”
The Kirsten Edkins Quintet performed original jazz music at 7 p.m. in the Patil Theater on Friday. This quote from Kirsten Edkins’ mother inspired her piece “Wuhoo,” a classic jazz ballad featuring playful piano riffs and rich saxophone tones. Through performing and teaching music, Edkins carries this mentality of going with the flow while still challenging the norm in jazz.
The quintet consists of saxophonist Edkins, trombonist Lamar Guillary, pianist Sam Hirsch, bassist Ahmet Turkmenoglu and drummer Chris Wabich. From the opening, attendees tapped their feet and cheered along, filling the theater with energy and playfulness throughout the performance.
Attendee Flo Labrulie felt that the quintet truly exemplified the spirit of jazz, with each of the members adapting and improvising as they gave solos, all while harmonizing together as a group.
“In jazz, you can be free,” Labrulie said. “ For this group, you can see that they follow some notes, but at one point they break the notes and they can improvise and everybody is going to play and then come back together, so I really love that.”
The first two songs, “The Goose” and “Mean Greens,” both from Edkins’ 2023 album “Shapes & Sound,” opened the concert on a lighthearted and playful note, featuring upbeat saxophone and trombone solos. “Dedicated To You,” the third piece, marked a change of pace as Hirsch started out with a sweet and haunting solo, before the saxophone joined in to create a sultry mood.
Hirsch reflected that as professional musicians, they could easily adapt to each other’s improvised parts and harmonize onstage.
“This is our 5th time playing together over the years, and it’s finally starting to click,” Hirsch said. “We start to learn each other’s habits on the bandstand. It’s all about conversation and interaction and having these songs kind of take on new shape every time we perform.”
Although the quintet rarely rehearsed together, they demonstrated a connection onstage, especially during solos. As one musician took the spotlight, the others nodded along and backed each other with supporting tunes. Edkins highlighted the joy of improvising in a live show.
“As a musician, I love just playing a little bit and then listening to these guys,” Edkins said. “It reminds me of when you’re a kid and someone has an idea. Maybe it’s not the best idea, but if they’re good friends, they’re gonna go with it.”
After intermission, Edkins introduced “Angelica,” a quasi-jazz piece inspired by famous jazz musicians Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, which featured a vibrant piano solo and a maraca-like shaker. For the final number “Sweet Pickles”, instrumental teacher David Hart joined the quintet onstage, adding the flare of trumpet to the number during his solo.
Through their carefree jazz and experimental melodies the quintet showcased, their years of experience shone through. Frosh jazz band member and trumpet player Nathaniel Steeg highlighted how each musician supported one another while seamlessly interweaving melodies and accompaniment, whether it be Hirsch’s rapid progressions on the piano or Guillary’s smooth trombone riffs.
“These professionals definitely know what they’re doing and they definitely have a fun time doing what they do,” Nathaniel said. “As a group, they constantly communicate with each other to talk about solos and the order. They were very coordinated and sounded great.”
The quintet held a masterclass for jazz band members and any other interested students in the Patil theater before the performance. They played several pieces, pausing in between to answer students’ questions about jazz technique and style. Afterwards, attendees split into instrument groups to chat more personally with each band member.
Junior jazz band pianist Anika Basu found inspiration in the avant-garde approach the quintet brought to live jazz.
“They took the same pieces I heard just two hours ago in the master class, and they completely reinterpreted them and they made it completely their own just in a new way,” Anika said. “That’s what I love so much about live jazz — it’s different every single time. They really brought alive the spirit of live music.”