I had been booked for what I thought was an end of year party at one of the local universities, however, after speaking with the organising department it turns out that I was actually needed for an end of year showcase, not a party! This would be an opportunity for students to show their work, get awards and meet professionals in the industry, so the energetic setlist I had planned wouldn’t really work.
The guidance from the organisers was to revolve around jazz music, a scene that I am not very familiar with, having only ever been to one jazz bar before. I attempted to stay within this genre while also including enough recognisable content for students. After much searching for bands and artists who fit both briefs, as well as utilising “chilled” versions of popular songs, I managed to build a set list for the occasion.
There were very mixed reactions to the music, the organisers commented that It was not jazzy enough whereas students wanted more upbeat and modern songs. When I told one of the students that this is not the kind of music that I normal mix they responded “good”. It goes to show the varying ideas and understandings of the music different people have at the same event.
