The Ohio Union Activities Board will host its Jazz Speakeasy Monday at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Credit: Courtesy of Kathryn D Studios
The Ohio Union Activities Board is inviting students to enjoy a relaxing night at its Jazz Speakeasy Monday at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
The event will feature live performances from local jazz artists Sydney McSweeney and the Lucas Holmes Quartet in a cozy, vintage-inspired lounge area from 7-9 p.m., said Caitlyn Medland, OUAB director of concerts and fourth-year in health sciences.?
Medland said the Speakeasy will be one of OUAB’s first jazz events.
“When I became director of concerts, one of my goals was to bring new genres of music that we don’t typically hit,” Medland said. “We don’t tend to do a lot of jazz events just because when people think about what the students want, it’s really upbeat, current music.”
However, Medland said she believes people of all ages can enjoy the genre.
“Jazz is timeless, it’s going to be good in any decade,” Medland said. “Connecting students with jazz music is a goal of mine because I love jazz and I think historically, it’s just really important and awesome music that we should all be listening to.”?
Medland said she hopes the event provides an opportunity for students to experience live jazz for the first time.
“It’s going to be a memorable night, and hopefully it can kind of get them into thinking about jazz music or thinking about diversifying their music genres,” Medland said. “A small two-hour window could open them up for possibilities that they didn’t know [existed], that they liked this music.”?
The Wex’s black box theater will be transformed into an intimate setting with charcuterie, desserts and drinks, Medland said. Located on campus, she said the center is easily accessible to students.
“It’s easier for students to commute there, to get there, to see events there, because it’s so close to campus that it doesn’t require traveling or commuting to get there,” Medland said.?
Although no transportation is needed for this event, Medland said OUAB takes pride in hosting entirely free events for students.
“If the event doesn’t take place, if the concert doesn’t take place on campus, we’ll always provide [transportation] there and back for free,” Medland said.?
Many OUAB events are held in the Ohio Union. By holding the Jazz Speakeasy at the Wex, Medland said students are encouraged to explore a new area of campus.
“One thing that we’ve heard from students is they want diversified locations of our events,” Medland said. “I think it is very mutually beneficial to have events there, not only for diversification of event spaces, but also for students to see a space they might not normally see.”
Erik Pepple, director of marketing content for the Wex, said in an email the center is looking forward to the event.?
“The Wex is excited to host OUAB and the Jazz Speakeasy,” Pepple said. “It’s always a pleasure when they work with us or host events here to bring the campus community together under our roof.”
Medland said as a culturally rich genre, jazz music has fostered community for decades — anyone can enjoy the music without knowing the lyrics.
“It can bring people together,” Medland said. “Some music I feel like I can’t listen to if I don’t know the lyrics; jazz music kind of just has a beat that everybody can follow.”
Students with a valid BuckID can register for up to two free tickets. For more information about the event, visit OUAB’s Instagram page.
