The Orange Juice Combo brings experimental zest to jazz.
OJ meets twice a week as part of a class the students take at Syracuse University. Alongside playing jazz, students learn about the genre and increase their versatility as musicians. These skills are important because members of the ensemble might want to be professional music producers, sound technicians or performers, Coggiola said.
As the group is the most advanced jazz ensemble at Syracuse University, they don’t just play the music they’re given, they change it completely. The students bounce off of each other and have the opportunity to pitch new ideas, like Kapllanni’s “Invitation” suggestion or Collingbourne’s different beat. Jazz is typically the same songs being performed with a twist by each artist, which is what OJ exemplifies, Kapllani said.
Coggiola will take a step back and allow students to go through the process of experimenting until he feels he needs to pitch something, he said. Through this process, students can gain skills they can continue to use.
Read more on the Daily Orange: https://dailyorange.com/2023/11/orange-juice-combo-experimental-zest-to-jazz/