On April 1, as patrons of Lane Arts Council’s First Friday ArtWalk moved between the featured galleries on West Broadway, many noticed from the outside that The Jazz Station, a local jazz venue, had paper over its windows and nothing inside. April Fools’ Day aside, the venue looked permanently closed. Upon closer inspection, a small sign taped to the front door happily read “Jazz Station, Move to 124 W Broadway.”
The Jazz Station had filled the streets of downtown Eugene with brassy high notes and subtle improvised melodies since 2005.
After five years of successfully staging local and regional jazz, The Jazz Station’s popularity was so great, it literally ran out of room.
“The original space was very small, and we were outgrowing it,” said Chris Orsinger, president of The Jazz Station.
The small 700-square-foot space left little separation between musician and audience, as attendees would literally have to walk in front of the stage to get to their seats. With one bathroom, an uncomfortable greenroom and no license to serve alcohol to patrons, The Jazz Station was in need of something better.
As a result, The Jazz Station, run by the nonprofit Willamette Jazz Society, acquired a much larger location one block away. The new space has a bigger stage set in the back with professional lighting and sound. The ambience of the venue has been greatly improved with dim lighting set against soft red walls. Local art, from a revolving artist of the month, hangs from all sides of the room. The new location also has a license from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to serve wine and beer to patrons over 21.
The project was a cohesive effort started in August 2010 when the Willamette Jazz Society originally secured the new location.
After raising funds, an intensive renovation process followed the acquisition from November until the latter part of March. Every step of the way, the nonprofit relied on volunteers who happily worked hard to make the dream of a new location become a reality.
“The one thing to know about The Jazz Station is that it’s all volunteer-run,” Orsinger said.
With a little more than 40 members, the hard work all but dissipated as the finishing touches were completed and the new furniture was put into place.
The move has an impact far beyond simply providing a nicer space to musicians. Since its creation, The Jazz Station’s main goal has been to share and teach jazz to anyone wanting to participate. With better facilities, the organization can better achieve this goal, while still only charging five dollars or less for every concert.
Such an achievement may affect younger musicians the most. Specifically, this gives University jazz students better opportunities when they need a public environment to build upon the academic music knowledge they learn at school.
“The Jazz Station offers University of Oregon music students a venue where they can hone their abilities in front of an appreciative, listening audience,” said Carl Woideck, instructor of jazz and popular music at the University. “Young jazz musicians from high-school age on up need a place where they can jam — and later, work — outside of the conventional night clubs.”
During the first few days at the new location, The Jazz Station made sure to include University students in many concerts. This is a theme the venue doesn’t intend to move away from as it settles in.
“It’s an example of how the University is working with The Jazz Station to create opportunities for the professional musicians in training at the University,” Orsinger said.
The Jazz Station has always been a place in Eugene to give a platform for younger musicians to play, and it plans to continue this tradition in its new home.
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The Jazz Station’s new venue affords more space for musicians
Daily Emerald
April 9, 2011
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