The Rozsa Center’s Backstage Jazz will host an exciting performance featuring four uniquely styled jazz ensembles on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Backstage. The event will be led by Adam Meckler, Director of Jazz Studies, and Drew Kilpela, Assistant Teaching Professor of Music.
Backstage Jazz is a long-running program at Michigan Tech, showcasing diverse jazz performances and drawing audiences from across the UP . The program features a variety of combos and ensembles, reflecting the rich diversity of the Michigan Tech jazz scene and providing high-quality live jazz performances to both students and community.
The featured ensembles for the event include; Momentum, bringing soulful funk with vocals and guitar; Velocity, a group focusing on traditional swing; Prince’s Point, a high-energy jazz fusion ensemble; and JazTec, MTU’s premier jazz group, specializing in contemporary jazz, funk, and some original styles.
“JazTech has spent a good two months working on stuff [for this event]… we’ve pulled out four, maybe three [tunes] that we’re playing for this show”, said Robin Vanden Heuvel, a vibraphonist with JazTech who has participated in the event for three years.
“There’s so many students that you might not realize play jazz. Most of these students in these combos have no major or minor in the Visual and Performing Arts Department; they could be people from your Circuits class. I think it’s a good opportunity to spend time listening to music and what students around you are doing,” Vanden Heuvel added. The event is not just a performance—it’s a celebration of the region’s musical talent, students’ passions, and an invitation to explore jazz in a fresh context.
Tickets for the event are available for $20 on the Michigan Tech website. Michigan Tech students can reserve Student Rush Tickets in advance or claim them at the theatre entrance for no cost.
