Members of the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association played a late-night patio show for students and faculty in the Snell House courtyard.
The Oct. 26 show began at dusk with the jazz standard “It Could Happen to You.”
The Al Downing Jazz Association is named for jazz musician Al Downing, who came to St. Petersburg from Alabama in 1939. After going back to school for a master’s of music, he taught at Gibbs High School for about 20 years, and then spent another 20 at St. Petersburg College.
“He was a great talent, but also a great teacher,” said Thomas W. Smith, associate professor of government and international affairs and director of the honors program. “Some of the biggest stars in jazz played here,” like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
The group played other jazz songs like “Take the A-Train” and “How High is the Moon.” Between songs, they talked to the audience about Downing and the jazz genre.
Dwayne White, who played the trumpet and is also a teacher, told the audience that a lot of jazz performance is improvisation, which he called “spontaneous creativity.” He said the players communicate with each other wordlessly on stage while they play.
“If you could see the lines of communication, you’d see a lot of lines up here,” he said.
Photo by Keeley Sheehan
