All that jazz

Thursday, March 1, 2007

The Kansas Ballroom was all jazzed up Wednesday night as students played casino-style games, munched on hors d’oeuvres and listened to live jazz music in a dimly lit room.

Last night was the first “Jazz Gala,” presented by Student Union Activities. Tanner Burns, Wichita junior, and SUA’s live music coordinator, said he wanted the event to become an annual affair.

pullquote

Anyone who plays this well is worth listening to.

- Amy Bradshaw, Lawrence freshman

Students crowded around roulette, craps and Texas Hold ‘em tables. Guests were given $1,100 in poker chips as they arrived.

Mollie Osborne, Tonganoxie freshman, even learned how to play craps at the event.

“It was really fun. Especially to beat Jennifer,” Osborne said of a friend of hers.

At the end of the evening, students with the most chips were given prizes. Burns said the first place winner received tickets to “Aida,” a Broadway musical coming to the Lied Center in mid April. The second place winner got a gift certificate for free dance lessons from a local dance studio.

SUA’s Web site said jazz “is one genre of music that does not get enough play in the Lawrence area,” and that they planned the event to give jazz a venue.

The soulful style of local band Afro-Jazz Experiment played and sang to set the mood. Afro-Jazz Experiment is made up of a drummer, guitarist, bass guitarist or cellist and a trumpet player who doubles as singer.

Amy Bradshaw, Lawrence freshman, was in the union to watch “Little Miss Sunshine,” but followed her ears into the ballroom.

“Anyone who plays this well is worth listening to,” Bradshaw said.

Burns said SUA began planning the event in November.

“This is a little less than we were expecting,” Burns said. “But the weather was bad and this is the first year for the event.”

Kansan staff writer Bethany Bunch can be contacted at bbunch@kansan.com.

— Edited by Mark Vierthaler

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