Jazz musicians meet and play for free on Fridays

Appeared in The Daily Collegian on September 12th, 2008.

For years now, The Basement in Northampton on Friday nights has been a spot for local, and sometimes widely regarded, musicians to assemble and play. Despite The Basement's elusive location, the tradition continues to thrive.

The Friday Night Jazz performances are free to the public. The show begins around 10 p.m. and ends early in the morning. The reason the shows start later than most is because unlike rock or pop concerts, Friday nights at The Basement deliberately cater to a crowd that wants to come and go as they please.

The majority of people that attend these live shows are looking for a refuge - a place to escape the stresses of work or home. Its lounge layout promotes relaxation and tranquility. The Basement parallels the texture of velvet, where cocktail jazz and quiet background music are embraced. Downtempo vibes like to pervade during Friday night kickback sessions.

The Basement is part of the Iron Horse Entertainment Group. Performers at the other venues - Iron Horse, Calvin Theater, Pearl Street - are often known to stop in after their sets. These dignitaries are also another allurement of The Basement.

Some jazz musicians like '82 UMass Alum Dan Goitein (who will be taking the stage tonight) and a few of his friends have become well-known at The Basement. Since the start of Live Jazz Fridays five years ago, Goitein has played over 225 shows and doesn't seem to want to stop anytime soon.

"I used to play in a jazz duo in a few restaurants. This isn't high art music. We all have day jobs," Goitein said.

When Goitein isn't performing, he fathers five children, works as an accountant, a mobile service technician, and owner of a large franchise.

Many of the patrons that go to The Basement on Friday evenings happen to be musicians themselves. When mainstays like Goitein and long-time accompanists John Crankshaw (drummer) and George Plouffe (organ and baby grand piano) perform, these guests occasionally contribute to the show. Anyone able to incorporate his or her talents into the show is politely welcomed to do so. Friday evenings are known to be full of free improvisations and the unexpected.

When more popular musicians like guitarist, Burt Teague, or Cicci Santucci (trumpet player that contributed to the soundtrack of the 2004 movie, "Cold Mountain") come into The Basement, the stereotypical sophistication that draws people away from jazz is lost. Most of the tunes heard are jazz standards so crowd participation is common. Because of this, the pretenses of jazz music are at a minimum. You can catch Teague at The Basement on October 3.

People from different places can flock to The Basement without any reservations to witness this small-town jazz subculture.
"It is our social scene. We strive to keep an ambiance atmosphere. It is very loose," said Goitein.

UMass Music Professor Theodore Brown often sends his students specifically interested in jazz studies to The Basement to see performances. In the course Music 103 "History of Jazz," it is mandatory for his students to review one live jazz show. "The atmosphere at The Basement is intimate. They [his students] can actually talk to the musicians. They are able to ask important questions to help them better understand the music," said Brown.

Another local figure in the closely-knit music scene is Ellen Cogen, a fellow UMass Alum. Cogen gained a love for music while attending UMass, and later went on to receive a Master's degree from The New England Conservatory of Music. When Cogen performs at Live Jazz Fridays, she adds a feminine flare to a genre of music dominated by men. Cogen keeps busy in the Pioneer Valley by doing performances in Holyoke, South Hadley, Westfield, Sunderland and other local towns. She will be making her visit to The Basement on September 26 at 9 pm.

For more details on The Basement's schedule of performers, visit Iheg.com. On the site, one can view biographies of local and national artists that are scheduled to perform.