April 7, 2004

This spring a new attraction has begun at Underground Pizza in downtown Courtenay. Along with numerous live bands throughout the week, Friday night now features an open Jazz Jam. This Jam gives musicians the opportunity to meet in a supportive environment to enjoy playing and listening to Jazz music. Underground Pizza is located on Fifth Street in Courtenay near the Fifth Street Bridge. Those are the casual directions given to locals when they call Underground Pizza for directions.

The recent renovations completed at Underground Pizza have supported the open and relaxed atmosphere necessary to any successful Jam. The walls have been painted in muted shades of blue and purple with sweeping black lines punctuating the complementary blocks of colour. The look is both modern and clean. Live plants add a softer edge to the predominantly black furniture that adorns the room. Soft black couches invite patrons to relax and observe for hours. Renovations to the restaurant include several audio upgrades that contribute to the successful Jam nights. An isolated sound booth provides a discrete place for the audio technician to adjust levels as the musicians and music change. The small stage has had microphone inputs installed in the floor to eliminate the need for cables to be strewn on the floor. The effect is tidy and professional. There are enough inputs for seven instrument or vocal microphones to be used simultaneously. The main speakers have been raised off the floor and positioned to allow for the best transmission of sound. Although these things may seem essential to any good venue for live music it is surprising how often audio features are neglected.

With the venue and acoustics properly set up the success of the Jam depends on the musicians and the audience. For the Jazz Jam at Underground Pizza both the audience and the musicians are abundant and enthusiastic. Some of the musicians are young and energetic as they play on stage. For players like Benson Glashin on guitar and Myles Harvey on trumpet the Jam offers an opportunity to young people to gain experience playing on stage and to introduce them to more experienced musicians. More experienced players, like Liam Grym on trumpet and Billy Street on drums, take time away from their structured rehearsals with the local band, Jazz Noir, to enjoy a more laid back approach to Jazz. Most musicians bring their own instruments so every Friday night is a little different. There are often horn instruments, an upright base and sometimes even a vibraphone. The egalitarian attitude of the performers allows each instrument to be showcased in turn. More structured performances often relegate rhythm instruments and less experienced musicians to supportive or background roles. At the Jazz Jam every musician has an opportunity to display their skill as the other musicians make room for them to play a solo within the song. For this reason the Jazz Jam at Underground Pizza attracts a variety of musicians with a wide range of abilities and many different instruments.

The pleasant music and positive atmosphere attract an equally varied audience. Relaxing on those comfortable couches, listening to the constant flow of jazz music the audience seems content. Audience members listen attentively, chat quietly or sample some of the food available from the kitchen. Underground Pizza has an ample menu to sustain both the audience and musicians. The wide selection of teas (more than a dozen), coffee and alcoholic beverages provides variety to the variety of customers that are attracted to the restaurant. Nachos and pizza by the slice seem to be favourites of the assembled crowd but the menu includes many other items.

Benefiting from a central location, modern décor, great acoustics and a good menu there is only one negative aspect to the Friday night Jazz Jam at Underground Pizza; overcrowding. Within an hour of starting the Jam nearly every seat in the house is occupied. Latecomers seem quite happy to mingle and wait for a seat to become available. The staff can be seen bringing spare chairs from the storeroom but the venue is quite small and limits the number of people who can squeeze in. This overcrowding should not deter customers from the Jam. On the contrary, it shows how popular the Jazz Jam has become in just a few weeks, and should encourage more people to attend. The relaxed and supportive atmosphere seems to always have room for one more person who appreciates Jazz music.