Jazz and Tacos: SFSU event provides students with musical nourishment

Once a month midday, San Francisco State University’s Studio One becomes a nightclub called Jazz and Tacos. Here, our students get a feel for performing in front of an intimate audience in the type of music venues found all over the world. And, yes, free tacos are provided to all attendees. 

Keeping jazz music’s time-honored tradition of improvisation, students receive the setlist only 90 minutes before showtime, including those in the “Music 388: Jazz Combos” class. Some get a surprise call on the spot to hop on stage. 

Students say that the Jazz and Tacos event empowers them to live their dreams: the possibility of playing to standing ovations or working full time as a musician or music teacher.  

“This was my first jam session ever,” said vocalist Anthony Joerel Garcia, a Music Education major who discovered a passion for jazz at Westmoor High School in Daly City and Skyline College in San Bruno. “It was so scary. But once we got into the groove and could feel the music, it was wonderful.” 

Sarah Star, a Music major in Vocal Performance, says singing at Jazz and Tacos is thrilling and amazing. 

“Events like this show us what we need to make it to the next level,” said Star, a new transfer student from Laney College in Oakland. “It immediately brings us into the professional world. Instead of being in a classroom, we are facing something in real life.” 

Led by Assistant Professor of Music Kev Choice, the series brings acclaimed guest artists to perform alongside the students. On Oct. 6, special guest Martin Luther McCoy sat in on vocals and acoustic guitar while students rotated in and out of the ensemble. Choice played the drums for most of the show — a change from his usual seat at the piano. 

“We vibrate. We listen. We learn to play together,” said Choice, a ubiquitous musician seen everywhere from the Oakland Symphony to National Public Radio’s “Tiny Desk” while also serving as president of the Recording Academy’s San Francisco chapter. 

Garcia and Star were impressed with how McCoy communicated with all of the musicians on the stage without saying a word.  

“It’s very impactful from a singer’s standpoint,” Star said, “observing his phrasing and how he is dealing with people in the audience and collaborating with everybody. He made eye contact with all of us.” 

The SFSU students impressed McCoy with their talent. “The students are awesome,” he said. “I’m sitting up checking out people whose ears are already well outside of the box. I heard some people playing music that was way outside. And at a young age that’s pretty encouraging.” 

Jazz music and SFSU have a long, storied history. Numerous jazz elders are SFSU alumni, starting in the 1950s with Cal Tjader and Vince Guaraldi and through the 1970s with the likes of George Duke and Wesla Whitfield. Millennial graduates such as Gabrielle Cavassa and Grammy winner Nate Mercereau have continued the tradition, with both having released acclaimed recordings for the landmark Blue Note Records label. 

Jazz and Tacos is part of the LCA Live performing arts and lecture series in SFSU’s College of Liberal & Creative Arts. Its events also provide students with experience in lighting, sound, marketing and more. The concerts are held the first Tuesday of the month during the school year. The next show is Nov. 3 at 12:30 p.m. 

“It reminds me of my original goal: having fun playing music. I get to be with my classmates just having fun,” said Michael Acuña, a Bachelor of Music student studying electric guitar. “There are good vibes from start to end.” 

Learn more about SFSU’s School of Music. 

Kayla Amarillas contributed to this report.