Need something to do on Wednesday evening? Not just this Wednesday night, but the next one. And after that.
Here’s a great option: A new local jazz band plays a weekly residency at The Gold Room every Wednesday through November 24.
The idea arose after Matt Campbell played a concert at Icons, the gay piano bar in downtown Colorado Springs. In the audience was Evan Hooton, owner of the Gold Room and impressed with what he heard. Hooton asked the musician on site about a weekly residency.
Campbell said yes. The 23-year-old Colorado Springs native, who learned drums at the age of 2, immediately thought of a list of names, a mix of old and new friends, who had never formally been part of ‘a group together.
“I really wanted to play with some amazing guys that I’ve been playing with for years,” Campbell said. “I called them up and I was like, ‘Yo, this combination of people would really work together. “”
One by one they said yes. Besides Campbell, who is the drummer and musical director, the group includes keyboardists Derek E. Greaves Jr. and Caleb Sutton, guitarist David Musante and bassist Jon Johnson.
They form the STNDRD and got together especially for this tradition in the middle of the week. Together, Campbell said he hoped they would bring “music that’s really different from what’s being done around Colorado Springs.”
STNDRD describes itself as “an eclectic group of Colorado musicians focused on modern jazz and R&B with a straight, clean sound and more jazz than jazz, with hints of neo-soul.” The group has a solid collective background in gospel music and mixes this knowledge with passionate success. “
In their shows, they play a range of songs made famous by Herbie Hancock and others by Earth, Wind & Fire or Chris Brown. Every two weeks, the main group invites a featured artist to play with.
Campbell says that every show offers “a new sound.”
“It’s a vibe,” he said. “It really is.”
The group is part of their mission to help build the Colorado Springs music scene, a scene that also serves as their home. After attending Rampart High School, Campbell moved to study music at the University of Denver.
When he came back here two years ago, he didn’t see so many opportunities for a young jazzman like him to perform. He sees this change with concerts like The Gold Room.
“It’s really cool because you usually don’t hear about artists in residence until they’ve been around for years,” he said. “Being able to say I had my first one at 23 is a huge accomplishment.”
He has another weekly Sunday show on CO.ATI Between that and his teaching jobs at Colorado Springs Conservatory, Campbell’s schedule is very busy. And for the next two months, that will include spending Wednesday night at The Gold Room. He hopes to see you there.
“People are always looking for something to do,” he said. “It just adds to what there is to do at the sources.”
