February 17, 2002
Vocalist
Karan Chavis leads grassroots push to revive a fading genre
By
LAURA HENSLEY
Eagle Staff Writer
Special to The Eagle
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Vocalist Karan Chavis is
working to revive the Bryan–College Station jazz scene. |
Local
vocalist Karan Chavis hopes to get jazz back on Bryan and College Station’s musical
menu by hosting a series of performances by regional artists.
“Live jazz in Bryan and College Station has been absent from the local music scene
for many years,” said Chavis, who often sang at the now-defunct College Station Jazz
and Blues Festival. “Back in the ’70s and ’80s, College Station and Bryan
were alive with jazz performers and great places to play.”
Things are a little different now, and Chavis is on a crusade to change it.
In order to revive the local scene Chavis, along with a few local jazz aficionados and
musicians created the Winter Jazz Series at The Loose Moose in College Station. The
performances are each Sunday night through March 3. The shows begin at 7 p.m. and cover
charge is $5, or $3 with a student ID. The Loose Moose is located in the Lack’s
shopping center at 2501 Texas Ave. South.
This week, the jazz series will feature Chavis with Greg Tivis on keyboards, Manny Lopez
on bass, Dave Feagan on drums and Brian Donahue on guitar.
Austin vocalist Pamela Hart will sing Feb. 24, and Austin jazz-fusion group The Brew will
round out the series on March 3.
After spending more than 10 years commuting to performances in Austin, touring around the
country and singing at local functions, Chavis said she would now like put more efforts
into nurturing the jazz scene locally.
“You can’t ride on the wagon and not push,” said Chavis, who has a day job
as the senior policy administrator at Texas A&M University. “It’s time to
push.”
Chavis said that if the winter series is successful, more performances will follow in the
spring and fall at various venues in Bryan and College Station. Her goal is to eventually
bring in larger national acts.
“We want to bring in acts that normally don’t make it here,” Chavis said.
“Right now we are planting the seeds and building support.”
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Laura Hensley’s e-mail address is lhensley@theeagle.com
© 2000, 2001 The Bryan/College Station Eagle
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