LIFEROAD on

Jaia Wilensky ‘23 Soggy Closet, Upper Level Band

In Orlando, the 15 members of our band [Soggy Closet, named after the band’s old, tiny practice space] were split between apartment-style villas, and we couldn’t find anywhere to practice because all the practice rooms were being used for clinics. We went to one of the villas and practiced there. We had no drum set with us, so we pulled out pots and pans. Two of our managers held them and our drummer played on them. It was definitely a team-building experience.

Last year, during one of our class performances, we messed up on a song, and one of our players took over the ending and did this really beautiful solo on the piano for a minute straight. One of the things that’s really helped us is that we know each other well now. In Orlando, a judge wanted us to make a riff based off of the melody that some of us were playing. Other members were asked to latch on to that riff. We knew instinctively who to listen to and who to latch onto. We know how to pick up for each other.

It shows that we are able to lean on each other and figure things out for ourselves.

I was torn about whether to pursue music in college. It’s one thing to play music and learn about it in school, and it’s another to make it work in real life. I’m guessing it’s hard to find someone who isn’t at least a little nervous about fully committing themselves to music because it’s such a challenging career. But part of what made me want to commit is how much I loved the experience of being on these trips to different cities and immersing myself in that world.

One memory that stands out is watching Wynton Marsalis rehearse with his big band [The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra] in New York City. It really made me think about how my own band practiced back home. They had a band leader, and they were attacking different sections systematically. Everyone came prepared. It was a blueprint of how rehearsals should go. What I enjoyed about that experience is that I felt like I was getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to be a musician.

The other fascinating element was watching the music network. Brad has so many friends in the jazz community, and watching him has taught me that you have to put yourself out there, meet other people, and learn from them. I’m trying to do that now that I’m doing gigs in real life and meeting so many other artists.

My big takeaway from all these trips is that the key to making it work in this business is to love the music. That’s what keeps you engaged and interested. That’s at the heart of everything.