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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
The Branford Marsalis Quartet ‘jazzed’ up the PAC By Ashley Barletta News editor
On Feb. 1, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) welcomed highly acclaimed saxophonist Branford Marsalis and his quartet. Students, faculty and people of the Mercyhurst community filled the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center for “An Evening with Branford Marsalis.” I was one of the students fortunate enough to have attended the concert. Marsalis enjoys expressing himself through jazz music and has been pushing the boundaries of what jazz is ever since the quartet was formed in 1986. Marsalis not only plays music, but he has also composed
music for “Mo’ Better Blues,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” He has also taught music at Michigan State, San Francisco State and North Carolina Central University. Marsalis opened the concert by saying “the lake is frozen solid.” He and the other members of the quartet had a sense of humor and expressed that onstage to all of us who were there. It was refreshing to me as an audience member because this was my first time at a jazz concert, and I did not know what to expect. The evening was complete with solos by pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner.
Marsalis claims he does not remember what they played, but jazz is all about taking something and making it your own, which is definitely one of the strong suits of the quartet. A big part of the history of jazz is the fact that jazz musicians do not mess up; they simply take the song they are playing in a new direction. As exemplified by Marsalis’ quartet, one of the members began to play his instrument a little differently and the rest would follow. There were even times during each song that Marsalis would step back and let Calderazzo, Revis and Faulkner play for a while, giving them a chance to demonstrate their musical skills. The music played by the quartet was by no means traditional.
Marsalis is well-known for the risks he takes to make his music stand out. Nobody would imagine a set of drums in a jazz quartet, but Faulkner held nothing back when he played them. The stage lights changed color according to the tone of each song the quartet played. When there was high energy, the lights were golden and sometimes even reddish. When the music slowed down and became more melancholy, the lights above shone blue. The songs that were played throughout the evening lasted much longer than the usual three-minute songs most of us are used to listening to. These songs had a buildup of intensity as they progressed, with the moments of the highest
intensity usually surrounding a solo from one of the musicians. The buildup was long, and the release happened very suddenly. The audience quickly learned that this release did not necessarily mean the end of the song, but we all applauded in the middle of each song anyway. A good time was had by all on the evening of Feb. 1. I am thankful that I have now experienced live jazz music, and that MIAC is able to bring in the amazing artists that they do. To check out what the quartet is up to, or listen to them play, visit branfordmarslis.com and YouTube. Miss out on this opportunity? Stay up-to-date with MIAC events on their website at www. miac.mercyhurst.edu.
The 814: Visit the Tipsy Bean this month By Sarah Beck Staff writer
Finding a perfect coffee shop is similar to finding a pair of jeans that fit just right, a stayat-home rainy day, butter melting on warm bread or freshly cleaned sheets. Tipsy Bean is a local coffee shop here in Erie that appeals to whoever walks through the front door! Coffee beans originate as seeds, and, similarly to coffee, Tipsy Bean planted its coffee seeds in the Erie Hill District Neighborhood at 2425 Peach Street a little over 15 years ago. The founder and CEO of Tipsy Bean, Gisele Littrell, is a fun and eclectic musician whose personality positively reflects her lively coffee shop. Littrell said that Tipsy Bean was created “so that we could really bring inclusivity and diversity to a city that is budding with growth.” Immediately when you enter this coffee shop all of your senses are stimulated, from the smell of espresso, the chatter of caffeinated customers, baked goods tingling your taste buds, to the vibrant walls, rugs and decor that adorn the shop. “I really want to incorporate the feel and essence of creativity,” Littrell said. “That’s really what I want: to inspire everyone who walks through this door.” Tipsy Bean is well known for its fun cartoon-drawn characters that decorate the side of the coffee shop as a mural as well as appear on the shop’s merchandise
Photo by Sarah Beck
February’s art on display at Tipsy Bean.
and coffee sleeves. Littrell stated that Tipsy Bean offers her a platform “that is really going to incorporate the diversity of the world, all the people in it and the different regions and origins that these coffee beans come from. It may seem like we have some cute characters to showcase, but ultimately it’s about educating and drawing us together,” she said. Tipsy Bean is always creating
new and fun specials for their customers, especially for holidays. Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, some specials to look out for is the Cupid’s Kiss Latte (lavender and vanilla), Teddy Bear Hug Cappuccino (brown sugar cinnamon and marshmallow), Candy Hearts Smoothie (blueberry, orange, strawberry, and raspberry), Love Potion Quencher (hibiscus, blue matcha, blueberry and raspber-
ry) and an Indonesian Coffee. Tipsy Bean is also offering a fun Valentine’s Day giveaway. Make sure to stop in the store to guess how many candy hearts are in a jar for the chance to win a free beverage and a half-off pastry of choice. A lot of Mercyhurst students love Tipsy Bean and even shared their go-to orders as recommendations! “Tipsy Bean is a quirky little coffee shop in Erie that has
a variety of flavored syrups and dietary foods,” Owen Moore, a freshman fashion merchandising major said. “My favorite drink is a brown sugar latte with almond milk.” Mary Torrez, a junior cyber security major enjoys the vanilla iced latte the best. Katie Misko, a freshman fashion merchandising major, said that her favorite beverage to get at Tipsy Bean is the lavender latte with oat milk. If you are not able to make it out to this coffee shop, you can always order by door-dash. Tipsy Bean is very accommodating for any dietary restrictions that their customers might have. They offer a variety of milk substitutions for any drinks, as well as an array of pastries that are dairy, sugar and gluten-free, making sure that there is something for everyone. This coffee shop is all about supporting the Erie community whether it be their customers or other small businesses. You can find merchandise such as headbands and handmade mugs from other local small businesses for sale at Tipsy Bean. Make sure to check out this coffee shop on your next off-campus venture to not only get a great coffee and pastry but also to support a small local business!
