The bleachers in the Doudna Fine Arts Center Black Box Theater pulsed with smooth riffs and bounced with quick rhythms throughout the performance of the EIU Jazz Combos on Thursday.

The collective performance was made up of four groups, each playing selections ranging from Philonious Monk to Horace Silver.

Eric Fitts, a senior music major of the Birdland Quartet, said that each group drew its name from a popular New York jazz clubs.

“There is the Apollo Theater, the Village Vanguard, Birdland and the Blue Note,” Fitts said. “And they’re all still around today.”

The only jazz combo that was an exception to Fitts’ statement is the Blue Note Quartet, who initially drew their name from the Blue Note Club before guitarist Steve Kaiser, a graduate student, declared the combo was now called “Dan Hoffmann and the Jazz Warriors” following the first song in their set.

Jake Schlich, a junior music major of the Birdland Quartet, brought a personal touch to the evening’s performance with a song he wrote for the quartet to perform.

“It was written for a friend of mine whose uncle just passed away,” Schlich said. “I’ve been playing the melody over and over in my head, so that was kind of the inspiration to finish the tune.”

Chad Mathis, a graduate student, said the crowd played a role in bringing together a strong performance for all the combos.

“Playing to a full house is always really nice because there is a lot of energy that we all share,” Mathis said.

Keiser took a moment before the Dan Hoffmann and the Jazz Warrior’s final song to thank Mathis for his role in two of the evening’s combos and to wish him luck following his final year of graduate school.

Mathis, a bass player, said there is a certain satisfaction that comes from providing a backbone to a music piece. 

“One thing about it is more than other instruments you play most of the time in tunes,” Mathis said. “There is something about providing this level of rhythmic and harmonic support that is very unique in a group. It’s been a very satisfying role to fill, especially as I get better at it.”

Mathis said he was glad to get to participate so much in the evening’s performances, the last for the Jazz Combos this year, and was grateful for his time at Eastern. 

“I got to play with two groups, which means I get to have twice as much fun as everybody else,” Mathis said. “It was a great way to round out the year.”

Andrew Crivilare can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].