Lexi Giacobbe
Staff Writer
To kick off the 2025 Spring semester in style, the Campus Activities Board organized a Louisiana jazz night on the third floor of the Campus Center with jazz band Groovis Maximus performing.
A big draw in for guests to attend the event was the hoodie giveaway, which was featured to imitate Cortez McCoy’s, an American illustrator, playful art style adding some inspiration from University Of La Verne.
“I loved spending time with my friends at an upbeat event with good food. Seeing my friends dancing to the jazz music was definitely a highlight of my night,” junior business administration major Mya Ray said. “It was my first jazz concert and the room was so lively, vibrant and you can tell everyone was having a great time and I would definitely come back to another jazz event.”
The event was planned by senior business administration major Jimena Suarez, co-chair board of the Campus Activities Board.
“We had a jazz night last year and it turned out pretty popular so we wanted to continue it again this year,” Suarez said. “More people attended than we thought and we exceeded our expectations with about 300 attendees.”
Along with planning the event was junior criminology major Morgan Zafra who was the designer of the crewnecks that were handed out.
“I modeled the design after the cover art on Miles Davis’s 1972 album “On the Corner,” Zafra said. “As the CAB event was based around New Orleans jazz, my colleague and CAB member Meena Furutan and I decided Miles Davis would be a perfect inspiration.”
“Seeing the band was a very fun experience for her and her friend’s,” senior kinesiology major Serenity De La Torre said. “The band was super lively and you can see they truly enjoyed playing jazz music. It also reminded me of walking around at Disneyland which is always a good thing.”
Hot cocoa and warm, freshly baked beignets were among the many treat selections offered to better illustrate the cultural theme and add to the ambiance the music created. These treats provided the students with an opportunity to taste the flavors and experience the vibrancy of New Orleans.
“He loves performing jazz, and he hopes to turn more people onto the wonderful music,” lead band member Jim Scimonetti said. “When I play my goal is to hope you guys are catching the fun of jazz. It is like playing basketball, we are working together as a team to communicate with the audience and create something wonderful.”
Another band member found his own relationship with jazz to be familial and a deep connection within his life.
“I have known Jim for several years and Jim assembled the other musician which then created Groovis Maximus,” Mark Simonian, band member, said. “My father was a jazz musician. I grew to love jazz and grew into playing and when playing with talented musicians like tonight it is a true pleasure. A number of songs we performed tonight were from my childhood and I’m in awe that I am able to play them now.”
Alexa Giacobbe can be reached at alexa.giacobbe@laverne.edu.
Lexi Giacobbe is a senior communications major with an concentration in public relations. She is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine, a staff writer for the magazine, and previously served as a staff writer for the Campus Times. She is also a member of the University of La Verne volleyball team.
Olivia Russo is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print/online journalism and a minor in criminology. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Campus Times for Spring 2026. She has previously served as the News Editor, LV Life Editor, a photographer and a staff writer for the Campus Times, as well as a staff writer and photographer for La Verne Magazine.
