by Jarrett Hoffman
Oberlin is famous for many things, but nightlife on a Thursday isn’t one of them — which is why April 30 was unusual. Down on College Street the Apollo Theatre held the midnight premiere of the second Avengers film; a few blocks northwest, the ‘Sco dance club was buzzing in the basement of the student union; and across the street, the Cat in the Cream coffeehouse played host to the last concert of the school year for Oberlin’s jazz-classical intersection, its Performance and Improvisation (PI) Series. This late-night guest recital on International Jazz Day featured jazz artist Billy Drewes.
This past Thursday, October 9, Oberlin welcomed acclaimed jazz group Hot Club of Detroit for the first Performance and Improvisation (PI) guest recital of the year. Clonick Hall was packed for the occasion, all seats filled and its back wall lined with listeners. Three impressive student ensembles kicked off the evening, each of them featuring Hot Club of Detroit accordionist Julien Labro. Then, for the second half of the night, the group tore through a set full of stunning solos and duets, particularly from Labro and group founder and lead guitarist Evan Perri.