When I was first accepted to Stephen F. Austin State University, one of the major hang-ups I had about moving to Nacogdoches was that there would be nothing to do. However, in the three years I have been here, I’ve found that there is plenty to do in Nacogdoches, you simply have to find it.
For example, SFA’s own jazz band, Boundless, performed at the Fredonia Hotel and Convention Center as a part of the Jazz on the Patio series. The combo consists of a few SFA students: RJ Abrarpour on trumpet, Alec Bartlett on saxophone, Malcolm Jackson on drums, Dawson Dowdy on keyboard and Ben Mitchell on bass. The combo played by the edge of pool, surrounded by lounge chairs and bistro tables. Guests (including some familiar SFA professors) enjoyed their food and drinks from the Nine Flags Bar. I was able to speak with RJ Abrarpour, Alec Bartlett and Malcolm Jackson the next day for an interview.
Left to right: Dawson Dowdy, Alec Bartlett, RJ Abrarpour, Malcolm Jackson, Ben Mitchell. Photo taken by Alyssa Faykus
Q: How did you all get involved with Boundless?
Jackson: The idea of the group name came from Dawson, but we just came together and wanted to play as a small combo group and it just took off from there.
Bartlett: I remember Dawson texted me one summer and was like “Hey, wanna be in a group?” and I was like, “Sure.”
Q: Have you ever played at The Fredonia before?
Bartlett: This was the first-
Jackson: Second. ‘Cause we did the alumni-
Bartlett: Oh shoot! Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Jackson: (laughs)
Bartlett: Different event, same place. We played for the alumni awards.
Abrarpour: It’s all of ours, in this room’s second time. Dawson’s played there over the summer a couple of times with other people. It’s a pretty cool place. We enjoy it.
Q: Are you going to be playing there again or anywhere else in Nacogdoches?
Jackson: We’re planning to play there again. We’re talking with them and a few other venues to see if we can play at their locations.
Q: Anything you want to say before we finish?
Bartlett: We have an EP that’s coming out sometime.
Jackson: The EP should be out by the end of this year.
Be sure to like Boundless on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/boundlessjazz/
and to keep up with all things going on in Nacogdoches be sure to keep following Her Campus SFA.