The Seth Goheen Trio began as just an idea.
“Isaac [Hillard] and I pondered the idea for a while,” senior Seth Goheen said. “We asked Andrew [Sackett] if he would want to do it, and he agreed. We wanted to have more than just us three, but our pianist is away at college.”
For sophomore Hillard, he wasn’t sure it would happen.
“[Seth and I] went out to eat over the summer and were just throwing around the idea, but we never really thought it would be a reality,” Hillard said.
According to Hillard, the trio “discussed in a short conversation and kept it simple and standard with the Seth Goheen Trio.”
The name follows the standard of other jazz groups from the past.
“For a jazz combo, meaning a small group, it is standard that the group is titled according to one player, usually the horn player, and then however many are in the group, for example, trio, quartet, quintet,” Goheen said.
On Dec. 1, the trio had their first public performance at Ward Ave. Church.
“We played three Christmas standards, like ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing,’’ Goheen said. “We learned quite a bit about how to run a show, even with just those three charts.”
“The performance definitely could have gone better, but it was a good start, and we learned a lot for next time,” junior Sackett said.
On Dec. 7, The Seth Goheen Trio had their second performance at Levity Brewing Co. in downtown Altoona.
Senior Addisen McDonald was in attendance at their performance on Dec. 7.
“I’ve been friends with Seth for a while, and I’m super proud of him,” McDonald said. “Seeing his group perform in a professional setting was such a full circle moment, and I can’t wait to see what they will become in the future.”
Goheen feels performing requires a certain approach.
“Practice like you are going to perform,” Goheen said. “Get in the right mindset and love what you are doing.”
The trio has a few goals in mind, most goals coinciding with each other.
“We are ambitious and we love to play jazz music,” Goheen said. “My goals are to have fun as a group, perform and to improve as a musician.”
“We all love jazz and want to get better at it,” Sackett said. “Our only goal is to have fun.”
For Sackett, finding balance is key.
“[Balance] is the hardest part of playing music,” Sackett said. “I always keep tabs on what I have to do and when I have spare time to practice.”
Goheen values time management in connection to performing and practice.
“[Time management] is the number one most important thing,” Goheen said. “Understanding that there is a lot of fun in being busy, at least for me, is when I improve the most at a variety of things. I always write everything I have to do down, and I keep a calendar to organize.”
Sackett has a specific moment when he feels the trio connected.
“I think we clicked the moment our first practice together started,” he said. “We had all already been playing together for years, so it came naturally.”
Goheen, however, feels differently.
“I do not feel as if there was one moment we clicked as a trio,” Goheen said. “I feel that every time we play together we improve.”
Goheen believes each person brings strengths to the group due to the instrument they play.
“Our personalities reflect in the instrument we play, which allows us to work well as a group,” Goheen said.
The biggest challenge the group has faced, in Goheen’s opinion, is the struggle to be known.
“We aren’t known yet,” he said. “Jazz is a small group, and not many people are willing to take the risk of hiring a jazz group.”
Although the trio has had some challenges, Goheen believes they have a benefit as well.
“I enjoy playing with them, that’s the greatest advantage,” Goheen said.
