SE music group plays on

By Mathew Shaw/se news editor

Carlos Rosales/The Collegian  SE student and Music Club member Kobb Carlisle plays guitar at Orchid City, a cafe across the street from SE Campus. Members of the club occasionally play at different venues.
Carlos Rosales/The Collegian SE student and Music Club member Kobb Carlisle plays guitar at Orchid City, a cafe across the street from SE Campus. Members of the club occasionally play at different venues.

One hard thing about drumming is transporting drum kits, SE student Rashaad Penson said as he set up the pieces to his drum set in one of the practice rooms of the band hall.

“Some people have a 15-piece drum kit, and they have to transport every single piece to wherever they are going,” he said.

Trying to imitate the unconventional style of famous drummer Travis Barker, Penson can be heard practicing in the practice rooms five days a week, one and a half to two hours daily. His philosophy for sustaining his skills is “Use it or lose it.”

Besides the drums, Penson has played piano for 13 years (“And I’m pitch-perfect,” he said), acoustic bass for one and a half years and guitar for 10 months.

Penson is one of other music enthusiasts who make up the Music Club, which is currently in its first year on SE Campus. The Music Club gives musically inclined students a venue to “jam out,” as SE student and club member Andy Rodriguez put it.

Rodriguez, who plays the tuba, percussions, clarinet and guitar, said he joined to learn new instruments.

One thing that occurs at club meetings is a “show and tell” session, where attendees can perform their instruments at meeting’s end.

“They get the feel of what it’s like to perform in front of people,” club president Matthew Le said.

Le said the club also holds “jam sessions” about once a month where members do chord progressions.

As most of the members are also part of the SE jazz band, jazz combo and orchestra, they have performed at separate venues. They performed Feb. 22 at the George W. Hawkes Central Library in Arlington as part of the Black History Month Festival, and the Feb. 26 Celebrating Strides event and March 4 spring concert, both on SE Campus. They also occasionally play at Orchid City, a café across the street from SE.

“They’re a very energetic group,” said Greg Dewhirst, SE music professor and Music Club sponsor.

Member Prysilla Herrera, who performed vocals and guitar at the Women’s Appreciation Dinner March 25, said her ultimate goal with her performance is to make someone smile.

“Because that’s what music is all about,” she said.

Penson said no matter what kind of music one plays, there will always be people who want to listen to it.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in Dubai playing the sitar or down in Louisiana with your guitar playing the blues,” he said. “There will always be an audience for what you play.”

The Music Club meets 1-2 p.m. Fridays in the SE band hall (ESEC 1321).