JEDDAH, 11 February — A three-member jazz group, who gave a performance at the US consulate last night, is all praise for local audiences. “Jazz lovers in this part of the world are quite appreciative of jazz music,” trumpeter Kevin Louis told Arab News in an interview at the US Consulate General. The Aaron Thurston Trio, as the group is called, includes drummer Aaron Thurston and organist Adam Scone. They presented jazz standards and their own compositions during the hour-long performance yesterday.

“Performing jazz may not be as financially rewarding as pop music. It doesn’t make us rich like pop music but it is satisfying all right and gives us immense pleasure,” said Louis, who has his own website.

“All three of us are fulltime jazz musicians by choice. Jazz takes us around the world. We recently toured eight countries in Southern Africa and got rave reviews,” Louis, a native of New Orleans added.

Louis, who was inspired to pursue a career in music at the age of nine, said he graduated from Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance and was currently pursuing his master’s at Queens College in New York. His repertoire of music includes gospel, jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, merengue and salsa. He studied such noted jazz musicians as Clyde Kerr Jr., Edward Jordan, Kenneth Davis and Stacy Cole, among others.

“We belong to a circle of freelance jazz musicians. We just knew each other and respect each other. That’s how we came together and performed in many countries including Malta, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus and Syria,” Louis added.

Thurston said while in college he performed in Istanbul in 1997. He toured the Middle East, South Asia, the Caribbean and Central America as a 1999-2000 jazz ambassador. He has performed throughout Boston, where he entertained every Sunday for over two years at the famous Wally’s Cafe, the city’s oldest jazz club. In 1998, he moved to New York City where he has led and accompanied numerous artists on stage and in the studio. He currently still leads his group throughout various venues in the New York City.

“I find in jazz a challenging, dynamic range of expressions,” said Adam Scone who got quick recognition since he moved to New York City five years ago. “I enjoy working with a variety of musical genres including jazz, funk, blues and rock,” said the organist who has toured overseas and recorded eight albums. He worked with such artists as Jimmy Cobb, Ben Dixon, Bubba Brooks and Fred Thomas.

“I belong to a family of musicians and that has really shaped my musical career,” said Scone who has been playing the organ from the age of 16 and is currently working on his debut recording as a leader. He was here once before in 1999.

“We just love to perform as a group,” the trio said in unison. During their current tour, sponsored by the US State Department, the trio will conduct a workshop at the Saudi Arabian International School today. They also give a presentation on Channel 2 later in the evening.