Finding Jazz in an Unexpected Place: A Chicago Couple's Musical Journey in Springfield
Chuck and Susan Ortinau
If a couple from Chicago looked for places to retire and settled in Springfield, Missouri, would they expect to make jazz a vital part of their lives? Seven years after retirement, they say, "We've met a wonderful jazz family here." Chuck and Susan Ortinau are firmly engaged in Southwest Missouri's jazz scene, not only enjoying the many live music venues, but contributing mightily to the area's jazz culture.
Visit any of Springfield's burgeoning jazz sites and likely you'll see Chuck and Susan at a front-and-center table -- arriving early, staying late -- greeting many of their jazz friends and videoing performances, later shared on digital platforms, enjoyed by many unable to attend in person. That's what Chuck and Susan do: Spread the good news of jazz in Southwest Missouri.
Did they expect to find jazz nirvana when they moved? Certainly not. Says Chuck, "We thought we'd hear only country music, but we stumbled unknowingly into jazz, not really looking for it." He read in the Springfield News-Leader about a big band playing on Tuesday nights at a place called Krave. "I was interested in the 'No cover, No minimum', so Susan and I ventured forth. Oh, my, were we ever surprised and delighted." They discovered MOJO (Missouri Jazz Orchestra) led by Randy Hamm with outstanding professional and amateur musicians. "This changed our minds about jazz," he said. "No more easy listening music and light rock for us. We discovered not only good music, but a bunch of people having fun."
Where do Chuck and Susan now go to hear jazz? Many places: Hold Fast Brewery (each Tuesday), Wire Road Brewery, The Dugout, Galloway Station, Tie and Timber, Where House, Stardust Ballroom, Blue Room Comedy Club, Nathan P. Murphy's, Cellar + Plate. As Susan says, "If people can't find jazz they like, then they're not looking. Some people don't appreciate jazz as they should."
The couple is especially thankful for young jazz musicians they have seen develop from local college jazz programs: Drew Axley, Brand Jester, Matt Robertson, and even local weatherman Ted Keller.
Outstanding local female jazz singers the Ortinaus love to see and hear? Many. Laura French, Fresia, Heather Peterson, Angelia King, Diane Troup, Carol Reinhart, Claire Herzog, Jenna English, Stephanie Diaz, Juanita Lee, Sarah Tweedle. These singers perform to enthusiastic crowds.
Each summer the couple hosts in their well-appointed back yard what they call Jazz In The Woods -- food and drinks galore, where delighted listeners hear top players in a shaded and cool arbor. A testament to their dedicated support of area jazz.
The couple always speaks highly and profusely of three Springfield professional musicians who constantly spearhead and perpetuate local jazz. Randy Hamm, saxophonist and retired head of Jazz Studies at Missouri State University, Mark Brueggemann, trumpeter and front man of Tuesday night performances at Hold Fast Brewery, and Jeff Gouge, drummer and musical director of small jazz groups performing at Hold Fast and Galloway Station. Without these sterling leaders, Chuck and Susan's days would be less enjoyable and entertaining -- and less so for all Springfield jazz lovers.
Chuck, "We can't say enough about the many venues, players, and singers we enjoy so much." Was their retirement move from Chicago to Springfield worthwhile? Attend one of the many jazz venues and observe Chuck and Susan's unending support of good music, their delight at what they see and hear. They'll be right upfront, enjoying a drink, smiling and appreciating what they discovered in their Southwest Missouri retirement.
Written by: Michael Pulley
Michael Pulley is a writer based in Springfield, Missouri, known for his novels, short stories, and columns in the Springfield News-Leader. His 2023 novel, When All Else Fails, follows a family's journey through faith and societal pressures, blending humor with darker themes in a seamless narrative.
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