University Of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab

In early 2000, Gary Gabrel, president of Hideaway Pizza, considered it a great coincidence that the University of Central Oklahoma's Jazz Lab Department was looking for a home for its jazz studies program while he was looking for a place in Edmond to house a new Hideaway Pizza.

When developer Mark Neighbors donated land at South Litler and Fifth Street to the university through the UCO Foundation, UCO President Roger Webb's dream to build a jazz lab and an evening performance venue began to unfold.

Webb believed there was a definite market for a site that would serve as a teaching facility by day and as an entertainment spot by night.

After all, UCO's jazz studies program has grown, since its foundation in 1974 by Dr. Kent Kidwell, from one 20-piece jazz band to it current program which includes three 20-piece jazz bands and numerous small groups.

Partnering with Hideaway Pizza was an ideal fit for a jazz lab. Audiences could eat pizza and enjoy beverages while listening to jazz and other entertainment such as blues, pop, country, bluegrass, ethnic, classical, and even a taste of Broadway.

The Jazz Lab became an actuality thanks to a creative collaboration with the university, the UCO Foundation, the Neighbor's family, the Edmond Economic Authority, and the City of Edmond.
With Edmond's growth and emerging reputation for good restaurants, the linkage between Cafe 501, Boulevard Steakhouse, and now Hideaway Pizza and an evening performance spot was a natural extension and quality move for both the university and the Edmond community.

The daytime facility-led by its appointed director, longtime faculty member, and renowned jazz musician Lee Rucker-opened for its 60 jazz students at the beginning of the spring 2002 semester.

The facility is comprised of practice rooms, faculty offices, a state-of-the-art recording studio, a box office, seating area, stage, and an encircled plaza area outdoors for outdoor performances.

The creative team from Hornbeek Larsson Architects-David Hornbeek, Tony Blatt and Allison Perkins-designed the Lab to carry out Webb's vision to give the place a look that is a cross between Beale Street in Memphis and the French Quarter in New Orleans.

The Jazz Lab is the fulfillment of a dream and an excellent companion to UCO's Broadway Tonight series, StrawHat Music Theatre, and the many cultural music, theater and dance performances offered by UCO's College of Fine Arts and Design.