Wandering through campus, playing in a jazz band that covers Beck while still writing original material and performing in a Des Moines rock band on top of two other jazz bands may sound like a busy schedule.

But to Wanderlust bassist Jeremy Pfeffer, playing music is a lust for life.

“We’re really the only working jazz group in central Iowa,” Pfeffer said.

Wanderlust is composed of Iowa State students: pianist Bryan Nichols, drummer Jon Saggan, alto saxophonist Erik Allen, trumpet player Scott Spick and upright bassist Pfeffer.

All members write and arrange the group’s songs and play in the Iowa State Jazz Ensemble. Pfeffer plays in the Iowa State Orchestra as well.

“We have our own distinct sound, but at the same time,” Pfeffer said, “we incorporate all idioms within the jazz style, from jazz-funk type of stuff, all the way to Miles Davis cool blues.”

The band’s shows typically last about three hours, incorporating jazz, blues, funk, ballads and mostly originals. Wanderlust usually plays about once every two weeks.

Formerly known as Jazz Triangle, the Ames band was together about two years before it decided to change its name.

Pfeffer said the band went with Wanderlust because of its approach to songwriting and its new focus to write primarily original material.

“There’s a big lust to wander and stretch the music as far as we can take it,” he explained. “We take an old swing tune and put funk into it. Or we take tunes and stretch them to the limits, harmonically and melodically. We’re wandering through these tunes.”

Pfeffer first discovered jazz in high school by listening to public radio.

“I found [jazz] relaxing. The more I listened to it, the more it became part of my life. Now I listen to everything.” Pfeffer said, with the music of the Allman Brothers playing in the background.

“My roommates look at me kind of funny because they’re used to seeing people’s stacks of rock CDs. Here I come in, and I have 200 CDs of jazz and classical music,” Pfeffer explained, adding that jazz is a style difficult to define.

“To one person, you can play something for them and they say ‘This is jazz,’ but if you play the same thing for another person, they might say ‘This is not jazz.’ It’s really hard to say what jazz is.”

Pfeffer said the essence of jazz comes from a swing style, but the most important aspect of the genre is originality within a group.

“Creativity is a big thing in our band. We try to stretch the limits as much as we can, yet keep the form of our music very strict,” Pfeffer said.

A rock ‘n’ roll ethos isn’t completely absent from Wanderlust’s repertoire.

“We’ve been known to play some Beck tunes,” Pfeffer said proudly.

He added that the combo places its own jazz spin on rock songs it plays in order to make the music sound fresh.

In fact, Pfeffer has been influenced by the likes of jazz musicians Rufus Reed, Ray Brown, Gary Carr and, ahem … Flea.

“I like [Flea’s] originality and the way he constructs a line,” Pfeffer said of his attraction to the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist.

Pfeffer also performs in the Des Moines Rock band the McKenzies.

But rock music is not the primary direction Wanderlust chooses to take.

“We could play at a frat party, but it’s difficult because they want to hear Barenaked Ladies and Hootie,” Pfeffer said. “We could do it, but that’s not what we’re about.”

Another aspect of jazz on which Wanderlust focuses is a tendency to concentrate on individual over group skill.

“Jazz is more about the people than about the band,” he added. “Bands are known because of individuals.”

Although Pfeffer has only been playing bass for three years, he and his band have excelled to a maximum level of musical skill, proficient enough to win an award last spring for “outstanding combo” at a jazz competition in Elmhurst, IL.

Wanderlust was chosen, along with four other combos, out of 18 bands to win the award.

“I think it was shocking to people there