Despite playing together live only once, jazz group Outgroove is putting on a performance full of originality Friday night.

The performance will take place 8 p.m. Friday at SoZo, 256 E. Beaver Ave.

Though Friday is the band's second live performance, many of the members have played with each other before on different occasions, drummer Charlie Heim said.

Both Heim and Greg Johnson, saxophonist for the band and former Penn State student, had one word to describe the music -- original.

"It's the most diverse jazz group around," Johnson said. "What's unique about us is the variety we bring and the originality. We have a great amount of originality for one group."

The band plays jazz and fusion rock, and its members are "the most excellent young jazz musicians in town," said William Snyder, SoZo coordinator.

"They are all phenomenal, I'm impressed every time they play," he said.

The band's music is based around improvisation, Heim said. He added the band members try to take the music they listen to and incorporate that into the jazz they play.

"We want to make good music, but also challenge ourselves and stay sounding fresh," Heim said.

As far as influences for the band go, each member has his own which include everything from hip-hop and rock to classical and funk, Heim said.

"Jazz, as a 'living music,' is looking at what came before us as an influence and working off of that, but adding our own spin to it," he added.

Each member has played in many different musical groups, Johnson said. Some have been in rock groups while others are more into classical music.

"We play 99 percent original music by our members," Johnson said. "We're a real group. We live together, practice together and do this for a living."

He added the band enjoys playing at SoZo because it has a great environment and is alcohol-free.

"It's great that people come to see the bands and not to drink," Johnson said.

Apart from playing with Outgroove, Johnson runs a jazz jam on the last Sunday of every month -- something he has been doing for a little more than a year.

However, Friday will be one of Johnson's last performances in State College before he transfers to the University of Northern Colorado in the fall.

Johnson will be missed, but holidays will allow the musicians to get together and perform again, Heim said.

When the fall season rolls around, Heim will take Johnson's place in running the Sunday jazz shows, something he said he's looking forward to.