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Baylor Alum Helps Bring Kenny Barron Trio to Waco Oct. 24
Hundreds of students perform in Baylor University music ensembles (band, choir, jazz groups, etc.) every year. Most of these students are not music majors although some do become professional musicians. After graduation these students continue to support music by attending concerts or by providing financial support for music programs.
On Fri. Oct. 24 the world famous ‘Kenny Barron Trio’ will perform jazz in Jones Hall on the Baylor Campus at 7:30 pm. The Los Angeles Times called Kenny Barron “one of the top jazz pianists in the world”. This concert is made possible by a generous donation from former Baylor music student, Wayne Fisher. The Baylor Jazz Program is also sponsoring the concert that includes Miriam Sullivan on bass and Franciso Mela on drums. Tickets for the Kenny Barron Trio are $10 for students, Baylor faculty, and senior citizens; $15 for the general public.
A free jazz clinic open to the public will be in the Sternberg Rehearsal Hall from 4:30-5:30 pm on Oct. 24 . Kenny’s clinic will cover various styles of jazz piano and his development as a pianist and his career in the jazz music scene.
Kudos to Wayne Fisher (photo on this blog entry), currently serving on the Baylor Alumni Association Board of Directors, for helping financially support this concert. Wayne played tuba in the Baylor band in the 1950’s. Wayne’s lifelong love of classical music and jazz began in Cameron, Texas where he grew up earning Division I ratings on tuba solos and singing the ‘Messiah’ in a community choral group. Wayne spend 6 years in Waco earning his bachelor degree and law degree. He had a radio show on KYBU in 1955-6 playing jazz records. Back then, jazz albums were ‘slim pickings’ compared to now. Wayne has a personal jazz collection of over 4000 albums today. He also plays the organ.
Wayne has watched the growth of the Baylor Music Department as it added the Jazz Studies Program. Under the outstanding leadership of Music Dean Will May and Jazz Director Alex Parker, Baylor has an excellent Jazz Program that makes Wacoans very proud.
Comments
By Trixie
October 22, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this
What a neat thing for Mr. Fisher to do for the Waco community! I hope it is very well-attended.
By Sandi
October 22, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Yes, Waco is very fortunate to have a benefactor like Wayne Fisher. Tickets for the Kenny Barron Trio in Houston the day after the Waco performance are $30-$50 in the Wortham Center. The Waco tickets are only $10-$15.
By DaveWild
October 26, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this
It was superb to have someone of the caliber of Kenny Barron in town for a concert and clinic last Friday. I think I enjoyed the clinic as much as the concert—just Barron, a nine-foot grand and a room full of students. Barron talked about his influences and demonstrated them—including an amazing performance in the style of Art Tatum. The concert was at least as much fun, a straight 90 minute set with lots of originals, a solo piano piece, and great interplay with drummer Francisco Mela. I probably saw every musician smart enough not to take a gig Friday night in the lobby before the concert. Let’s hope this is the first of many such world-class acts….