Education
M.A., Ethnic Studies, 1977
B.A., Cultural Studies, 1976
I received a full scholarship for Jazz Percussion to attend
While at GSU, the Jazz Band won numerous awards and received a three week
residence in
included Chico Freeman, Vandy Harris, Curtis Prince, Rufus Reid, Frank Gordon,
and Henry Threadgill.
Recent Work
Experiences
History Professor,
Director of African American Student Affairs,
2003
Musical Instrument
Bongo Drums and Conga Drums – self taught.
Influences
Mongo Santamaria, Candido Camero, Ray Barretto, Big Black,
Henry Gibson, Percy James, Babatunde Olatunji, Willie Bobo, Sabu Martinez,
Carlos Valdez, Sunni Morgan.
Affiliations
Leader of the Congo Square Artistic Ensemble, AACM music
group.
Member of the AACM Great Black Music Ensemble, AACM
Experimental Band, Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble, Fenix, Saalik
Ziyad’s Five After Seven Project and the South Suburban College Jazz Orchestra.
Former
Affiliations
Muhal Richard Abrams Big Band, Joseph Jarman Big Band, AACM
Big Band, Vandy Harris and the Front Burners. Leader of a rhythm and blues band
named the Soul Naturals, which in 1969 won the Illinois Battle of the Bands and
finished second in the national contest.
Recordings
Nicole Mitchell – “Hope,
Future, Destiny” Ari Brown – “Venus”
Tanya Reed “Live”
Vandy Harris – “Pure
Fire”
Shared musical
experiences with:
Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin, Jones, Randy Weston, Sonny Stitt,
Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lester Bowie, Ira Sullivan, Ken McIntyre,
Anthony Braxton, Don Cherry, Luba Raashiek, Phil Cohran, Kenny Barron, Freddie
Waits, Wilbur Campbell, and others.
