This Friday, October 8, Villa Maria College opens its doors to the music community for a Master Class with Brent Birckhead as part of the Colored Musicians Club (CMC) International Jazz Fest.
The class, which begins at 5:30 PM in the College’s recital hall, focuses on performing multiple reed instruments with “Inside Sound: The Black Whole” in CMC Jazz’s Artist Master series. The Artist Master series featuring Walter Kemp III, an adjunct professor in Villa Maria’s music department, as well as Scott Tixier, RiShon Odel, and Allan Mednard.
“Part of the Colored Musicians Club’s mission is to improve the professional and economic status of the artist and/or musician,” said Kemp. “Because of the College’s support of this year’s Jazz Fest, Villa Maria’s students have the unique opportunity see, converse, and be mentored by artists and musicians who perform all over the world. They’ll get real world feedback that should be invaluable as they pursue their degrees in music industry.”
To learn more about studying Music Industry at Villa Maria college, visit www.villa.edu/academics/music.
Brent Birckhead is a saxophonist and an award-winning artist, whose aesthetic is an intersectional amalgam of traditional and popular styles. Unbound by genre, Birckhead’s approach to woodwind artistry is driven by his compulsion for creative risk and deep respect for legacy. Educated at Howard University (BME, MM), Birckhead was named best blues/pop/rock soloist and outstanding instrumental jazz soloist by Downbeat Magazine as part of the annual Student Music Awards. In 2011 Brent was named “Best Alto Saxophonist” by the Washington City Paper. The Baltimore native’s talent earned him the honor of performing and touring with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wale, Eric Benet, Larry Graham, George Duke, and many more. Birckhead is a professor of saxophone at Morgan State University.
To learn more about the CMC International Jazz Fest, visit www.jazzbuffalo.org.
