Come out to hear a free jazz concert on March 7 at 2 pm by gifted pianist and Chicago native Reginald Robinson, who was born and raised in Chicago, and is a noted pianist/composer of Semi-Classical, Ragtime, Latin American and early Jazz & Blues styles. He is also an educator on ragtime music across the U.S. His first musical experiences were listening to his mother and father play records at home of everything from Classical to R&B music. In 1984 he and his brothers Michael & Marlando started making music after Marlando picked up the guitar. Marlando would have his two brothers accompany him on home made instruments and later electronic keyboards. Marlando introduced Reginald to the Big Band Music of the late 30′s and 40′s. He soon developed a true respect for older music forms.
Reginald became interested in playing Ragtime in 1986 in 7th grade while attending Robert Emmett Elementary School after a city funded arts program visited the school. The program was called “From Bach to Bebop” which was led by Jazz trumpeter Orbert Davis with piano and drum accompaniment. The musicians covered many different styles from Beethoven to Miles Davis but Reginald paid close attention when the musicians talked about Ragtime and performed “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin. He had heard this melody coming from the ice cream trucks every summer but had never heard the song played as a serious piece of music on piano before.
Dates: Mar 7, 2010
Hours: 2 – 3 pm
Location: Oriental Institute, Breasted Hall
1155 E. 58th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
Free Admission
