University Lectures, Historical Presentations & Musical Demonstrations
I am a passionate educator, performer, and historian specializing in the music of pre-war and post-war Blues. Throughout my career, I have found that students gain a much deeper understanding of the music when they experience not only the notes, but also the historical, social, and cultural forces that shaped the musicians who created it.
One of my favorite areas of study is the Great Migration of African Americans from the South and Midwest to the West Coast during and following World War II. This extraordinary movement of people transformed American music, giving rise to the distinctive West Coast Blues sound and influencing generations of musicians. Through historical study, archival recordings, transcriptions, and live musical demonstrations, I bring this remarkable story to life, helping students hear the direct connection between history and the evolution of the Blues.
My work has focused extensively on the evolution of West Coast Blues and Jump Blues, tracing the work of artists such as T-Bone Walker, Saunders King, Pee Wee Crayton, Tiny Grimes, Bill Jennings, and many others whose innovations helped shape modern electric Blues and early Rock & Roll.
I have presented lectures, masterclasses, and clinics on these subjects for audiences around the world. My presentations combine storytelling, historical research, and practical musical application, making them engaging for musicians, educators, and music enthusiasts alike.
Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music — Hollywood, California
Guest lecture and clinic exploring Blues history, stylistic development, and practical musical application.
Swing the Blues — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Organizer and presenter for Swing the Blues, an educational event attracting attendees from across the United States and Europe. Alongside fellow lecturers Jonathan Stout and Paul Pigat, I presented programs exploring the history, musicians, and musical language of Swing and Jump Blues. The event was held in Oklahoma City, an important center in the development of these musical traditions.
Exploring how the migration of African Americans from the South and Midwest to the West Coast during and following World War II transformed California's musical landscape and contributed to the development of the distinctive West Coast Blues sound.
Tracing the musical connections between Jazz, Blues, Jump Blues, R&B, and the beginnings of Rock & Roll through historical recordings and live musical demonstrations.
An exploration of T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton, Tiny Grimes, Bill Jennings, and other influential musicians whose innovations helped shape the language of electric guitar.
Exploring how segregation, housing policy, zoning, transportation, redevelopment, and the deliberate shaping of urban neighborhoods and entertainment districts influenced where musicians lived and performed—and ultimately how regional Blues styles developed.
Lectures and clinics can be tailored to fit the needs of individual classes, music programs, and academic departments. Presentations combine historical narrative with archival recordings, photographs, musical transcriptions, and live guitar demonstrations to illustrate how musical styles developed within their historical and cultural settings.
Programs can be presented as a traditional lecture, an interactive masterclass, or a combination of the two. Topics can also be adapted to complement an existing course curriculum or area of study.
Students are encouraged to hear history through the music itself.
Rather than discussing Blues solely through dates and biographies, I use original recordings and live demonstrations to show how migration, geography, technology, segregation, economics, and changing popular culture can be heard in the development of the music.
For music students, presentations can include closer examination of harmony, rhythm, phrasing, improvisation, guitar technique, and stylistic vocabulary. For non-music majors, no musical background is required. The emphasis can instead be placed on the historical and cultural story behind the music.
Lectures, clinics, and masterclasses are available for colleges, universities, music programs, and educational organizations. Programs can be tailored to individual courses and departments, from performance-based guitar clinics to broader presentations exploring American history and culture through the Blues.
I welcome the opportunity to work with faculty to develop a presentation that complements their curriculum and gives students the opportunity to experience this history through the music itself.
INQUIRE ABOUT A LECTURE OR CLINIC
Available for in-person and virtual presentations in the United States and internationally.