1/14/97
ATHENS, Ohio--- Internationally recognized jazz artist Bob Thompson, on the Athens campus winter quarter as a Rufus Putnam Visiting Professor in the School of Music, will present a free, public concert and lecture titled "Piano in Jazz" at 8 p.m. Jan. 17 in The Ridges Auditorium on the Athens campus.
During the concert, Thompson will be accompanied by Professor of Music Guy Remonko and Ohio State University jazz bass instuctor Roger Hines, who also is musical director and bassist for jazz singer Diane Schuur.
In addition to performing, Thompson is teaching in several jazz courses and assisting Professor of Music Ernest Bastin with the university's jazz ensembles.
Originally from Jamaica, N.Y., and now living in Charleston, W.Va., Thompson has taught, performed, composed and recorded jazz piano for more than 30 years. He has performed at festivals, colleges and clubs across the United States and in Brazil, Canada, Europe and Africa.
His radio and television appearances include Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" on National Public Radio and Black Entertainment Television's "BET on Jazz" with Ramsey Lewis. He is co-producer, host and performer on "Joy to the World," an annual jazz Christmas special on Public Radio International (PRI), and since 1991 he has been house pianist and featured performer on PRI's weekly "Mountain Stage" musical variety show.
Thompson's recordings have reached the Top 10 on jazz charts. His newest recording, "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit," is a collection of jazz arrangements of traditional spirituals.
The Putnam Professorship are given annually to distinguished individuals who have attained wide recognition based on artistic, engineering , historical, literary or scientific achievement. The purpose of the Putnam Professorship includes exposure of Ohio University students and faculty to outstanding individuals, and the opportunity to make these outstanding individuals aware of the strengths and resource of Ohio University.
Thompson is one of three Rufus Putnam Professors for the 1996-97 academic year. Alfredo Caro, a leading Latin American physicist based at the Instituto Balseiro and the Centro Atomico Bariloche in Argentina, began his visiting professorship in the Department of Physics in October and will complete his visit at the end of January. The Department of Chemistry will host Alexander Boldyrev of Russia's Moscow State University during spring quarter.