Cool jazz it won’t be, but "Jampact" will be worth checking out this Sunday. Where else but at the Bathhouse on White Rock Lake can you get jazz quintet that’s made up of an academic dean, two Mohameds, and guy named Kim? (I wonder, does he have a brother named Sue?)
I’m often surprised by the caliber of the musicians who hang out in the Dallas indie rock scene, and I haven’t much experience with jazz musicians in town. Recently I had a photo assignment to cover some guys jamming at the White Rock Rhythms jazz fest. The guys have gotten together again to have Sunday jam sessions at the Bathhouse. So I could tell you a little more about them, I did a bit of research; I’m in awe…
Jose Bowen, the pianist and writer of the quintet, is the Dean of Arts of the Meadows School at SMU and has also taught at Stanford, Georgetown, Miami University (yay! my alma mater), and in the UK. This guy gets around. He has performed with Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Brubeck, Liberace … (Liberace?! Cool.) and written a Pulitzer prize-nominated symphony. He’s an editor for a Smithsonian project, a board member of the Library of Congress, and is a fellow of England’s Royal Society of the Arts. Geez.
This Sunday, he just happens to be jamming under the trees at White Rock Lake. He’s joined by other SMU jazz faculty: Akira Sato on trumpet, Jamal Mohamed on African drums, Buddy Mohamed (Jamal’s brother) on bass, and Kim Corbet on trombone. I’m betting this will be an eclectic and high-energy set. Jazzophiles; grab a picnic and go check out Akira, Buddy, Jamal, Kim, and Jose at WRL Bathhouse, this Sunday 2-4pm on the south lawn; let me know what you think of the jam.
