Building on recent momentum for the arts at Duke, the strategic plan increases opportunities for the Duke community to create their own works, enjoy outstanding artistic performances, and interact with distinguished practitioners. An emphasis on new national and international programming will also heighten Duke's visibility in the arts and attract more people to cultural events on campus.
“As you walk up the stairs, there’s wood paneling all around and really cool pictures of Mary Lou Williams,” says Gretchen Doores, a double major in political science and psychology. “They have a baby grand piano, couches, dark carpeting. It’s a small space with really good sound and a dark lounge-y kind of feel. People just come and enjoy jazz and hang out.”
Doores is describing Duke’s Jazz at the Mary Lou, the popular Wednesday-night jam session at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture in the West Union. The regular event, cosponsored by the center and the Duke University Union (DUU), drew a steady mix of students, faculty, staff, and Durham residents this past year.
Students, such as those in the DUU, are programming some of the most popular cultural events on campus, said Steve Nowicki, dean of undergraduate education and a musician. “Jazz at the Mary Lou is furthering both the social and academic missions of the university -- in a cool setting where students AND faculty can enjoy themselves.”
The evenings are just one example of Duke’s increasing emphasis on the arts, which also includes the appointment of Scott A. Lindroth as the first vice provost for the arts at Duke, and the offering of $5 discount tickets to Duke students to encourage them to attend Duke Performances -- a series of world-renowned music, theater, dance, and multimedia performances.
John V. Brown, director of Duke’s jazz program, assistant professor of the practice of music, and an accomplished jazz and classical musician who has performed with such artists as Wynton and Ellis Marsalis, has worked to build on the momentum of Duke's jazz program and to let the community know that “we want them to be a part of Duke.”
Brown, who came to Duke in 2004, says that one of his main goals is to give the Duke Jazz Ensemble and Duke’s Jazz Combos the opportunity to perform for audiences who are excited about hearing them play. Duke students have performed at events all over campus, including the School of Nursing, Law School, and Fuqua School of Business.
Brown says he can see differences in the band and in how many people come to the concerts. “[At the Mary Lou nights], now you can always count on at least 300 people, and sometimes they exceed that.”
Duke’s regular performance series also provides students with the opportunity to expand their jazz expertise. Every year, the university brings in five big-name guests who, in addition to their performances, spend time interacting with and teaching students as artists in residence. In 2006-2007 Duke hosted Jon Hendricks, Louie Bellson, Maria Schneider, Adonis Rose, and Jimmy Owens.
“John is doing a great job of bringing in top-notch jazz musicians to give the students a taste of what it is like to be a professional musician,” says drummer Adonis Rose, a New Orleans musician/composer who came to Duke to perform and give classes.
Brown has also worked to reach out to other jazz musicians in the region. He regularly invites local musicians to play at the Mary Lou. He plays in a group called “Professor Jazz,” which is made up of instructors from Duke, North Carolina Central University, and the University of North Carolina. Similarly, the annual Valentine’s Day Jazz Festival, which is coming upon its fifth year, involves ensembles from all three universities. For Brown, these kinds of events provide the community with “the notable, consistent presence of jazz. This kind of thing has become part of the fabric of the university.”
Photo at top of page: Professor John Brown conducts.