Flute Master

While the focus this week is on Sunday's graduation (and the Commencement Address by Dr. Paul Farmer), there are a slew of events taking place this weekend.

The Benefit Concert for the After-School Programs at the Green Street Arts Center features Wes grad (1986) Tierney Sutton, one of the finer contemporary jazz vocalists. The show takes place Friday at 8:30 p.m. in Crowell Concert Hall.  Tickets are available online at www.wesleyan.edu/cfa or by call the Box Office at 860-685-3355.

Joining Ms. Sutton is the fine flutist Hubert Laws (pictured left) and guitarist Larry Koonse.  Laws, recently honored as one of the NEA's 2011 Jazz Masters, has been active on the contemporary music scene for 5 decades, ever since moving to New York City to study at Juilliard School of Music. He would study classical technique during the day and play jazz gigs at night.  Within a decade, Laws was one of the most in-demand musicians for studio dates and live performances.  The recordings he made for CTI in the early 1970s combined jazz and classical music ("The Rite of Spring", Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1", JS Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto") with works by Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Chick Corea.  His tone is just gorgeous, his creative choices intelligent and he is a consummate professional. 

So, it makes sense for Wesleyan to tout Ms. Sutton's appearance - after all, she is an accomplished graduate and a very involved alumna.  Having musicians such as Mr. Laws and the very accomplished Mr. Koonse (his CV is stellar) only makes this concert even more attractive.