Luther College to host jazz drummer Keith Hall

A joyful performer and consummate drummer, Keith Hall will present a guest jazz artist recital alongside Luther College faculty at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 7, in the Recital Hall of the Center for Faith and Life on the Luther campus. The performance is open to the public with no charge of admission.

The performance titled “Art Blakey at 100: A Musical Celebration of Blakey and the Jazz Messengers,” includes music by Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons and other distinguished alumni of Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

Hall is the jazz drum set professor at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as the director of the Keith Hall Summer Drum Intensive. He holds a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in jazz studies from Queens College in New York. Hall is the author of the two-volume series “Jazz Drums Now!” and is currently touring with singer Curtis Stigers and his New York trio, TRI-FI.

Accompanying Hall are Luther professors Jon Ailabouni, trumpet, Lynne Hart, saxophone, and Chris Olson, guitar, as well as University of Wisconsin””La Crosse former Director of Jazz studies Karyn Quinn on the bass.

Ailabouni received his Bachelor of Arts in music from Luther and his Master of Music in jazz studies from Western Michigan University. Hart received her Bachelor of Music in music theory and composition from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and her Master of Fine Arts in woodwind performance from the University of Iowa. Olson has received his bachelor’s degree in music education and jazz studies from the University of Wisconsin””Stevens Point and his master’s degree in jazz studies from the University of Northern Texas. Quinn received her bachelor’s degree in music education and her Master of Music in bass performance and jazz pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado.