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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Jazz player reflects on lifelong love of music, music history
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MT. PLEASANT - A jazz concert will be held on March 20, for the benefit of the historic Second Baptist Church. This structure, built in the 1850s, is one of the oldest structures in the town. From the establishment of its congregation in 1863 to its donation to the city in 2009, the Second Baptist served as a gathering place for the African-American community of Mt. Pleasant. Hopes to turn it into a museum of African-American history have been waylaid by trouble with the 1917-dug basement, but proceeds from the concert could finally fund these necessary repairs.
The Jerry Tolson Quartet of Louisville, Kentucky will play, accompanied by the famous Delfeayo Marsalis. But Jerry Tolson deserves his flowers as well. In addition to his accomplishments in academia and music, he, as a child, attended this historic church with his family.
Tolson grew up in Mt. Pleasant, in a house full of music.
“My family was pretty much all musical,” he said. All three of his sisters, as well as his mother and father, sang and/or played instruments. In fifth grade, he joined the school band, which he would remain in until graduation in 1972. Afterwards, he taught public school in Iowa for 15 years. Then, moving to Louisville, he spent 31 years teaching African-American Music, Jazz Pedagogy and Jazz History. This culminated in eight years as a department head. He’d only retired in 2024.
Tolson is a jazz player himself. He is a pianist, vocalist, saxophonist, and, in the words of his website, a ‘..composer in the jazz idiom’. He cites influences as diverse from Cannonball Adderley to Grover Washington Jr. His current band, active since 1993, consists not only of colleagues, but former students as well. Though out of Kentucky, he is part of Iowa’s contributions to jazz history, from Bix Beiderbecke of Davenport, to Herbie Hancock, who began his studies at Grinnell College.
The concert, held on March 20, will be held at the Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant, commencing at 7:30 p.m. Standard admission is $37.21, but holders of current Student IDs may enter for $16.46. All proceeds go to funding crucial repairs on the basement of the historic Second Baptist Church.
