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Listen: Bob James' Homecoming

On October 30th, The University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance gave pianist, composer and arranger Bob James their highest award.  He received The Distinguished Alumnus Award and was inducted in to the School Of Music, Theater and Dance Hall Of Fame.  The celebration will be complete when Bob James makes his debut appearance as a jazz quintet leader in Hill Auditorium presented by The University Musical Society.  

Earlier this fall I spoke with Bob James and tried to get as much of his varied musical history in to a half-hour conversation.  It wasn’t easy!  From his earliest intentions to be a classical music concert pianist to his avant-garde jazz experiments to his spectacular commercial music success and to his current acoustic music direction, Bob James is a role model to follow and respect.  

Ken Fischer - President of The University Musical Society, Peter Witte – Chairman of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance Alumni Society Board of Governors and Ron Brooks, the bassist with the original Bob James Trio joined me to express their admiration and appreciation for Bob James. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLLEpIcGlGc&list=UUkPSEe_6TbAPLOQJ5c63ggg
 

  • Interview additionally produced by Brad McNett and Patrik Holubik
Linda Yohn simply cannot remember a day in her life that was not filled with music. Her early life was full of changes as the daughter of a well-respected cancer research scientist who moved his family about, but one thing was constant: the love of music instilled by her mother. So, when it seemed life was too hard to bear, young Linda would listen to her radio, play her guitar, dance her heart out and sing at the top of her lungs. So, it isn’t so strange that “older” Linda still does all those things!