Library to explore history of American jazz

Middletown — Thrall Library will host seven special evenings discovering “Jazz, America’s Art Form” with the guidance of Professor Chris Parker, pianist, composer, recording artist and professor of music at Orange County Community College. Parker will be guest lecturer/performer for this series, which begins the first Tuesday in February and continues each Tuesday thereafter, through March 13. The public will watch six DVDs, one DVD per session, chronicling the history of Jazz. Most sessions will include a lecture by Parker on the DVDs viewed. The seventh and last session will conclude with a performance by the Chris Parker Band on Thursday, March 22. Members of Parker’s band include violinist Rob Thomas, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Marko Marcinko. Parker has appeared in various east coast and west coast jazz clubs and festivals and regularly conducts professional clinics in jazz performance including work with saxophonist Chris Vadala of the Chuck Mangione band. These programs are free. Each session will last about two hours. This series has been partially funded by the Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, Inc. For additional information, call the program coordinator at 845-341-5479.