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Thurman Barker

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Thuman Barker in 1984

Thurman Barker (born January 8, 1948, Chicago, Illinois, United States)[1] is an American jazz drummer.

Barker's first professional experience was at age sixteen with Mighty Joe Young.[2] Barker took his bachelor's at Empire State College,[3] then studied at the American Conservatory of Music under Harold Jones[4] and at Roosevelt University.[5] He next served as an accompanist for Billy Eckstine, Bette Midler, and Marvin Gaye.[2] He was house percussionist at the Shubert Theater in Chicago for ten years.[2] In 1968, he joined Joseph Jarman's first ensemble, and soon after became a member of the AACM in its early days.[1] Aside from Jarman, he played in the late 1960s and 1970s with Muhal Richard Abrams, Pheeroan akLaff, Anthony Braxton, Billy Bang, Henry Threadgill, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre.[1] He recorded and toured again with Braxton in 1978-80 and with Sam Rivers in 1979–80.[5] In 1985 he played in a trio with Jarman and Rivers, and in 1987 he played marimba with Cecil Taylor.[5]

In the 1990s, Barker concentrated more on composition. His 1994 work Dialogue was premiered at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York City,[2] and he composed Expansions (1999) for the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra.[2] Since 1993 he has taught at Bard College, where he is currently Professor of Music.[3] In 1999, he was guest lecturer at Smolny University in St. Petersburg, Russia.[6]

Discography

As leader

  • The Way I Hear It (Uptee, 1999)
  • Voyage (Uptee, 1999)
  • Time factor (Uptee, 2001)
  • Strike Force (Uptee, 2004)
  • Rediscovered (Uptee, 2009)

As sideman

With Muhal Richard Abrams

With Billy Bang

With Anthony Braxton

With Joseph Jarman

With Sam Rivers

With Cecil Taylor

other appearances :

References

  1. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Thurman Barker: Biography". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Thurman Barker: Professor of Music". Bard College. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Sager, Jeanne (July 18, 2006). "Thurman Barker Is Ready to Play". Sullivan County Democrat. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (1999). "Barker, Thurman". The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 38.
  6. ^ "About Thurman Barker". Bard College. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
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