Brace yourselves, Bucks students,
this coming Friday
Jimmy Bruno is playing at this
very institution! And for Bucks
students, the concert is free!
Ok, so most readers are actually
mumbling “Jimmy who?”
right now. Unless you’re a jazz
aficionado, chances are you’re
unfamiliar with Bruno, but for
those who are fans of this
genre, the upcoming concert is
a momentous occasion.
Simply put, Bruno is a jazz
legend. The Philadelphia-born
guitarist has performed with
such superstars as Frank
Sinatra, Wayne Newton and
Buddy Rich, and in the ’90s he
embarked on what proved to
be a very successful music
career. His stand-out solo
works include “Burnin’,”
“Slight of Hand,” and “Like
That.”
Bruno is known, like all great
musicians, for being a master of
improvisation. His solos are
mesmerizing and Bruno’s ear
for harmony and fleet fingers
form a lethal combination.
Bruno’s playing is a true joy, a
must-listen to for anyone with
even a passing interest in jazz.
Performing all over the
world, with gigs at celebrated
venues such as the Iridium in
New York and Blues Alley in
Washington, D.C., he also
recently started the Jimmy
Bruno Guitar Institute, which is
a program designed to bestow
some of his expertise to less
experienced axmen.
Bucks English Professor Alan
Rubin is the man responsible
for booking Bruno.
“As a guitarist and a fan of
music, jazz in particular, I’m
always looking for great stuff
to listen to, and when I first
heard Jimmy Bruno I thought,
‘Whoa.’ Then I thought, ‘I’m
going to have to take up a new
hobby.'”
He goes on to describe how
thrilling it is to host Bruno, a
man he calls “one of the finest
musicians playing any genre of
music.”
Rubin added, “Jazz is especially
exciting to see in person
because it’s improvisational,
you never know what to
expect. But now that I think
about it, you can expect one
thing, an amazing musical
experience.”
Bruno will be backed by a
group comprised of pianist Sid
Simmons, bassist Craig
Thomas, and drummer Webb
Thomas.
For those of you who already
know of Bruno, then you surely
are waiting with bated
breath for his performance. For
the majority of Bucks students,
this concert promises to be an
excellent introduction to a jazz
giant.
Bruno plays this Friday in the
Library Auditorium. General
admission tickets are $10, but
Bucks students with ID get in
free. For more information go
to www.bucks.edu/jazz