Late jazz faculty member to be celebrated with special concert Feb. 20

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UT students and faculty members will honor jazz pianist Tad Weed with a special concert.

“Tad Remembered” will be held Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Weed, associate professor of music, lost his battle with cancer Aug. 22. He was 61. He joined the UT faculty as an assistant professor of jazz piano in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2017. Weed taught jazz piano, arranging and improvisation, and was co-director of Vocalstra, a vocal jazz ensemble founded by legendary singer Jon Hendricks.

Leonard Feather acknowledged Weed’s career in “The Encyclopedia of Jazz.” Feather wrote, “…pianist Weed displays a very rare ability to cross over from dashing bop lines to rich impressions, he has all of the bases covered from funky blues to the border of the avant-garde.”

Weed’s discography contains more than 30 recordings that feature his playing, arrangements and compositions. He toured with Anita O’Day and Carmen McRae; for more than a decade, he was the music director for Paul Anka. The list of artists he performed with included Chaka Khan, Jack Jones, Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Frank Morgan and David (Fathead) Newman.

The concert will feature a host of performers: the UT Student Jazz Combo and UT music alumni, including Matt and Atla DeChamplain, Will Bennett, the group Talking Ear, Estar Cohen, Travis Aukerman, Ben Maloney and Dan Palmer.

UT music faculty also will perform: Norm Damschroder, Ellie Martin, Dr. Olman E. Piedra and Jay Weik.

An added treat will be a special video encore of Weed performing with UT music student Isabella Weik.

Songs to be performed include “The Road Leads,” music by Weed with lyrics by Cohen; “Cowboy Poetry Life” by Weed; “Just One of Those Things” by Cole Porter; and “When You Wish Upon a Star” by Cliff Edwards.

This performance is the 2019 Art Tatum Memorial Scholarship Concert. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the scholarship program.

Tickets are $15 for general admission; $10 for UT employees, alumni, senior citizens, and veterans and members of the military; and $5 for students and children. Tickets are available at the door, but purchasing them in advance is recommended. They are available on the School of Visual and Performing Arts website, or by calling the Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 419.530.ARTS (2787).

During the concert, parking is free in the lot across from the Center for Performing Arts.