Topically Yours - Musician Houston Person

Houston Person talks with host Deardra Shuler about his upcoming engagement at the The Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC) Ninth Annual Jazz Festival. The Festival is held In collaboration with the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation.  Houston Person has recorded everything from disco and gospel to pop and r&b, in addition to his trademark, soulful hard bop. After years as producer and house tenor for HighNote Records and touring with the late Etta Jones, Person is now known as a master of popular songs played in a relaxed, highly accessible style reminiscent of the great Ben Webster.  Person grew up in Florence, South Carolina, where he first learned piano before switching to the tenor sax.  He studied music at South Carolina State College and later at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.  Houston is  best-known for his partnership with the great Etta Jones, which lasted until her death in 2001. Recently he has performed with vocalist Barbara Morrison, Ernie Andrews and formerly with Ernestine Anderson, Della Griffin and Dakota Staton. He recorded with Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, Dakota Staton, Horace Silver,  et al. His recording "Something in Common" with Ron Carter  won the Independent Jazz Record of the Year Award. He received an Indie Award for his recording, “Why Not?”   Person has recorded over 75 albums.    Kate Baker is Exec Dir of The OSPAC Fesitival being held on Friday, 9/16, at 7:30pm and Saturday, 9/17, 1pm to 9pm at the OSPAC Amphitheater, located at Crystal Lake, 4 Boland Drive, West Orange, NJ.