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January 23, 2008
Recording Artist Tom Braxton Opens Black History Month Activities
Nationally known saxophonist returns home to headline jazz scholarship concert dedicated to his father.
Written by Sally Post
Tom Braxton credits his father JT Braxton for encouraging his dreams of becoming a jazz musician. Photo by George Bates.
Jazz artist and national recording star Tom Braxton headlines the JT Braxton Jazz Scholarship Concert at 8 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Allen Theatre in the Texas Tech University Student Union Building. The concert is the opening event of the university’s Black History Month Celebration.
Braxton has played alongside of some of the biggest names in the music industry and has been featured nationally on NBC’s “Inside Stuff,” BET’s “Jazz Central” and CBS’s “The Saturday Early Show.” “Smooth Jazz” magazine described his saxophone playing as “sparkling” and a reviewer wrote that he was “blown away” by Braxton’s sixth and latest CD “Imagine This.”
Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for students with a valid Texas Tech ID. Tickets are available at all Select-a-Seat locations.
Braxton credits his father JT with introducing him to jazz at an early age. JT Braxton is also a musician, having released his own CD after his retirement from teaching band and orchestra in public schools for more than 40 years. The senior Braxton is 88-years-old and still plays tenor sax and violin every day.
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, (806) 742-2136.
Related
Tom Braxton grew up in Lubbock. He was valedictorian of his graduating class at Dunbar High School and graduated with honors from Texas Tech University.
The Tom Braxton West Texas Scholarship has been created in his name. The scholarship is awarded to West Texas high school students pursuing the field of music.
Visit Tom Braxton on MySpace.
Photo by Jonas Ramos.