Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

March 11, 1932 in Chicago, IL

Death

:

February 24, 2007 in New York City, NY

 

Leroy Jenkins was an American composer and violinist who was born on March 11, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a musical family, with his mother playing the piano and his father playing the guitar. Jenkins began playing the violin at the age of seven and quickly showed a natural talent for the instrument. Jenkins attended Florida A&M University, where he studied music education and played in the school's orchestra. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. In the early 1960s, Jenkins became involved in the avant-garde jazz scene, playing with musicians such as Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, and Ornette Coleman. In 1964, Jenkins co-founded the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in Chicago. The AACM was a collective of musicians who were dedicated to exploring new forms of music and promoting African-American culture. Jenkins served as the organization's president from 1968 to 1969. Throughout the 1970s, Jenkins continued to push the boundaries of music, incorporating elements of free jazz, classical music, and world music into his compositions. He released several albums as a solo artist and also collaborated with other musicians, including Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, and the Revolutionary Ensemble. One of Jenkins' most notable performances took place in 1977 at the Berlin Jazz Festival. He performed a solo violin piece called "Space Minds, New Worlds, Survival of America," which was a tribute to the African-American experience. The performance was met with critical acclaim and helped to establish Jenkins as a leading figure in the avant-garde music scene. Jenkins received several awards and honors throughout his career, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1979 and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship in 2008. He also served as a professor of music at Wesleyan University in Connecticut from 1994 until his death in 2007. Jenkins' legacy continues to influence musicians today, particularly in the fields of avant-garde jazz and experimental music. His innovative approach to music and his commitment to promoting African-American culture have made him a revered figure in the world of classical music.

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