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My husband and I were discussing the other, trying to add reverb to it. I was literally trying
Tiger Sized Tunes difference between jazz and blues. Can you that time.
to do something at 17 that no one else was doing at
explain how these two genres are different,
or perhaps the same?
My biggest fan was Jean Hammonds, my piano
Jenna: The two genres aren’t as different as some teacher, and the choir director at my high school. She
Interview with Dr. Jeremy Tubbs & Dr. Jenna McLean people might think. Blues influenced everything. recognized my passion and abilities for music. Ms.
By Tammy Yosich Country blues came from the early 20th century and Hammonds gave me an assignment involving a syn-

earlier. Artists like Robert Johnson’s blues influence thesizer which generates audio through subtractive,
that made its way into a lot of things but straight into additive, and frequency modulation synthesis. The
Jazz, in my opinion. I suppose the main difference is synthesizer had a floppy disc. She said I need to play
It is a rare treat to sit down with two brilliant musicians who are also Doctoral professors of music; we are hon- that there are so many sub-genres of jazz. Some are music for my classmates and have them play along.
ored for the opportunity. Dr. Jeremy Tubbs has a Ph.D. in Musicology and has performed and studied music more heavily blues influenced, while others such as Consequently, I started writing mini data that includ-
worldwide. Dr. Tubbs' extensive experience and knowledge of music makes him perfect to mentor and advise Charlie Parker, where you won’t hear as much of the ed drum, bass, and guitar parts, even horn parts and
UM music students. Dr. Jenna McLean is a young lady with timeless standards. Dr. McLean's first love is the blues, in the 40’s. But advance ten years, you’ll hear saved them to the synthesizer. Jean told me years later
American songbook and all things Jazz. However, with her experience and education, she is the perfect musician what is called ‘hard bop’ with people like Cannonball that she continued to use the synthesizer well after I
to share her knowledge in the lecture halls of the University of Memphis, Lambuth. ZGP Magazine is honored to Adderley, Lee Morgan, you’ll hear more of the return had graduated. It was because of Jean and her belief
have both Dr. Tubbs and Dr. McLean share their life, love, and wisdom of music with us. of the blues influence; with a gospel influence as well. in me, in my musical and technological abilities that

It really is just a complex, beautiful thing. I get excit- I became part of the Lambuth recruitment process.
ZGP: Where did music start for you? become a professor here. ed talking about jazz and blues but struggle where to Unbeknownst to me, Jean was talking me up all over
start the legendary history. town.
Jenna: There are a lot of singers in my family, so Jenna: Yes. I’m originally from Colorado and lived
there was a lot of music influence growing up. I sang there all my life until I went to school at the Uni- ZGP: What about you Jeremy, what type of ZGP: When did you begin teaching for Uni-
at church and at home with my siblings. I played the versity of Wyoming for my undergraduate degree. I music do you lean toward? versity of Memphis (UM)?
flute in school. I was in choirs and musicals from returned to Colorado for my masters and doctorate
elementary school onward. So, it all kind of spurred degrees. Like Jeremy, I moved here for a faculty posi- Jeremy: At six-years-old I loved playing Christmas Jeremy: I attended Lambuth and obtained a perfor-
my interest in music. I’ve just finished with my doc- tion with the University of Memphis, Lambuth. songs, playing Jingle Bells on the piano. Christmas mance degree in guitar, took two years off. I went to
torate in music. songs provided me with tunes easily remembered Boston, Berklee College of Music, as a post-under-
ZGP: Jenna, how did you find Jackson? and that stuck with me all year long. However, my grad. I took the time to really research what programs
Jeremy: I simply fell in love with music as a young passion for music came from what my mom listened I wanted to go into as well as playing music a lot. I
kid. My mother recognized something musically in Jenna: Well, I was looking for jobs in higher edu- to through her turntable in the early 80s. I listened played in numerous bands to gain experience and
me and supported me. I technically started playing cation. I applied for several jobs at the start of the to a lot of Beach Boys and the Beatles. I can’t stress toured a little bit which helped me understand the
when I was five or six years old and getting lessons pandemic and by some miracle, the UM job opened. enough of just how much I listened to these two business side of things. I became more of a session
around seven years old. Like Jenna, I just kept going I applied, and they hired me in a lightning-fast man- groups – a lot. My mom loved the Beatles, my dad musician, where I was involved in multiple recordings
and coupled my love of music with my love of tech- ner. didn’t really listen to too many records. My mom around this area.
nology, creating music, and performing. Fortunately, would be cleaning and jamming to the tunes coming
I have tremendous support from family and friends. Jeremy: It was lightning fast. The whole process hap- from that turntable. The Beatles album, “Revolver” I ultimately landed on musicology because it is hard
Music was something I was told I was good at and pened in like a week. was played often. I just love that first track, “Tax man” for me to focus on one thing, this pathway allowed
encouraged to keep chasing. I love focusing on and that Abbey Road sound. There was something me to focus on multiple areas of music. You can focus
multiple things, which can be a bad thing. But music ZGP: Did you have any ties to Jackson? about that record and that sound that literally just on the who, what, when, where, and how and dive
offers me a way to multi-focus. drew me in with passion. into other aspects of music like technology, popular
Jenna: No, but I have several friends who live in music, or traditional music studies; I stuck with pop-
ZGP: Jeremy you are from Jackson, Ten- Nashville or were from Nashville who now live else- Kids riding their bikes, playing baseball, and all that ular music. Honestly, the University of Memphis has
nessee, correct? Jenna, you are from Colo- where. I have heard a lot about Nashville and Mem- stuff was happening but that was just for fun, this mu- one of the best musicology programs in the world. At
rado? phis, and their central bridge of music history. I was sic I was hearing was pure obsession. I learned how to the time there were only four musicology professors
excited to check that out. Moving here was like this play guitar, had a four-track recorder in my bedroom, at UM, and they all have written books, they have
Jeremy: Yes. I’m originally from Jackson, completed big, exciting thing. at some point I bought a drum kit, and I had micro- earned Grammy awards. University of Memphis is
my studies at Lambuth University in 1997, moved phones. I was just plugging things in and recording
away for about 11 years, and ultimately returned to ZGP: Jenna, you are Jazz singer, correct? music to tape. I was bouncing from one track to an- Continued Next Page

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