Professor Brian Q. Torff will visit the Noah Webster Library for a discussion of ‘Soul and the Legacy of Aretha Franklin’ on March 13.

Submitted

Brian Q. Torff, a professor of music at Fairfield University and jazz bassist, will trace the evolution of soul music from its gospel roots to the ground-breaking crossover work of Ray Charles, James Brown and Sam Cooke at Noah Webster Library on Wednesday, March 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Torff is a renowned bassist and composer, and is currently the music program director at Fairfield University. He is a featured bass soloist, leading his own trio, and was the musical director for the Django Reinhardt New York Festival, which has appeared at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Birdland in New York City. Torff has performed at Carnegie Hall for Fiddle Fest where he appeared with Mark O‚Connor, Dave Grusin, Regina Carter, Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and Pinchus Zukerman. He performs in jazz festivals around the U.S., has founded the Fairfield University Summer Jazz Workshop and has served as co-chair person for the music advisory board for the National Endowment for the Arts.

Registration is required, online at https://westhartford.librarymarket.com/events/soul-and-legacy-aretha-franklin-nwl, or by phone at 860-561-6990.

There is library event parking in the nearby Isham Garage. Please bypass the garage kiosks and come directly to the Noah Webster Library Meeting Room, 20 South Main St., where you may validate your parking with your license plate number.

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