The Merritts spoke about Philadelphia jazz history and current projects

PHILADELPHIA (October 26, 2009) – Jazz great and University of the Arts alumnus Jymie Merritt and his son Mike Merritt, bassist for the "Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien," recently hosted an on-campus workshop for jazz majors in the School of Music at the University of the Arts.

Jymie Merritt, who attended the University of the Arts (then the Philadelphia Conservatory) in the 1940s, is best known as a hard bop double-bassist who toured and recorded as an acoustic bassist with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Merritts spoke about Philadelphia's remarkable jazz history, gave accounts of personal remembrances of jazz icons, discussed their current projects and about the rhythmic relationship between bass players and drummers.

Jymie Merritt received the Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Award at the University of the Arts this past July. Mike Merritt, who has been with O’Brien since 1993 when he hosted "Late Night with Conan O’Brien," spoke of his musical influences and experiences that led to his current "Tonight Show" job.

A student trio performed and Mike Merritt lauded its performance and Philadelphia’s tradition of turning out superb musicians. "There must be something in the water," he said.

"The University has a long tradition of producing first-rate bassists, including Stanley Clarke who attended in the 1970s," said School of Music Professor Don Glanden. "And I hope that tradition continues with our 23 bass majors now enrolled in the School of Music."

The University of the Arts is the nation’s first and only university dedicated to the visual, performing and communication arts. Its 2,300 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. The institution’s roots as a leader in educating creative individuals date back to 1868.


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