San Jose Jazz Society 2024 JAZZ ORGAN FELLOWSHIP @ Howard University
Charles Covington is receiving the JAZZ ORGAN FELLOWSHIP
from the San Jose Jazz Society
on September 5, 2024, Thursday @ 12:40 pm.
The presentation/concert will take place on the campus of
Howard University in the Childers Recital Hall
This year (2024) representatives of the Jazz Organ Fellowship will travel to Howard University in Washington DC to meet with Professor Fred Irby III, Music Director and Founder of the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, who will facilitate in our JOF Award ceremony. Prof Irby has graciously provided the university’s recital hall as a venue in which we will produce a jazz organ concert featuring our honoree: Dr. Charles Covington, accompanied by drummer Nasar Abadey. Dr. Covington recently retired from his teaching position at Howard and has a history in the Washington DC and Baltimore arena as a distinguished scholar at both Howard and the Peabody Institute. His resume includes not only educational credentials but accomplishments in weight lifting, national chess tournaments and magic performances.
A native of Baltimore, Covington became interested in jazz when the high school principal broadcast music by Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal on the intercom. He served in the U.S. Army, attended the Peabody Institute, and learned piano and organ at the Hammond School of Music. He performed in clubs and at the Royal Theater. After the manager of George Benson heard Covington perform in New York City, he invited him to tour with Benson. He also worked with Ethel Ennis, J.J. Johnson, O’Donel Levy, and Nathan Page.
An interest in chess led Covington to chess clubs in New York. He has been certified a Life Master by the US Chess Federation and is considered one of the top African American chess players in the country. He has written books on chess, checkers, and math. For twenty years he taught at the Peabody Conservatory, then at Howard University. Covington has also performed as a magician. He was the pianist for the television program BET on Jazz.
http://www.jazzorganfellowship.org/
