Poetry reading with jazz quartet to open Ellison centennial events

He is a former director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing. He offers poetry workshops for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. He lives in Chicago with his wife and children and teaches for both Chicago State University and the Red Earth MFA program.

The New Growth Jazz Quartet (NGJQ) was founded in the summer of 2010. The group is dedicated to swinging, organic structures and an appreciation for a wide variety of musical idioms both within and outside the jazz context.

The NGJQ members are Adam Ledbetter, pianist and composer; Grant Goldstein, guitarist and composer; Aaron Tomasko, bassist; and Jemar Poteat on drums.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the performance.

For more information on the Red Earth MFA Program visit the website at www.okcu.edu/english/RedEarthMFA.