Fred Irby
Howard University jazz ensemble director Fred Irby offers students insight into the life and work of a professional musician.
by Andrew Ledet
Perhaps in another life, Fred lrby was an explorer traversing the globe. In this life, the Howard University jazz ensemble director opens the minds of his pupils by exposing them to different cultures and worlds. lrby chose music education as his path in high school and pursued it at Grambling State University in Louisiana. He received his master's in performance from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. After three years teaching in St. Louis, lrby was offered a position at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1974.
Using his experience, lrby gives his students insight to the past and exposure to the life of a professional musician. "One of the things I try to do is connect them with the elder musicians in the business," lrby said. "It seems the younger people tend to forget what they've done and the past that they've set for us." lrby, whose influences include fellow trumpeters Donald Byrd and Clark Terry, and saxophonist Benny Golson, bridges the gap between students and professionals by bringing musicians into the classroom. "Howard brings a major artist to campus at least once or twice a year," lrby said
For lrby, music education extends beyond the confines of the classroom walls. He recently returned from a tour of Japan with his school's jazz ensemble. "I'm most proud of being able to take students around the world because they say you're not educated until you travel the world," he said, lrby is also proud of recording with the band every year since 1975.
In addition to teaching and traveling the world with the band for performances, lrby performs mostly in the Washington, D.C., area, is a member of the Kennedy Center Orchestra. He recently played in the "Dancing With The Stars" band and on the Alvin And The Chipmunks soundtrack.
He uses his experience recording for TV and film productions to expose his students to yet another world. "When you do live concerts things can go good and things can go bad," he said. "When you do record dates, commercials, jingles and movies, it's all about the click track. If you can't make it with the click track it's going to be hard to make it in the commercial world or as a sideman.
"Mostly I try to bring a love of music," he continued. "Most of us in this we're not going to make a lot of money so we have to do it for some reason."
