BY TOMMIEA P. JACKSON
WATCH VIDEO OF TREMERIS SANDERS’ AUDITION WITH ANDRE DELANO AND THE ACTUAL RECORDING IN THE STUDIO. HTTP:// WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/ WATCH?V=HAKU2LP3R-
A&FEATURE=RELATED Tremeris Sanders plays tuba on Andre Delano’s new song, “JSU Jam.”
J Dowell Taylor poses in the new music technology lab where Jackson State University students learn to compose.
ackson State is known for the Sonic Boom of the music at Jackson State dates to 1972 when he began South — also called the “Mac of the SWAC” — as a tuba player in the marching band. He served as the but all of the university’s musical talents are not band’s director from 1984 to 1992. expressed on the football field. “We had such a great organization, probably one of In fact, now that the university offers an undergradu- the golden eras,” says Taylor, reminiscing about the ate degree in music technology, more students will be band staff. “Edward Duplessis, Paul Adams and Byron able to record and produce their own music on campus Gregory were often referred to as the ‘Dream Team.’ ” in the F.D. Hall Music Center’s state-of-the-art studio. During their leadership, the band was selected to With equipment standard in professional studios participate in Motown’s 30th anniversary in 1990 and across the country, alumnus Andre Delano was com- the NBA All-Star game in 1991. It also was featured in fortable returning to his alma mater during the fall of Jet, People and Christian Science Monitor magazines. 2007 to record his new song, “JSU Jam,” a tribute to “After that era, I felt like I needed a change of pace. I Jackson State that will be released this summer on his needed a new interest,” Taylor says. sophomore album, “My So Fine.” He decided to nurture the seeds that former profesDowell Taylor, director of music technology and sor of music theory Kermit Holly Jr. had planted when Delano’s former band director, is perhaps most excited he purchased a few computers and keyboards. about this new development. Taylor’s connection with Those small seeds have grown into a full-fledged