Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

January 24, 2008 issue


Todd Wright: The Face of Jazz in the
High Country Since 1982

Story by David Brewer

In 1982, a young man from Eastern Kentucky who had recently graduated from Pikeville College arrived in Boone to begin work on his master’s degree in music studies. With his alto saxophone in hand, the student continued to develop and apply the knowledge he attained as a member of the stage band during his undergraduate years.

During a New Year’s Eve gig at Hound Ears club in the early 1980s, the jazz bug officially bit Todd Wright.

“They said they’d give us free champagne and after the gig they would fix us breakfast at 1:00 a.m.,” said Wright. “I thought that was the coolest thing—to get paid to play jazz.”

For more than 25 years, jazz fans across the High Country and far beyond have witnessed the reserved Kentucky native work his musical magic on stages large and small. In addition to his superb playing, Wright has also been an instructor to thousands of ASU students since 1990, imparting his deep knowledge of the genre and its masters. He has also been one of the chief organizers in organizing the upcoming performances next month at ASU.

Although Wright has always played music, he spent years away from the classroom and bandstand after completing all but one education class in 1986. Working for Higgins Custom Draperies, Wright put his hands to work hanging drapes and wallpaper and fitting cornices for three years. Even though he earned his living outside of music, his mind never strayed from his true love that awaited him every evening.

“All the while, I couldn’t wait for five o’clock so I could go home and play,” said Wright. “I wore out Miles Davis albums and Cannonball Adderley albums.”

According to Wright, his day job allowed him valuable woodshedding time, but its main purpose was to provide him with enough money to move away from Boone. With some money in the bank, Wright drove to the University of Kansas, where he had been offered a place in the music department to work on his Ph. D. But less than 24 hours after arriving in Lawrence, Wright decided that there was no place like his adopted home of Boone, promptly hitting the road to return to the High Country.

“I missed a week of classes on the drive out there,” said Wright, noting that he would be well behind if he chose to begin classes. “I stayed for 18 hours—Sunday evening to Monday afternoon—and then drove back to Boone. I worked a few more months and then started interviewing for teaching positions.”

In 1990, Wright joined the faculty at ASU’s Hayes School of Music where he now serves as director of jazz studies. In the years since joining the faculty, he has exposed thousands of students to perhaps their first real taste of jazz through his jazz history classes.

“For some students, it’s their first time experiencing a style of music they’ve never been exposed to,” said Wright. “For some students it really sticks with them.”

Wright still gets phone calls from long-graduated students who feel indebted for being turned on to the world of jazz.

While Wright says he still enjoys teaching dozens of students each semester in his jazz History classes, it’s his hands-on instruction to students in jazz ensemble I and jazz improvisation classes that allow him to work on a much closer level with talented young players. Able to take a group of ASU students to perform in Europe last summer, Wright said the students were treated like stars by European jazz fans.

Wright has received several awards during his tenure as a jazz educator. He was chosen for the Outstanding Teacher Award in the School of Music for the 1996-1997 school year. In 1998, Wright was presented with the prestigious Aegis Community Service Award by the Appalachian Black Faculty and Staff Council. In addition, the North Carolina Arts Council awarded Wright a music fellowship in recognition of original compositions by North Carolina jazz composers.

After spending his days spent in the classroom, Wright frequently gigs around the High Country and beyond during the evenings. In addition to freelance gigs and festival appearances all over the southeastern United States and Europe, Wright has held weekly gigs at several spots around the High Country, including Bailey’s (now Mellow Mushroom) and a 10-year stint at Louisiana Purchase. His ASU Valentine’s Day concert has become a staple event for High Country jazz lovers. 

Through his relationship with restaurant owner Bart Conway that spans the restaurateur’s tenure at Cottonwood Brewery and Canyons, Wright has been performing at Sunday brunch nearly every week since 1993, most recently with drummer Nik Hope and guitarist Andy Page. He also currently maintains a weekly Tuesday night gig at Casa Rustica with Page. 

In addition to his normal quartet, which includes Page, Rick Dilling and Joe Crosswell, Wright has also shared the stage with a number of jazz luminaries including Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Erskine, Herb Ellis, Clark Terry, Buddy Baker and many more.

“I’m blessed to be able to do something I really love,” said Wright. “To be able to teach and be an active member of the jazz community is a pretty cool thing. And it’s good to be able to pass along some of that knowledge to the students at ASU.”