Bob Dorough: From Be-bop to School House Rock!

Many adults who spent Saturday mornings singing along to "Conjunction Junction," "My Hero, Zero," and "Three Is the Magic Number" credit the clever animated series Schoolhouse Rock! for their understanding of grammar, history, science, and math.

Bob Dorough, the songwriter who penned many of the catchy songs, will visit Buffalo State on Thursday, March 8, for a concert and lecture. Along with performing pieces from the long-running TV series, Dorough will play the original jazz-cabaret classics that made him a legend. "From Bebop to Schoolhouse Rock!" begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium.

At 12:15 p.m. in Rockwell Hall 124, Dorough will regale guests with a discussion-demonstration about a career spent penning jazz classics, recording with Miles Davis, and creating songs that have educated and entertained generations of children.

Dorough’s performance is the last in the three-part concert-lecture series, High Standards: The Legacy of the Great American Songbook, which included Steve Ross on February 23 and Kathleen Landis on March 1.

"Each of these singer-pianists has received international acclaim entertaining in intimate jazz and cabaret settings," said Ari Silverstein, a 2003 Buffalo State graduate who collaborated with the Student Life Office and the Music Department to bring the series here. "Their main focus has been keeping the American Songbook tradition alive."

The March 8 lecture is free to everyone. The concert is free for students and costs $5 for Burchfield Penney members, Buffalo State faculty and staff, and $10 for the general public. (716) 878-6011. www.burchfieldpenney.org.