“DR. William Doc Jones (aka Snake Jones back in the 70’s) will forever be highly thought of,loved, and respected” Glen Burris

Growing up in Chicago on the south side during the seventies was for me filled with many experiences for a adventurous kid like myself.
I attended South Shore high school from 1972 till 1976. At first I was a lover of football and I just knew that I would join the high school team and eventually become a NFL star,but that was not to be. My parents gave me many choices as a child sports,music lessons,whatever caught my interest so to please my dad I took up first the clarinet and then the saxophone which was his favorite instrument. My dad played all of the greatest sax players albums for me so much that before long I could copy all of their solos note for note but I sounded mostly like Sonny Stitt who I later met and studied with.
South Shore High served as a launching pad for my musical professional development.Mr Alvin Lawson was a great teacher and mentor our bands were always the top bands in the city and we won top honors every year in competitions. We had some of the best musicians who have become very successful and influential in the music world today,like alto saxophonist Steve Coleman who recently won the McArthur Foundation Genius Award. And myself I’ve performed with top names like Lupe Fiasco,Randy Hall and Miles Davis.

What we both have in common is William Doc Jones aka Snake”. Doc Jones was pivotal in helping to shape our creative and business foundations. Doc Jones started a non-profit 501-c and formed Niambi School of Music program named after his first born daughter who was killed by a drunk driver in 1976. It helped not only us but an entire community of young musicians who came from all over to hone their craft at his workshop. We learned to improvise,read big band compositions and how to think and act like professionals. Doc Jones showed us that you could be cool while still being educated with him holding at the time a master degree from the prestigious Roosevelt University. William Doc Jones will forever be highly thought of,loved and respected he brought a family,community and dreams all together and made them work.
Glen Burris

You must be logged in to post a comment Login