WSU’s Alumni Association and the Weber Historical Society will host Laurence Yorgason as he presents “The History of Jazz in Utah” on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
Yorgason spoke last year about how Union Station and Historic 25th Street brought people from all over to Ogden in the 20’s and 30’s, and how this influx of diverse cultures made Ogden a hotbed for jazz. Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole and other kings of the genre stopped in Ogden during the height of jazz culture.
A jazz bass player himself, Yorgason spent many years researching the history of jazz music and the role it has played in Ogden.
In a press release from WSU, Yorgason said, “I plan to help students and members of the community understand how and why jazz came to Utah, how it differed from other music and why it became so popular.”
Yorgason’s lecture will kick off the Weber Historical Society 2018 Fall Lecture Series.
On Oct. 15, accomplished graphic artist Ted Nagata will talk about Japanese-American incarceration camps during WWII and how the Topaz Concentration Camp affected him and his family.
Then, on Nov. 19, Dr. Leah Murray of WSU’s political science department will discuss the results of the midterm election. She will explore who voted, why they voted and what the outcomes were.
The event will be held in the Hurst Center Dumke Legacy Hall and is open to the public.
