In 1956, more  than 600 African-American families, including businesses and  institutions living in the Rondo neighborhood of Saint Paul,  lost their  homes to the construction of the new I-94 highway cutting across the  United States. Rondo's disaggregation was part of a national movement  that upended thousands of black, immigrant, and poor communities to make  room for more seamless coast-to-coast automobile transportation. Home  to such artists as Gordon Parks, August Wilson, Roberta Davies, and  Bobby Lyles, the Rondo neighborhood produced and inspired artists and  musicians who would go on to national fame. The Rondo Community Music  Series, presented by Walker West Music Academy, showcases a current  generation of artists who continue to be inspired by Rondo's history,  cultural expression, and resilience. The Rondo Community Music Series  presents a variety of musicians and artists from September through April  2024. Join us for all of the hour-long concerts and be inspired by the  power of music to convey and shape communities. All shows are FREE, but  you must register!

A wide variety of music can be heard in Jack Barrett's compositions.  Throughout his life, he has explored avenues of classical, progressive  rock, metal and jazz. All of which have left their permanent mark on his  sound. 

Raised in the Twin Cities, Barrett studied in the northern  wilderness of St. John's University where he earned a degree in piano  performance. There, he was drawn to the sounds of Chick Corea and Keith  Jarrett among others as he delved further into the sound and practice of  jazz. Since then, his path has brought him to the sounds of modern  players like Brad Mehldau and Tigran Hamasyan. Intense rhythms and rich  harmonies dominate Barrett's compositions, marked by concise and dynamic solos. With each new work he builds around a single concept, whether it  is a rhythmic or harmonic motif or simply a feeling. Expanding from  this, he crafts the song into a sprawling extrapolation, adding and  transforming until the original idea is woven into every part of the  music.

Jack Barrett Trio