Lafayette Gilchrist

Alums in the News: Gilchrist, Hawkins, Whitehead, and the 2014 MSAC grantees

/ 2 minutes of reading

We are proud of our alums and their constant achievements. Recently, three of UMBC’s alumni, in particular, have made it in the news and we thought you should know! Lafayette Gilchrist ’92, Africana Studies, recently released his new solo album, titled The View From Here, which was featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” “For someone who came to piano rather late, at 17, Gilchrist has dug deep into its history… Despite his old-timey tremolos and thundering bass figures, he doesn’t really sound like the old masters; something different is going on in his timing and pile-driving left hand.” Read more of… Continue Reading Alums in the News: Gilchrist, Hawkins, Whitehead, and the 2014 MSAC grantees

Building A Tradition – Lafayette Gilchrist '92

/ 3 minutes of reading

The path to preserving Maryland’s traditional arts and culture sometimes begins when a jazz musician walks through an unlocked door in UMBC’s Fine Arts building. One of Baltimore’s master jazz musicians, Lafayette Gilchrist ’92, Africana studies, was taking a summer class before his freshman year when he discovered that the building’s piano rooms were left open in the evening. One night, he finally gave in to temptation. “The very first piano I played was this nine foot Steinway grand piano,” recalls Gilchrist, who had taken no formal lessons before coming to UMBC. “People think I’m lying when I tell them… Continue Reading Building A Tradition – Lafayette Gilchrist '92

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