Avalon History Center to Host Musical Lecture on ‘Tunes of the Twenties’

AVALON – Author, professor and musician Robert Rawlins will present a musical lecture on the songs of the Roaring Twenties on Saturday, September 10 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Avalon History Center, 215 39th St., Avalon.

Rawlins will focus on his latest book, “Tunes of the Twenties and All That Jazz,” which features the stories behind the songs that helped define the era. To help illustrate the lecture, he will perform with his saxophone and clarinet.

Rawlins has been a professor and coordinator of music theory at Rowan University for 20 years. As a jazz and classical musician, he has worked with hundreds of entertainers and is a former member of the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra. He holds master’s degrees in music history and theory, humanities and public relations as well as a Ph.D. in musicology.

In addition to “Tunes of the Twenties,” which was published last December, Rawlins has published “How to Play from a Real Book” (2012), “The Real Dixieland Book” (2011), “Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians” (with Nor Eddine Bahha, 2005), “A Simple and Direct Guide to Jazz Improvisation” (1995) and several articles on a wide variety of music.

If you are interested in the era of prohibition, flappers and speakeasies, this lecture is for you. The event is offered in collaboration with the Avalon History Center, Avalon Historical Society and Avalon Free Public Library.

“We’re excited to host this music-based presentation by Professor Rawlins, which should be both entertaining and educational,” said Avalon History Center Director Nina Ranalli. “We hope that any folks in town will join us for a pleasant evening!”

For more information on the event, visit the Avalon History Center’s website at avalonhistorycenter.org or call (609) 967-0090.