Thurman Barker

Thurman Barker (born January 8, 1948, Chicago, Illinois, United States)^[1] is an American jazz drummer.

Barker's first professional experience was at age sixteen with Mighty Joe Young.^[2] Barker took his bachelor's at Empire State College,^[3] then studied at the American Conservatory of Music under Harold Jones^[4] and at Roosevelt University.^[5] He next served as an accompanist for Billy Eckstine, Bette Midler, and Marvin Gaye.^[2] He was house percussionist at the Shubert Theater in Chicago for ten years.^[2] In 1968, he joined Joseph Jarman's first ensemble, and soon after became a member of the AACM in its early days.^[1] Aside from Jarman, he played in the late 1960s and 1970s with Muhal Richard Abrams, Pheeroan akLaff, Anthony Braxton, Billy Bang, Henry Threadgill, and Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre.^[1] He recorded and toured again with Braxton in 1978-80 and with Sam Rivers in 1979–80.^[5] In 1985 he played in a trio with Jarman and Rivers, and in 1987 he played marimba with Cecil Taylor.^[5]

In the 1990s, Barker concentrated more on composition. His 1994 work Dialogue was premiered at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York City,^[2] and he composed Expansions (1999) for the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra.^[2] Since 1993 he has taught at Bard College, where he is currently Professor of Music.^[3] In 1999, he was guest lecturer at Smolny University in St. Petersburg, Russia.^[6]