Q & A with Professor Kevin Whitehead

By Jason Baker

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

1. Name?

Kevin Whitehead

2. What courses do you teach?

I teach American studies and jazz literature courses, plus some writing courses about the arts & music.

3. Where did you go to school?

I did my undergraduate at State University of New York in Oswego, N.Y., and I also got my masters degree at Syracuse University in New York.

4. What made you want to teach?

I’ve been writing about jazz and felt like I should share it and try to turn people on to it and also give extra information to those who know something about it.

5. What’s your favorite movie?

I saw “The Departed” on DVD last week, so that was my favorite last week.

6. What was your craziest moment in college?

Probably taking early morning classes with bad hangovers.

7. Have you had any funny moments while teaching?

I can’t think of any, but I’ve had funny students. One of them, Nikki Glaser, ended up on “Last Comic Standing.”

8. What’s your favorite TV show?

“The Wire.” I used to live in Baltimore, and the writing is exceptional. They have good actors as well.

9. What’s your ideal weekend?

It would be 5 days long.

10. What’s your favorite spot in Lawrence?

The Bourgeois Pig

11. Do you have a favorite sport to watch?

I don’t follow any of them. Sorry Jayhawks.

12. Do you have a favorite color?

No, not really. I dress without flair.

13. Favorite vacation spot?

Lake Ontario. I actually just got back from there.

14. What’s your favorite country?

Holland. I lived there for four years and wrote my book there.

15. What’s your book called?

I wrote “New Dutch Swing” in the mid-1990s. It’s about the jazz music scene in Holland, Amsterdam particularly, and the funny things that occur in their music.

Correspondent Jason Baker can be reached at editor@kansan.com

Question & Answer with John Scofield

His claims to fame almost endless—having played with jazz greats such as ...

/news/2009/jan/22/question_answer_john_scofield/

Professor Profile: Sarah Crawford-Parker

A few questions with Sarah Crawford-Parker.

/news/2007/sep/11/qanda/

Professor Profile: Paul Johnson

Get to know a teacher!

/news/2007/oct/02/professor_profile/

Professor Profile: Brent Metz

A few questions with Professor Brent Metz.

/news/2007/aug/28/qanda/

Former NPR critic discusses modern jazz

Faculty and a guest lecturer discussed the development of jazz during last ...

/news/2007/apr/02/critic/

Q & A: Professor Lester Mitscher

Everything you've ever wanted to know about Lester Mitscher.

/news/2007/oct/30/q_professor_lester_mitscher/

Nordstrom: Students overlook Kansas City jazz

The city's jazz history is important in terms of art and social ...

/news/2009/apr/23/nordstrom_students/

Professor Profile: Beth Manolescu

Learn more about Professor Manolescu.

/news/2007/sep/18/professor_profile/

Q&A: Casey Donahew

The Granada will turn honky tonk when the Casey Donahew band comes ...

/news/2012/mar/29/casey-donahew/

Professor receives award for book on blues ...

Musicology professor was awarded for her publication on the research of blues ...

/news/2008/oct/08/musicology/

Professor Profile: Curtis Hall

Here's some stuff you might want to know about one of Kansas' ...

/news/2007/dec/04/professor_profile_curtis_hall/

Professor Profile: Keith McMahon

Learn a little bit about Professor McMahon.

/news/2007/sep/04/qanda/

Q&A: Caleb Hawley

We have questions, celebrities have answers.

/news/2011/oct/20/q-caleb-hawley/

Professor Profile: Marry Zimmerman

Here's everything you've been wondering about Marry. There's something about her.

/news/2007/nov/13/professor_profile/

Q&A: Exitmusic's Aleksa Palladino

The latest on the greatest up-and-coming stars.

/news/2012/apr/11/aleksa-palladino/

Q&A

Interview with Ben Kweller

/news/2007/sep/06/q/

Established scholar adds her experience to KU

Rowland answers several questions about why she loves to teach English and ...

/news/2008/feb/26/established_scholar/

Professor Profile: Luis Gonzalez

Here are a few bits of insight into the life of one ...

/news/2007/sep/25/professor_profile_luis_gonzalez/

Hawk Topics: August 23, 2007

News you can use

/news/2007/aug/23/hawk_topics/

Pivot on the Hill

James Lipton, eat your heart out.

/news/2010/mar/25/pivot-hill/

Question & Answer with Mike Tuley of ...

/news/2008/aug/28/question_answer_mike_tuley_ad_astera_aspera/

Accessing jazz

Make jazz more accessible by checking out local acts.

/news/2010/apr/29/accessing-jazz/

Q&A: Paul Benjaman Karleskindt, guitarist/vocalist of Paul ...

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2010/jan/28/q-paul-benjaman-karleskindt/

Who is James Woelfel?

/news/2005/sep/28/ne_whos_who/

Question & answer with Hawley Shoffner, winner ...

/news/2008/dec/04/question_answer_hawley_shoffner_winner_kjhks_2008_/

Sound Tribe Sector 9

/news/2005/feb/08/jayplay_music_nine/

Q&A: Thomas Baker

Putting a face with abs on the Abercrombie bags.

/news/2012/jan/25/q-thomas-baker/

Q&A: Sherri DuPree Bemis of Eisley

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2011/feb/03/q-sherri-dupree-bemis-eisley/

Q & A with Vince DiFiore of ...

DiFore discusses life in college and the stresses of being a musician

/news/2009/apr/09/q_vince_difiore_cake/

A Stay-At-Home Valentine's

/news/2006/feb/08/home/

Q & A

With Lisa Loeb

/news/2008/may/01/q/

Forget what you heard

The Kansan's four part series showcasing hip hop's impact on a mix ...

/news/2011/jun/30/forget-what-you-heard/

Jazz quintet defies musical mediocrity

Multimedia program at the Lied Center showcases 100 years of an American ...

/news/2009/jan/16/jazz_quintet/

What Do You Think?: May 2, 2007

What was your favorite board game growing up?

/news/2007/may/02/wdyt/

Five questions

You vs. them

/news/2008/feb/28/five_questions/

Q&A: Chris Allen goes from Lawrence to ...

Chris Allen, a 2006 KU graduate, moved to Los Angeles after getting ...

/news/2012/jan/18/chris-allen/

Catch of the Week: Bryce Reeves

A weekly peek at another KU fish in the sea.

/news/2012/apr/19/catch-week/

Q&A with Bryce Avary — The Rocket ...

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2010/feb/04/q-bryce-avary/

Q & A: Alex Ward of The ...

Substitute teacher and census worker also a musician

/news/2009/apr/23/q_alex_ward_noise_fm/

Q&A: Brendan Hangauer: vocalist/guitarist of Fourth of ...

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2010/oct/06/q-brendan-hangauer-vocalistguitarist-fourth-july/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID