TAMPA, Fla. — Legendary jazzman and drummer Fred Johnson is the very cool answer to a very cool trivia question.
Who was the very first music act to perform at Tampa's Straz Center almost 40 years ago?
Johnson is still here today, an artist-in-residence known for his therapeutic work with veterans.
"Art and creativity are a really really important part of our health and well-being," he said.
For a week this summer, however, Johnson is hanging out with a much younger crowd.
His drumming camp for kids weaves in storytelling and history. They write songs together and tell stories, true and otherwise.
This is way more than just being about the beat.
"They learn how to play together, how to play as one voice," he said. "And it's about trust, that engagement of really being connected."
To learn more about Johnson's programs and all community art programs at the Straz, click here.
