Biography
Mr. Fernando Jones, Chicago Blues Hall of Famer and Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipient, was recruited to be the founding Blues Ensemble director in 2005 here at Columbia College Chicago (CCC). In 2010, he established Blues Camp International on campus for youths. Between his Blues Kids from Blues Camp International and the CCC Blues Ensemble alumni students that he’s trained to be “career ready” Jones has single-handedly the next generation of Blues players.
As a Bluesman he has performed all original compositions from Chicago basement parties to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. to night clubs in Havana, Cuba to festivals in Europe to collegiate institutions in Asia. While here at Columbia, he has collaborated with other departments on interdisciplinary projects that have included animation, creative writing, digital music making and more.
Jones, the academic, authored I Was There When The Blues Was Red Hot and has been published in the scholarly Journal of Popular Music Studies. Jones also has an archive in here, too, in the Center for Black Music Research.
To his songwriting credits, The Jona's Blues Band of Rome recorded a tribute album of all Fernando Jones songs. One of his songs, “World Dance/Hiplet” was featured in a TedTalk; his song “Chicago (Has Got Everything You Need)” was used to kick-off the Ryder Cup.
Courses Taught:• 32-1628 The Chicago Blues Scene: From the Past to Preservation• 32-1881 Blues Ensemble: Styles• 32-2885 Blues Ensemble: Performance• 32-1629J The Blues: Chicago to the Mississippi Delta• Private Blues Guitar and Bass LessonsContact Mr. Jones:FJones@Colum.eduFernandoJones.comBluesKids.com
Degrees
B.A., Design University of Illinois Chicago 1987