Mancuso Wraps Up 'Conversations' for Fall Semester

The third in the 2015–2016 Buffalo State’s "Conversations In and Out of the Disciplines" series features Chuck Mancuso, professor of music, speaking on "The Last Great Days of the Buffalo Jazz Club Scene," Friday, December 4, at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. A short reception will follow. It is free and open to the public.

Since joining Buffalo State in 1976, Mancuso has taught courses on the elements of American popular music, modern jazz, urban blues, rock n' roll, American folk music, country music, Hollywood musicals, and film noir soundtracks. In addition to his classwork, Mancuso is a popular local lecturer, writer, and commentator on numerous radio and television shows. In 1996, Mancuso published the landmark book, Popular Music and the Underground: Foundations of Jazz, Blues, Country and Rock (Kendall-Hunt). In 1997, he was awarded the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity.

Mancuso will also introduce a screening of the classic film Holiday Inn, on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

Sponsored by the English Department, the "Conversations" series was founded by SUNY Distinguished Professor Ann C. Colley in fall 2008 as a way to celebrate the research faculty members are conducting across campus. Colley, along with Barish Ali, assistant professor of English, and David Ben-Merre, associate professor of English, oversees the series that features three faculty talks per semester.

Michael Niman, professor of communication, kicked off the fall 2015 series October 2 with his talk “Acephalous Movements: Studying Utopia, Understanding Terror.”

On October 16, Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner presented “Aging Within a Family Context: The Mother and Daughter Dynamic.”

To learn more, call (716) 878-3522 or visit the English Department website.