It was a warm day Thursday, March 11, at McKinley Middle Academic Magnet School, but that was just right for jazz alto-saxophonist Wess "Warmdaddy" Anderson.  Anderson (pictured, second from left) and other jazz musicians performed for the school’s Visual and Performing Arts students.  The accompanying musicians included Mike Esneault (third from left) on keyboards and Troy Davis (far right) on drums.  They are both Talented Music teachers in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.  Anderson has toured with Branford and Wynton Marsalis and released several recordings for Atlantic Records.

Although a native New Yorker, Anderson studied under Alvin Batiste at Southern University.  He currently teaches and performs around the world and is an associate professor of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University.  The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and The Links Association presented McKinley Middle Magnet students with this opportunity.