Patti Austin comes to USC Feb. 22-23

Singer Patti Austin will come to Columbia to perform and to instruct a masterclass for students Feb. 22-23.

Austin, whose 16 albums cross many pop genres, began her career as a protege of Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington and toured as a teenager with Harry Belafonte. After singing backup for Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Roberta Flack, Steely Dan, and other pop, jazz, and R&B artists, she scored mainstream success in the early 1980s with her Grammy-nominated duet with James Ingram, called "Baby Come to Me." Her performance of the hit song "How Do You Keep the Music Playing" was nominated for an Academy award (1982).

Austin's masterclass, which is being sponsored by the USC Center for Southern African-American Music (CSAM) and the School of Music Jazz Studies Program, will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 22 in the School of Music Recital Hall. CSAM is devoted to collecting, preserving, and celebrating southern and national African-American musical traditions. The masterclass is part of the Center's new Performing Arts Series. The masterclass is free and open to university and area middle, high school, and college students.

Austin's concert will begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Koger Center. CSAM also is sponsoring the concert, in collaboration with the Auntie Karen Foundation's annual Legends of Jazz Series. Tickets to the concert are $25. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Capitol Tickets at 251-2222 or go to www.capitoltickets.com.

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