Music: Maceo Blows His Way into Duke

Stevie Wonder once said, "If Maceo is not on the groove, then the groove is not on." If he's right, the audience in Page Auditorium Friday night will be on the groove, as jazz/funk legend Maceo Parker takes the stage along with his son's group, the Corey Parker Band.

A respected presence in the music world for over 30 years, Maceo has come into his own over the past decade, having jumpstarted a successful solo career as well as collaborating with varied artists including Ani Difranco, Jane's Addiction and Prince. Since picking up the saxophone at the age of 8, this Kinston, North Carolina, native has been cultivating a sound that is, as he puts it, "2% jazz, 98% funky stuff."

Parker spent nearly 20 years playing backup for James Brown and left the band for good after Brown's incarceration in 1988. Lucky for jazz fans everywhere, Maceo embarked on a solo career, and now has several hit records under his belt. It was 1992's Life on Planet Groove that introduced his sound to a wider following - including a broad college audience. Constantly on tour, Maceo has earned a reputation for treating each live show as a wild party. Aficionados of funk music and new fans alike should be in for a treat.

Student tickets are $15, available at campus box offices.

Macy Parker would like to add that her name is oddly similar to Maceo Parker's. That is all.