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Ted Poor, assistant director of the University of Washington School of Music and an associate professor of jazz studies, has previously partnered with distinguished artists like Paul Simon, Marcus Mumford, Rufus Wainwright, among others.Meredith Truax/Universal Music Group

Ted Poor merges his role as a performing musician with his instructional duties at the University of Washington.

At UW, he serves as the assistant director of the School of Music and an associate professor specializing in jazz studies. His remaining agenda is filled with tours, concerts, and recording sessions. Although the busy schedule can sometimes be challenging to manage, Poor expresses that his two realms are not truly separate.

“My responsibilities at UW and with my students are deeply influenced by and intertwined with my work as a professional musician,” he shared. “I can bring my real-world experiences to the students and ideally illuminate the creative process. Music is a lifelong journey. It never stops. In that regard, my students and I share a similar path. We exist on a continuum.”

Poor has previously teamed up with notable artists such as Paul Simon, Marcus Mumford, Rufus Wainwright, and others. Most recently, he toured with the Andrew Bird Trio, traveling from Europe to Chicago, ending with two performances at the Hollywood Bowl. The ensemble — featuring Bird, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Poor on drums, and bassist Alan Hampton — performed a blend of the Great American Songbook, classic jazz standards, and compositions by Bird.

Ted Poor recently toured with the Andrew Bird Trio.Kenzi Everitt

“The Hollywood Bowl has a unique ambiance all its own,” Poor remarked, reflecting on his debut performance at the legendary Los Angeles venue. “Even while the scale is immense, you feel a connection to the space just by striking the snare drum before the sound is amplified. It reciprocates that connection while performing.”

Performing with the trio is among Poor’s preferred activities. The musicians have spent years together, and this rapport allows them to make each show distinct.

“The music responds to the moment, to that night, to the day,” Poor indicated. “We are not merely delivering renditions of Andrew’s songs. Each evening we explore new musical interpretations. Some nights, the sound may take on a different hue, while on others, it might drastically change. There’s an element of freedom, an encouragement to let your instincts take the lead.”

In early 2024, the Andrew Bird Trio recorded and launched “Sunday Morning Put On,” a reinterpretation of American Songbook classics. Poor viewed the album as a chance for a group with substantial history to delve into alternative material.

“There was a sense of confidence that we could experiment with unconventional ideas without the anxiety of questioning the band’s effectiveness,” Poor said. “We are certain that we function smoothly as a band. We recognize our abilities. This assurance permits us to explore unconventional choices.”

Apart from the Andrew Bird Trio, Poor has been dedicating time in Los Angeles to produce an album of innovative pop songs in collaboration with singer, songwriter, and poet Shungudzo Kuyimba. This partnership includes producer Mitchell Froom, known for his work with Paul McCartney and Los Lobos, among others, as well as David Boucher, whose work encompasses Disney/Pixar projects.

The album, co-penned and co-produced by Poor and Kuyimba, receives partial backing from the UW’s Jones Large Grant program and is set for release this year. It builds on Poor’s instrumental pieces, to which Kuyimba later contributed lyrics and vocals. They have since collaborated on additional writing, embellishments, and production. A mutual friend initially connected them, recognizing that Poor had instrumental tracks needing vocals while Kuyimba sought a jazz collaborator.

“We had not previously met,” Poor recounted. “We chatted briefly over FaceTime, and I shared an extensive selection of my recordings. She listened through them, found inspiration, and added remarkable new dimensions. Suddenly, my melodies transformed into our melodies. It’s been a fantastic journey. This form of collaboration is new to me.”

Moreover, Poor has found opportunities to perform live in versions of Cunningham Bird — an album that revisits the 1970s project by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, “Buckingham Nicks” — participating in the Bumbershoot and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festivals. Cunningham Bird is a collective effort between Bird and Grammy award-winning artist Madison Cunningham.

Poor has also recorded a new drum solo piece for The Bell Choir Sessions, an in-studio concert series. The Los Angeles studio was established by Tyler Chester, a friend of Poor’s and a Grammy-nominated producer, session musician, instrumentalist, and composer.

“In addition to standard recording projects, Tyler’s been organizing these recorded concert series,” Poor explained. “I participated in one of these back in December where I performed solo on drums, and we captured the session. I’m still considering how to utilize it specifically. It’s an intimate setting — about 100 individuals filling a choir room alongside several artists.”

Poor plans to sustain this momentum throughout the summer. He is currently rehearsing with one of his idols, Grammy-winning jazz guitarist John Scofield, in preparation for an extensive tour across Europe this summer.

At the UW, he is engaged in a project named the Provost’s Academy, a program centered on leadership development and innovation for emerging faculty leaders. Poor has been paired with Ed Taylor, UW’s dean of undergraduate affairs. Although the year-long collaboration is in its early phases, Poor’s vision closely aligns with how he applies his professional experiences.

“`back to his pupils.

“We are at a juncture where I believe we can discover a method for the arts to connect with a greater number of students,” Poor expressed. “It’s not solely about instructing more students in playing instruments or dancing — though that is fantastic — but exploring ways to immerse them in the mindset of an artist and assist larger student demographics in understanding what it signifies to work creatively, while also providing equilibrium to their studies in fields like science or business, etc. Imagine if improvisation and innovative exploration could be integrated into every student’s experience here at the UW, irrespective of their major? I think that would be beneficial.”

For further details, reach out to Poor at [email protected].