thursday, january 29, 2004
news
the university daily kansan 5A
Wescoe Terrace performer plays music for early-morning customers
By Samia Khan
skhan@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Every morning, a little after 9:30, students falling asleep in class near Wescoe Hall receive a wake-up call courtesy of Michaelegene Mumford.
Each day since he began working less than a year ago at Wescoe Terrace, Mumford has greeted the campus with his music. Before clocking in for work, Mumford, 52, takes his trumpet, saxophone or clarinet outside Wescoe Terrace, plays a quick song that resonates down the hill, salutes his onlookers and starts his day.
If you're eating at the cafeteria, you might also see him dance a two-step across the room, belt out a tune in Latin and follow it up with a perfect rendition of Le Marseillaise, the French national anthem. As a grand finale he might perform his towel trick, tossing it high in the air as if it were a pizza and catching it perfectly on his
"I've had people tell me how nice it is here now. I hear the music and I always know when he's here in the morning."
Karen Lewis Unit manager of Wescoe Terrace
arm.
"I'm an entertainer, I'm a ham. I admit that," he said.
Mumford has been playing a variety of musical instruments for 30 years. He was surrounded by a musical family and learned to sing and play through their encouragement. He can sing in Latin, French and Spanish, and he said he can't resist the call of dance and theater.
In the mid-1980s he was in a theater production of the musical Annie. He still dances and sings in performances throughout Lawrence when he can. Last
summer, he traveled with his cousin's band, the Dime Brothers Trio, as a roadie and first clarinet player.
"Call me king of the multitaskers," he said.
Before traveling with his cousin and the Dime Brothers Trio, Mumford had his own band called the Bugle Boy Band that traveled and played locally. The band played its jazz on the steps of the Topeka capitol, performing wherever someone would listen.
After the band fell apart. Mumford was drawn back to the University of Kansas through a strong family connection. His mother was a maid for the fraternities and sororities and his father was on staff at the Kansas Union.
Much like his father loved working at the Union, Mumford said he,loves working at the cafeteria. He calls it the best job he's ever had because of the food,the atmosphere,his boss and the students.
His eyes grew wide with
earnestness when he said the University has the greatest students in the world.
Karen Lewis, unit manager of Wescoe Terrace and Mumford's boss, said people welcomed Mumford's exuberance, hard work and music.
"I've had people tell me how nice it is here now. I hear the music and I always know it when he's here in the morning," she said.
The first time he played his trumpet before work, Mumford said his co-workers loved it and asked him to continue.
"I'm surprised they don't tell me to shut up. I guess it's OK as long as I don't do it inside," he said.
Mumford wants to work at the cafeteria as long as he can. With each day comes another morning song for the campus.
"There are enough people out there to make you cry," he said. "I want to make people laugh."
Edited by Ashley Arnold
Michaeleugene Mumford, Wescoe Terrace employee, played his trumpet yesterday afternoon, demonstrating his morning routine. Mumford plays either his trumpet, saxophone or clarinet every morning outside Wescoe Terrace before he clocks in.
Annie Bernethy/Kansan
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