Charles Covington Jr. is an American jazz pianist and a U.S. Life Master in chess.

Career

A native of Baltimore, Covington became interested in jazz when the high school principal broadcast music by Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal on the intercom. ^[1] He served in the U.S. Army, attended the Peabody Institute, and learned piano and organ at the Hammond School of Music. ^[1] He performed in clubs and at the Royal Theater. ^[1] After the manager of George Benson heard Covington perform in New York City, he invited him to tour with Benson. ^[1] He also worked with Ethel Ennis, J.J. Johnson, O'Donel Levy, and Nathan Page. ^[1]

An interest in chess led Covington to chess clubs in New York. He has been certified a Life Master by the U.S. Chess Federation and is considered one of the top black chess players in the country. He has written books on chess, checkers, and math. ^[1] For twenty years he taught at the Peabody Conservatory, then at Howard University. Covington has also performed as a magician. ^[1] He was the pianist for the television program BET on Jazz. ^[2]

Awards and honors

• On the cover of Expo magazine as Jazz Musician of the Year, 1983 ^[1]
• Jazz pianist in residence, Kennedy Center ^[1]
• Life Master, U.S. Chess Federation ^[1]

Discography

As leader

• It's Time for Love (Jazz Karma, 1992)

As sideman

With O'Donel Levy

• Black Velvet (Groove Merchant, 1971)
• Breeding of Mind (Groove Merchant, 1972)
• Dawn of a New Day (Groove Merchant, 1973)
• Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (Groove Merchant, 1974)
• Windows (Groove Merchant, 1976)

With Nathen Page

• Page 1 (Hugo's Music, 1977)
• Page 2 (Hugo's Music, 1978)
• Plays Pretty for the People (Hugo's Music, 1979)

With others

• George Benson, Shape of Things to Come (A&M/CTI, 1968)
• J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding, Betwixt & Between (A&M/CTI, 1969)
• Ethel Ennis, 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis (BASF, 1973)
• Gary Thomas, Exile's Gate (JMT, 1993)

References

External links

• Official site
• The Talking Drum
• Kennedy Center