Marshall Hawkins, popular and renowned in Idyllwild as jazz bass musician, teacher and human being, received an honorary doctor of music performance degree Friday night from California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside where, with Director of Jazz Studies and professor Dan St. Marseille, he co-led the CBU Jazz Ensemble together with Hawkin’s own Seahawk Modern Jazz Orchestra (MOJO) in concert.

The program recognized and featured numerous performing artists, including Sherry Williams, Yve Evans, Bob Boss, Charles Owens, Paul Carman, Nora Germain, Ross Garren, Clayton E. Powell Jr., Paul Kreibich, John Rodby and Traivon Williams.

Hawkins — well known to Hill folk from performances on upright bass at Café Aroma, Ferro restaurant and especially at Idyllwild Arts Academy (IAA), where he founded and is head of the jazz program — has solid connections with CBU. His wife, Desiree, earned her masters there, and their daughter, Naomi, received her bachelor’s from that university and is about to earn her masters there, as well.

Hawkins’ personal connection to CBU includes a master class he gave there. The subject of his class was not “Bass” or “Piano” (at which he also excels), nor was it even “Jazz.” He says it was simply “Music.” It was highly praised and remembered.

When contacted Sunday night by the Town Crier, Hawkins was flush with the honor that had been awarded him, saying he felt he was floating, like one of those huge, inflated balloons.

As numerous sources have related: In years past, Hawkins toured and/or performed with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Jefferson, Richie Cole, Betty Gray, Shirley Horn, Daniel Jackson, Josh White, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and Pharoah Sanders, among others. Along with Gregory Robbins, Hawkins co-conducted a jazz Christmas program with the Redlands Symphony, and he is the bassist of the West Coast version of the Harry Pickens Trio, which has performed in Idyllwild with Pickens on piano and Harold Mason on drums. Hawkins has cut discs with musicians such as Shirley Horn, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway and The Manhattan Transfer.

In 1986, Hawkins founded the jazz program at Idyllwild Arts, which resulted in top honors at the prestigious Berklee School of Music High School Jazz Festival. He has mentored hundreds of young musicians, including jazz artists such as clarinetist Evan Christopher and trombonist Jason Jackson.

When you talk with Hawkins, you quickly learn that the young musicians he has taught are of primary importance to him. A former IAA student described Hawkins as a true humanitarian, saying that no one could be more deserving of an honorary doctorate.

In 1994, Hawkins co-founded the hugely attended and beloved Jazz in the Pines festival at Idyllwild Arts and served as the festival’s music director for more than 20 years.

Idyllwild’s Marshall Hawkins has a new title: Dr. Marshall Hawkins.