Pearson Cross:  

n and he is in the process of receiving tenure. Next year Cross will also become a department head. ¿I¿m not much of a risk taker,¿ Cross said. ¿In fact, my idea of camping is room service.¿ Raised in northern California as an only child, Cross was raised ¿believing I was the center of the universe. My wife is still trying to teach me otherwise.¿ The piano, however, remains part of his universe. He lists Bill Evans as his favorite jazz pianist, likening his own music to the classical jazz of the 1940s, ¿50s, ¿60s, and ¿70s. ¿Lately on most weekends, I do a night at The Lounge right next door to Tsunami,¿ Cross said, grinning modestly. ¿Solo piano.¿ Patrons of Charley G¿s and the 307 Club also have heard him play. ¿I¿ve also done gigs with the people in the ULL jazz studies department,¿ he added. His dual loves of piano and politics are counterbalanced by his dislike of teaching piano and his lack of political ambition. Cross said when he was in his 20s, he taught piano to more than two dozen students before realizing he didn¿t like it and quit. Entering politics is not his suit either. ¿If I did get into politics, I¿d really like to start at the congressional level or state Legislature,¿ Cross said. ¿Before that ¿ parish level, city level ¿ it¿s just a load of grief. Those people are really public spirited, public servants. There¿s an incredible amount of work. The rewards that come are the rewards that come from your duty ¿ being a public servant. You have to be directed in that manner. It¿s not about the ego.¿ ¿Dr. Cross is an engaging professor,¿ said student Phillip Lavergne. ¿Going to his class, I¿m always prepared to walk away with a slightly different, more open perspective. You can¿t usually expect that from a class, but from him you can.¿ In order to remain up-to-date for the sake of his commentaries, Cross said he scours The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times-Picayune, The Advocate, The Daily Advertiser and the Los Angeles Times. ¿One of the things that has been really wonderful about Louisiana politics is that since I¿ve been here I¿ve had a chance to study it and comment on it in the papers,¿ he noted. ¿I really enjoy that and work hard to try to provide a balanced perspective and I¿m not out to make enemies or any obscure political point. I just try to call it like I see it.¿