Some Kind of Genius: The Extraordinary Journey of Musical Savant Tony DeBlois
Music biography, Biography of persons with disabilities, Music
Synthetic audio, Automated braille
Summary
The inspiring true story of an exceptional autistic savant whose musical gifts thrill audiences the world overEver since he was born--blind and weighing less than two pounds--Tony DeBlois has been defying the odds and wildly surpassing others' expectations. Diagnosed early… on as autistic, at two years old his talent for music was revealed when he played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on a toy piano. Going on to graduate with honors from the Berklee College of Music, today Tony leads an improvisational jazz ensemble and performs solo shows from Dublin to Taipei and even Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center. Some Kind of Genius weaves details of Tony's amazing musical accomplishments--he can play 20 instruments--with a fascinating look at savant syndrome, in which a person with certain developmental limitations exhibits brilliance in some other aspect of his life. Tony's fiercely devoted mother, Janice, also tells of her own crusade--not only for the rights of her son but also on behalf of all those with special needs.