Related WORKSHOPS

Two-Day Jazz Composition Workshop with Michele Rosewoman

For all aspiring composers at all levels. Many musicians feel they don’t know how to compose. Where to begin? Experienced composers often feel ”stuck” — out of ideas or perspective on how to develop an idea they have. Visiting instructor Michele Rosewoman demonstrates that all you need is a starting point and just about any will do. With instructor’s guidance, students gain a deeper understanding of their unique personal preferences and how to apply them to the process of composing.

Part I:  Instructor demonstrates methods for adjusting, elaborating upon and extending
musical thought through melodic, harmonic and rhythmic possibilities and thematic development. Students are introduced to the techniques behind writing for a variety of instrumentations. Instruction on how to create individual transposed parts and how to best convey musical ideas on paper is also presented. Each student receives personal guidance regarding how to proceed and what to have ready for Part II of the workshop.

Part II:  After a week of writing on their own, part II of the workshop is an opportunity to hear what students have written and to try out their ideas. Class works on phase two of the development of each composition. Students are offered further ideas for honing, polishing, developing and presenting their new compositions, and a rhythm section is available to play through all student compositions.
At the conclusion of the two-part workshop, each student should have a completed or well-on-its-way composition. Students should bring their instruments, music paper and a recording device.

Sundays January 24 & 31 (2 parts) 2 – 4 pm
MICHELE ROSEWOMAN
$60 Jazzschool students/$75 others
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New York based Pianist/Composer Michele Rosewoman has performed with great musicians from both the jazz and Latin music worlds, including Rufus Reid, Reggie Workman, James Spaulding, Billy Hart, Gary Bartz, Jimmy Heath, Julian Priester, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, Celia Cruz, Cuban master drummer/ vocalist, Orlando ‘Puntilla’ Rios, Andy Gonzalez and Pedrito Martinez.
Since its 1986 debut, Rosewoman’s Quintessence ensemble has been a main vehicle for her evolution as pianist, composer and bandleader. Members have included some of the most inventive voices in jazz, including Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Miguel Zenon, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Davis and Terri Lyne Carrington, amongst others. A school in its own right, many have cited the experience of playing within the context of this highly acclaimed ensemble as notably influential in their own development as musicians, composers and bandleaders. Rosewoman is the recipient of numerous grants including a 2008 and 2003 Chamber Music America/Doris Duke Foundation New Works Creation and Presentation Commission. She has appeared at jazz festivals, concert halls and clubs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

Jazz Composition Workshop with Todd Sickafoose — Outside the Staff Lines

Bassist/Composer Todd Sickafoose talks about texture, rhythm, dynamics, pacing and repetition as ways to shape music without getting bogged down in pitch and harmony. And then we talk about pitch anyway because it’s fun. Please bring instruments & music paper. If you have music that you are working on, please bring that too.

Sunday February 14, 2 – 4 pm
todd sickafoose 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
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A captivating improviser, imaginative composer, and master of collaboration. 
— San Francisco Chronicle

Ani DiFranco’s secret weapon.   — The New Yorker

A Bay Area native, Sickafoose spent some years in Los Angeles studying bass with Charlie Haden and composition with the great, late Mel Powell. Since then, he’s been recording and performing with a ton of innovative folks and genre benders including Ani DiFranco, Andrew Bird, Don Byron, Trey Anastasio, Jenny Scheinman, Nels Cline, Ron Miles, Myra Melford, Tin Hat Trio, Adam Levy, Skerik, Stanton Moore, Bobby Previte, Scott Amendola, Will Bernard, Stebmo, Jessica Lurie, Shane Endsley, Erin McKeown, Anaïs Mitchell, Gina Leishman, Carla Bozulich, Noe Venable, Etienne de Rocher, James Carney, Erik Deutsch, Tony Furtado, and Darol Anger.  The consistency of his personal voice within wildly diverse collaborations prompted the LA Weekly
in 2004 to call Todd “one of the most comprehensive musical minds of this coast.” Since 2005, Todd has been living in Brooklyn, NY

Reharmonization

Grammy-nominated pianist Art Lande presents a range of tools for revitalizing standards and enriching harmony. Please bring your own reharmonizations for critique and development, and/or lead-sheets to tunes you would like to work on in class. Bring your instrument!

Sunday February 21, 11 am – 1 pm
art lande 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
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Grammy-nominated Art Lande is an internationally-known pianist, composer, improviser, drummer and educator who has performed with a long list of the Who’s Who in jazz, including Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, Kenny Wheeler, Sheila Jordan, Mark Isham, Paul McCandless, Jan Garbarek and many others.

The Harmonization and Reharmonization of Standard Tunes

Class starts with the original published sheet music of tunes by famous composers used
by jazz musicians such as “Summertime” (George Gershwin), “All the Things You Are” (Jerome Kern) and “Stella by Starlight” (Victor Young). Class works through a traditional analysis of the melody and harmonization, and then examines a few jazz versions such
as those by Miles Davis and Bill Evans to hear how they adapted the harmony. Instructor explains some basic harmonic choices, asking the questions “which chord supports the melody well?” and “what would be satisfying chord changes to use for improvisation?”

Sunday March 7, 11 am – 1 pm
debbie poryes 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
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