February

Improvisation Workshop with John Stowell

A hands-on explanation and demonstration of simple ways to expand your harmonic palette using melodic and harmonic minor scales, arpeggios and triads. Reharmonizations of progressions and tunes are also covered. All levels and instruments welcome, but intermediate to advanced students are recommended.

Saturday February 13, 3:30 – 5:30 pm
john stowell 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

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
» BUY TICKETS

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.

Exploring Jazz Guitar

This workshop, taught by world-class guitarist John Stowell, focuses on chord construction, chord melodies, scale substitution and building solo lines.

Sunday February 14, 11 am – 2 pm
john stowell 
$45 Jazzschool Students/$60 others
» BUY TICKETS

Portland-based guitarist John Stowell has published numerous popular jazz guitar method books and videos, most recently “Jazz Guitar Mastery,” which is available at Jazzschool Books and Records

The Mandinka Kora, A Harp of Sub-Sahara. (Lecture/Demonstration)

The Kora is a 21-string harp of Sub-Saharan West Africa. The Kora is played by an endogamous group of bardic musicians who are the keepers of history in Mandinka society. The Mandinka empire was one of the great empires of the 13th century, and its bardic traditions are one of Africa’s most conspicuous music exponents. In this lecture/demo Kane Mathis explains the musical mechanisims and social context for the Kora and the Mandinka bards. This lecture features plenty of musical demonstrations and lots of discussion of how music is learned in Africa and other high-context environments. High-context learning environments are learning situations where the student is trained specifically for the professional situations they will encounter after having completed their training, in many case they are even trained in those environments.

Sunday February 14, 11:45 am – 1:45 pm
kane mathis 
$15 general admission
» BUY TICKETS


Kane Mathis has been making trips to West Africa for the last 13 years to study with families of hereditary musicians and his recordings are played regularly on Gambian national radio. Kane is highly active internationally as a performer in both traditional and contemporary contexts.

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
» BUY TICKETS


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.

Creative Comping for Pianists

Grammy-nominated pianist Art Lande presents a jazz piano comping workshop focusing on rhythm, space and interaction. Please bring one or two pieces of your choice to work on in class.

Sunday February 21, 2 – 4 pm
art lande 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

Traditional and Contemporary Afro-Cuban Percussion

A lecture/demonstration by internationally renowned, San Francisco-based percussionists, Raul Rekow and John Santos. Raul Rekow has been the conga drummer with the Santana Band since 1976.

John Santos has performed and/or recorded with Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Cachao, Eddie Palmieri and McCoy Tyner. He also teaches at the Jazzschool and the College of San Mateo.

Presented by LP percussion instruments.

Saturday February 27, 4:30 pm
Raul rekow & john santos 
» Free Admission!

Free Improvisation

Students learn to successfully create music without preconceived plan. Some aspects of the music are composed collectively in class. Instructor also introduces and helps students develop various structures for improvisation. For all levels, and all instruments.

Saturday February 27, 3:30 –5:30 pm
art lande 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

The Essentials of Functioning as a Full Rhythm Section

Attendees learn how to provide a solid and cohesive backdrop in a jazz context. Students examine the role of the bass, drums, piano, guitar and vibes and how they relate to one another, and learn how to craft a solid support section for soloists and song melodies (in/out heads). Workshop also addresses various ways to play in “2” or “4,” how to comp behind solos and decide who comps when. Volume and dynamic range is explored in relation to the arc of a song. Students also learn how to play behind and ahead of the beat or “down the middle”— and who should do what when. Students examine the ways master rhythm sections “mark” the form and lay a solid foundation in any context. Attendees also take a close look at how the rhythm section changes for each soloist and keep the song flowing and buoyant. Various time signatures are also examined.

Sunday February 28, 11:45 am – 1:45 pm
andrew emer 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS


Bassist Andrew Emer has performed with Lee Konitz, Billy Higgins, Donald Byrd, Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman, Michael Cain, Jason Moran, Jeff Ballard, Tony Sher, Kenny Wollesen, Peter Apfelbaum, Chris Cheek, George Garzone and many more. In the fall of 2007 he helped score a play for Labyrinth Theater Company with co-artistic directors John Ortiz and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Playing the Heck Out of “There Will Never Be Another You”

This workshop delves deeply into one of the most widely played of all the jazz standards, a classic by Harry Warren. We examine the song’s harmony in ways that will help us improvise over it, discussing the chord progression on both a micro level (how each chord leads to the next) and a big-picture level (how they all work together to form a coherent song).
Suggestions are given for ways to mentally simplify the song’s structure, as well as a
variety of neat harmonic tricks to embellish to the chord changes. Students are given
the chance to improvise over the song and are critiqued and given recommendations for
improvement.

Prerequisites: facility on a melodic instrument or vocals. Knowledge of basic harmony, including major, minor and mixolydian scales. Suggested: some familiarity with “There Will Never Be Another You,” and with altered and half-diminished chords. Bring your instrument (optional).

Sunday February 28 11:45 – 1:45 pm
anton schwartz 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

Ali Ryerson presents the Jazz Flute Practice Method

Outlining her progressive daily practice routine for developing the technical skills and musical reflexes necessary for jazz improvisation, Ryerson demonstrates how specific exercises create a sense of f luency with intervals, chords, scales, chord progressions/substitutions. Flutists — bring your instruments! Ryerson’s new book, The Jazz Flute Practice Method, will be available for purchase.

Ali Ryerson, 2009 Jazz Flutist of the Year nominee (Jazz Journalists Association) performs, records and teaches internationally. She has toured the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Africa, with performances ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center; from the Monterey Jazz Festival to the JVC Jazz Festival; fromthe Ronnie Scott’s in London to the Blue Note Japan. Having released nearly 20 jazz albums on major jazz labels such as Concord Records and legendary jazz producer Bob Thiele’s label Red Baron, Ali is repeatedly voted among the top jazz flutists in the Downbeat Jazz Poll. She has worked with jazz icons such as Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, Joe Beck, Roy Haynes, Stephane Grappelli and Red Rodney as well as classical artists Julius Baker and Luciano Pavarotti (as principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Orchestra). Musical director of the Hudson River Regional Jazz Festival 2001-’04, Ryerson is the National Flute Association Jazz Chair since 2005, founder of the NFA Jazz Flute Big Band and author of the Jazz Flute Practice Method. Ms. Ryerson conducts master classes worldwide (California, New Mexico, Italy, New Zealand, Eastman School of Music, etc.), is on the faculty of the Litchfield Jazz Camp and is a visiting faculty member at The Jazzschool in Berkeley, California. Ms. Ryerson, a Sankyo Flute Artist, studied with Harold Bennett and John Wion and is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music.

Sunday February 28, 2 – 4 pm
ali ryerson 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

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
» BUY TICKETS

Melodic Soloing in Keys and on Chords

This hands-on workshop for all intermediate and advanced instrumentalists focuses on the use of chord tones and their elaboration with diatonic and chromatic neighbors as an alternate strategy to jazz scales for improvisation. We will also learn to identify groups of chords that can be improvised over by playing in the key of those chords. We will discuss creative ways to group chords in order to affect the placement of the phrase and ways to think about which chords can be chosen at any given time to use in our melodic thinking. Instructor will present common chord progressions as well as tunes, and everyone who wants to will have a chance to try some of these techniques on their instruments while instructor plays bass lines on the piano. Limited to 8 students.

Sunday March 7, 2 – 4 pm
debbie poryes 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

Mambo 101: Dance Grooves from Cuba to Manhattan

Rita Hargrave, dancer, writer and founder of www.salsaroots.com, a salsa history website, presents a multimedia workshop on the Afro-Cuban and African-American dance styles that are the foundation of contemporary salsa dancing.
The course will include:

1. Rare music and dance footage of Cuban dance styles such as son, cha cha cha and mambo and Lindy Hop, an African-American dance form.
2. A live rumba demonstration by a local Cuban dance master and 3) a dance lesson for participants that covers exercises to increase upper body and hip motion, timing, rhythm and improvisational footwork.
   

Whether you have never danced or are a veteran who wants to add soul and spice to your moves, this is the class for you. Bring your dance shoes. Prerequisites: None.

Sunday March 7, 2 – 4 pm
rita hargrave 
$20 general admission
» BUY TICKETS

An Introduction to Piano by Ear
(free book and CD included)

Pianist/Author Andy Ostwald provides a hands-on introduction to his book/CD series, Play Jazz, Blues, Rock Piano By Ear. Recommended by Keyboard magazine and American Music Teacher, Piano By Ear guides you step by step as you progress from creating simple two-chord jams to rich and diverse jazz, blues and rock improvisations. The approach integrates learning by ear, music theory and your own musical explorations. The featured recordings are designed to inspire as they instruct. No prior experience with learning by ear or improvising is needed! More advanced players will be given Book Two or Three of the three-book series. 

Sunday March 7, 2 – 4 pm
andy ostwald 
$35 general admission
» BUY TICKETS

Drum Set Workshop with Ted Moore

Ted Moore directs a drum set workshop covering the following topics:

• incorporating percussion instruments into the drum set, especially Brazilian repinique, tamborim and cowbells
• melodic exercises for drums
• warm-up exercises
• various aspects of Brazilian rhythms for drum set
• rudiments applied to the drum set
• exercises for equalizing the left and right sides of the body.

Friday March 12, 4 – 5:30 pm
ted moore 
$25 general admission/or $35 to attend both the workshop and concert
» BUY TICKETS


Since graduating from the Eastman School of Music, Ted has pursued a career which has taken him to many parts of the world with many different artists. He is leader and composer for his own Brazilian jazz group, Brasilia, which has released its first CD to national acclaim. He has performed with Stan Getz, Paul Winter, Marian McPartland, Eric Gale, Jack Wilkins, Gene Bertoncin, and Joey DeFrancesco. On tour, Ted has performed throughout the US and Canada, as well as Japan, Spain, England and Holland. He also spent two years living in Rio de Janeiro as percussionist with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and performing with many well-known Brazilian jazz artists. He has played in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Cathedral of St. John in New York, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and Suntory Hall in Tokyo.

Demystifying Jazz Singing with Kitty Margolis

Critically recognized for her improvisational mastery and spontaneous, authentic performance style, Kitty Margolis is also an inspiring and humorous teacher. This master class focuses on developing a personalized approach to jazz vocal improvisation. How do we communicate our individuality and take risks that we can handle? How do we identify and play to our strengths when there are so many directions to choose from? Come along and find out! Maximum enrollment: 10. 
 
Sunday, March 14, 12 noon – 3pm
kitty margolis $100
» BUY TICKETS


Kitty Margolis is widely recognized as one of the most innovative and inspired singers in jazz today. Her imaginative improvisations, dynamism, and inventive scat have redefined the art of jazz vocals. Jazz Times has praised her “visionary approach to melody and rhythm,” and noted New York writer Stanley Crouch observes, “Kitty Margolis is an original who has made the heritage of all the great jazz singers her own. Beyond her virtuoso technique, she has an epic feeling, a willful breadth of emotion that is artfully focused on the details of life. She is not afraid to be as intimate as a diary or as athletic as necessary in order to stand up to the power of her band. Like all true artists, Kitty Margolis adds something good to the world that it did not possess before she came along. She is, as they say, “the real thing.”

Jazz Guitar Voicings Vol 1: The Drop 2 Book

Veteran jazz guitarist Randy Vincent demonstrates concepts from his book, newly published by Sher Music. 
Have you ever wondered how guitarists like Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and George Benson find such full, luscious
voicings for their chord melody playing? Well, much of that sound is based on the “drop 2” principle of chord voicings.

This book covers:

• All the basic principles of drop 2 melody harmonization including passing tones and extension tones as well as basic chord tones. Practical, guitar-friendly methods for creating hip, modern sounds by “tweaking” the basic drop 2 voicings
• Clear methods for soloing and comping in drop 2, including melodic enclosures, special guitar-oriented chromatic effects, and a system of modal drop 2 harmony
• An organized practice routine, including fingerboard diagrams as well as standard notation, to fully develop all the concepts mentioned above in a hands-on approach, with a minimum of theory

You will find that this book covers this essential material in a unique way unlike any other
guitar book available today.

Sunday March 13, 2 – 4 pm
randy vincent 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS


Randy Vincent began his career in Florida and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1980. Since then, he has divided his time between performing and teaching. Among the many musicians with whom he has performed and recorded are: Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hutcherson, Leny Andrade, Stephanie Ozer, Mel Martin, Benny Barth, Mel Graves, Bennett Friedman, Larry Baskett, Peter Welker, Chris Amberger, George Marsh, Smith Dobson, Bill Watrous, George Cables, Tony Dumas, Akira Tana, Billy Childs, Bob Sheppard, Steve Smith, Harold Jones, Bob Badgley, Ernie Watts, Warren Gale, Herb Pomeroy, the Bay Area Jazz Composers’ Orchestra, the New Oakland Jazz Orchestra, Dave Eshelman Jazz Garden Big Band and The Turtle Island String Quartet.

Get your Music Career on Track! How to build your career as an independent artist

Whether you have several CDs and years of gigs under your belt or you’re just getting started, this workshop is guaranteed to let you understand the music business —and your place in it — in ways you never had before. Subjects include selling and distributing your music, the role of a CD, conventional and digital sales, radio airplay and promotion, getting reviews and interviews, dealing with club owners, using the internet to build your fan base. A fun workshop covering a lot of territory, with lots of good anecdotes and inside information!

Sunday March 21, 11 am – 4 pm  (with lunch break)
anton schwartz 
$75 Jazzschool students/ $90 others
» BUY TICKETS

Jazz Theory Complete in Two Hours!

From the ii-V-I progression through advanced harmonic techniques, scale theory and reharmonization — all in two hours! Please bring music manuscript paper and a pencil to class.

Sunday March 21, 11:45 am – 1:45 pm
mark levine 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

Jazz Improvisation Masters

A workshop on improvising techniques from jazz legends including Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Thelonious Monk.

Sunday March 21, 2 – 4 pm
mark levine 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS





Bass Workshop with Kai Eckhardt

Topics include:

• Intervals and rhythms—new look at old friends
• The nature of the bass and its special place in music
• From functional playing to creative freedom
• Knowing and accepting your roots
• Building a bridge from your roots to your ideas
• How to practice and what to avoid
• Ways to avoid injury
• Getting healthy
• Having fun

Sunday March 21, 2 – 4 pm
kai eckhardt 
$30 Jazzschool students/$45 others
» BUY TICKETS

Kai Eckhardt is a Liberian/German bassist known through his work with guitarist John McLaughlin in the late 80s, Billy Cobham in the 90s and Garaj Mahal in the new millennium. Other career highlights include performances and recordings with: Trilok Gurtu, Stanley Clarke, Wayne Shorter, Patrice Rushen, Dewey Redman, Donald Byrd, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Robert Walter, Karl Denson, Michael Franti, Larry Coryell, Warren Hill, Al Di Meola, Zakir Hussain, Vital Information, John Scofield and Bill Frisell.

Trombone Workshop and Demonstration with Andy Martin!

World-renowned jazz trombonist Andy Martin presents a workshop covering all aspects of playing the trombone from warm-ups and drills to improvisational techniques for trombone players of all ages. Open to all brass players and anyone interested. Bring your horns!

Join Andy and the Jazzschool Studio Bands for a concert following the workshop at 7:30 pm
at the El Cerrito High School Theater. Special ticket prices for workshop attendees!

Sunday March 28, 1 – 4 pm
$25 ($35 for workshop and concert!)     
Student Price: $10 with valid student ID
» BUY TICKETS


Andy Martin has long been one of L.A.’s first call trombonists for commercial recordings, television and motion pictures, and live theater. His technique and virtuosity quickly established him as one of the most in-demand trombonists across the country and around the world. His sparkling bebop lines and consummate musicianship make him equally at home on the stage or in the studio, maintaining a busy schedule in L.A. as a recording artist, sideman, and section player while traveling frequently for guest appearances. Andy has released eight albums alongside other top jazz artists and is also well known for his work as a lead player and featured soloist with virtually every big band in L.A. Most notably, he has performed with Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, the Bill Holman Big Band and Tom Kubis’ band. 

Swinging Circles Workshop with Louise Robinson of Sweet Honey In The Rock

Louise Robinson, a founder and singer of Sweet Honey In The Rock, uses a swing tune to focus on lead and group singing, rhythm,
individual style, characterization, unison, engaging the body in performance, and improvisation. Experience the fun in performing
an arrangement created by the way you SWING! Enrollment is limited to 60.  Comfortable clothing and advance reservations are strongly encouraged.

Friday April 23, 2 – 4 pm  
louise robinson  $20
» BUY TICKETS