Summer 2009 Workshops and Short-term Classes

JULY

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 July 12, 11:45 am – 1:45 pm
MARK LEVINE
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 Others

Great Moments in Jazz!

Students listen to a number of astounding solos by jazz masters including Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, McCoy Tyner, Oliver Nelson, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, and Luis Perdomo, and examine WHAT makes them great.

Sunday July 12, 2 – 4 pm
MARK LEVINE
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 Others

Indo-Jazz Rhythm Workshop

Sameer Gupta presents the hybrid drumset he uses with his touring groups, integrating tabla into the traditional jazz drumset. Students learn the rhythmic concepts of modern jazz and classical Indian tabla drumming first as separate traditions, and then as fertile sources for hybrids and cross-pollination.

Saturday July 18, 3:30 – 5:30 pm
SAMEER GUPTA
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 others

Flamenco Workshop

A workshop on flamenco-style guitar covering:

•            the cultural and historical foundations of the art
•            the important rhythmic forms (palos)
•            specific rhythmic, melodic and techical exercises
•            strummed rhythm (compás) with hand-claps (palmas) and footwork (taconeo) accompaniment
•            guitar accompaniment for flamenco song (cante) and dance (baile)

Guitarists, please bring an acoustic nylon-string guitar, a capo (cejilla), a recording
device and a nail-file.

Sunday July 19, 2 – 4 pm
DAVID GUTIERREZ
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 Others

David Gutierrez is a long-time Berkeley-based flamenco guitarist. He is assisted by Sara Ayala, flamenco dancer and instructor.

Professional Portfolio Workshop

In today’s rapidly changing world, new tools and services are becoming available for musicians to create a professional presence that extends their own website and on-line presence. Shastic’s services are based on Artistic Portfolios that are created on proprietary TalentFlow showcasing technology. In a matter of minutes an artist can inexpensively create and broadcast a “Content Clip” that allows the viewer to interactively experience the aesthetics of an artist, providing at the same time all relevant skill and hiring information. This significantly simplifies the business process of promoting, reviewing, casting or hiring artistic talent, saving time and resources for artists, promoters, customers, employers and talent buyers.
This workshop covers a live tutorial on the creation and maintenance of a Professional Artistic Portfolio by using the Shastic Platform. Students who have a band and want to find work opportunities can use this platform to present themselves and begin receiving job offers from the local community.

Materials/Preparation
Students should bring a laptop computer with a wireless card if possible. Additionally, students should bring a set of digital photos (at least 6 are recommended), a set of audio tracks (at least 2 are recommended), a short video sample of a performance (1 – 2 mins in duration is recommended), short and long bio information, an artist statement (a review about the artist or a short sales line), and hiring  information.

Sunday, July 26, Noon – 2:00 pm
JOSEARIEL GOMEZ  Free Admission

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 August 2, Noon – 3 pm
JOHN STOWELL
$45 Jazzschool Students/$60 Others

Beyond Boundaries — Contemporary Arranging for the Solo Vocalist

The LA-based Kathleen Grace Band (voice, guitar, piano, bass and drums) will be on hand to explore using elements of folk, art, pop, country and indie-rock in arranging for contemporary solo vocal jazz. Students will have the opportunity to work with the full band on arrangements of standards, not-so-standards and original material. This is an excellent chance to work with a complete band of professionals while experimenting with diverse instrumentation, grooves and textures found in many musical forms. Discover how this wealth of musical ideas can inspire your art and enrich the jazz tradition. Maximum class size: 10

The Washington Post has described the eclectic work of Kathleen Grace as “smart, alluring and evocative,” and JazzTimes has named her “one of the most exciting newcomers on the jazz scene today.”

Sunday August 2, Noon – 3 pm
KATHLEEN GRACE  $50

Developing Improvisation Skills

This workshop focuses on skills often overlooked in studying the art of improvisation, including how to respond to fellow musicians, train your musical reaction skills
and generate original improvised ideas. Participants are introduced to ear-training exercises, musical games, and short improvisation assignments. Students also improvise a collective “chain melody.” This fun workshop offers fresh insight into becoming a better improviser in any style of music.

Sunday August 2, 2 – 4 pm
jJORRIT DIJKSTRA
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 Others

The Bass and The Voice

Bass player and jazz vocalist Kristin Korb offers a workshop to both singers and singing bass players.  The relationship between the melody and bass lines, repertoire, time and feel are discussed and demonstrated. Vocalists have the opportunity to sing with Kristin and singing bass players are critiqued. Students should come prepared with a ballad and medium tempo or Latin piece to sing and play. 

Maximum class size: 10

August 9, Noon – 3 pm,
KRISTIN KORB  $50

Electric Flamenco Guitar

A workshop exploring the application of the electric guitar in flamenco music. Topics covered include: flamenco rhythms, strumming patterns, harmonic progressions, and improvising with a flamenco-style vocalist.

Sunday August 9, Noon – 4 pm
JACO ABEL
$30 Jazzschool Students/$45 Others

The Tao of Drumming

A hands-on workshop for all levels, concentrating on the inner-core of relaxation, connecting to one’s natural breath, and applying this to the infinite world of rhythm. Instructor addresses the concept of the individual connecting to and being part of nature’s rhythm at all times along with being open to the invisible, the dwelling space of “magic”. Instructor explores the use of hands, fingers, feet and sticks to master the art of drumming. Cross rhythms, African polyrhythms and Indian Tabla rhythms are also covered. Students learn how to get a good tone out of any drum and are encouraged to find ideas and sounds to add to their individual styles. Brian Melvin’s book The Tao of Drumming will be available for purchase.

Saturday and Sunday August 15 3:30 – 5:30 pm and August 16 2 – 4 pm
(2 day workshop)
BRIAN MELVIN
$60 Jazzschool Students/$75 Others

Brian Melvin is a world-renowned drummer/percussionist who has played and recorded with many of the world’s leading musicians. Currently he is the leader of BeatleJazz with Dave Kikoski and Larry Grenadier and the Fog Trio. Not limited by styles, he has worked with Joe Henderson, Mike Stern, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Gregg Allman of the legendary Allman Brothers Band and Hall of Fame bassist Jaco Pastorius.  www.brianmelvin.com, www.spiritualdrumming.eu

Larry Dunlap & Bobbe Norris — The Art of the Vocal Ballad

Pianist/arranger Larry Dunlap and vocalist Bobbe Norris demonstrate the fine art of interpreting and performing ballads. They cover arranging techniques and explain how to get to the essence of a song. Participants have the opportunity to sing with Larry! Students may bring charts or just call songs. Bobbe and Larry always bring a mixture of casualness and elegance to their work. This is sure to be a fun and informative workshop with lots of stories to tell, both musical and anecdotal.

Maximum class size:  10

August 16, Noon – 3 pm
LARRY DUNLAP & BOBBE NORRIS  $50

Chamber Music America’s Funding Opportunities for Professional Jazz Ensembles
and Presenters — An Information Session

Jeanette Vuocolo, Program Director, CMA Jazz, introduces Chamber Music America’s portfolio of grant programs open to U.S. professional jazz ensembles and presenters in the areas of commissioning, residency, presenting, and artist-led international collaborations. Learn about each of the four grant programs in advance of fall application deadlines—from eligibility requirements and guidelines to completing the application. Vuocolo also highlights West Coast grantees and their projects from
the 10-year CMA Jazz Grant Archive.
Chamber Music America, the national service organization for the ensemble music profession, was founded in 1977 to develop and strengthen an evolving chamber music community. With a membership of over 8,000, including musicians, ensembles, presenters, artists’ managers, educators, music businesses, and advocates of ensemble music, CMA welcomes members representing a wide range of musical styles and traditions. In addition to its funding programs, CMA provides its members with consulting services, access to health and instrument insurance, conferences, seminars and several publications, including Chamber Music magazine, and a website: www.chamber-music.org.

Sunday August 23, Noon – 2 pm
JEANETTE VUOCOLO
Free Admission
Please call the Jazzschool to RSVP!

Never-Ending Passion:
An introduction to Tango with María Volonté

A non-technical introduction to the fascinating world of tango, the passionate music of Argentina. Workshop participants explore the history, anecdotes and colorful personalities of tango with Latin Grammy-nominated tango vocalist María Volonté, who shares recordings from her collection and performs live in class.

August 30, Noon – 3 pm
MARIA VOLONTÉ  $50