Jazz Camps 2008

By
Ed Fenner, KC JAZZ VOICE, LLC

Summer will soon be here and one of the things that parents frequently ponder is about sending the kids to Summer Camp. There are camps that emphasize horseback riding, tennis, swimming and many other specialized activities.

Ron Stinson at the JCCC Camp

This is about Jazz Camps. And more particularly the four Jazz Camp offerings that we have right here at home and their programs for 2008. Although there are some differences, the general theme of all of the camps is essentially the same with some unique offerings at the various Jazz Camps. What they all offer is education, performance, and having fun under the direction of specialized jazz music clinicians.

First out of the box is offered by the collaboration of the Kansas City Kansas Community College and the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra – both under the direction of Jim Mair – for their 7 th annual Jazz Improvisation Camp from 9:00 to 3:00 on Monday, June 2nd through Friday, June 6 th . They welcome all instruments and anyone who wants to learn - from middle school and up. Backing up Jim are Doug Talley , woodwinds; Mike Metheny , trumpet; Everette DeVan , keyboards; Scott Prebys , drum set/percussion; Rod Fleeman , guitar; Mike Ning , piano and James Albright , bass. The schedule for Monday through Thursday has Jazz Theory at 9:00 , Jazz Combos rehearsals at 10:00 and Master Classes/Jazz Listening at 11:00 . At 12:00 there is lunch by the lake with a Faculty Jazz Concert . They reconvene at 1:30 for more Jazz Combos rehearsals and are dismissed at 3:00 .

Friday is a special day. It starts at 9:00 with a trip to view the Charlie “Bird” Parker gravesite at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Summit, MO (just west of Independence ). From there they go for a tour at the American Jazz Museum in the 18 th & Vine Historic Jazz District at 10:00 . Then it's off to the 12 th Street Rag Room in the Downtown Marriot for lunch at 12:00 and then the Student Jazz Combos concerts starting at 1:00 - FREE . I have attended all of the Jazz Camp final concerts, but this one is in a real jazz room rather than a concert hall. It is very unique and lots of fun. The friends and family really get into it. Instruction and rehearsals are in the Kansas City Kansas Community College Humanities Building at 7250 State Avenue , Kansas City , KS 66112 . Tuition is $190. Call 913-288-7660 – MasterCard, Visa or Discover accepted. Contact : Jim Mair at 913-288-7149 or jmair@kckcc.edu .

The Johnson County Community College is having its third Jazz Camp from Tuesday, June 17th through Friday, June 20 th . Jazz Studies Director, Ron Stinson , is joined by Doug Talley , saxophone; Stan Kessler , trumpet and flugelhorn; Gerald Spaits , bass; Doug Auwarter , drums; and Wayne Hawkins , piano. An interesting addition this year is scat singing – who knows, maybe the next Ella Fitzgerald may be there. The Jazz Camp will also offer theory , improvisation , performance combos , listening techniques and master classes . Tuition is $135 and registration and information is available by contacting Ron Stinson at 913-469-855, X3275 or rstinson@jccc.edu .

Bassist Jim Widner – an alumnus of the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, and Glenn Miller big bands – comes to UMKC from his position as Coordinator of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is joined by saxophonist Bobby Watson , Director of Jazz Studies at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance , and pianist Michael Pagan , Assistance Director of UMKC Jazz Studies who, along with jazz piano, teaches jazz improvisation and jazz styles and analysis. Rounding out the instructors are Danny Embrey , guitar; Stan Kessler , trumpet and flugelhorn, Paul McKee , from Florida State University , trombone; Doug Auwarter , drum set. The Jazz Camp is from Sunday, June 22 nd through Friday, June 27 th . Registration is from 2:00 to 3:00 on Sunday, followed by auditions from 3:00 to 4:00 . Then there is an informal faculty concert at 4:15 with refreshments to follow. On Monday through Thursday the participants study improvisation/theory at 9:30 followed by masters classes beginning at 11:00 . After lunch there are combo rehearsals starting at 1:00 and then a faculty concert from 3:00 to 4:00 . Friday morning has master classes at 9:30 with combo rehearsals at 11:00 . The Combo Concerts begin at 1:00 – FREE . The Jazz Camp is in collaboration with the Carlsen Center Arts Education Program at Johnson County Community College . All of the UMKC Jazz Camp activities take place at the Performing Arts Center on the UMKC Campus with the Friday Combo Concerts in White Hall . The Jazz Camp is open to middle school students through adults. Tuition is $385 and the Application is due by Friday, June 6 th . The financial aid deadline is May 23 rd . Contact: 816-235-2741 or music-ce@umkc.edu .

The final Jazz Camp of the season is at the granddaddy of them all at Kansas University in Lawrence , KS – it's their 16 th Annual Jazz Workshop . The activities are lead by Dan Gailey , Director of Jazz Studies. The extensive list of clinicians includes Vince Gnojek , Steve Owen and Tim Claussen – saxophone; Steve Leisring and Chuck Tumlinson – trumpet; Dave Glenn - trombone; Wayne Hawkins – piano; Brian Baggett – guitar; Karyn Quinn – bass; Todd Strait , drums. The Jazz Camp is open to students in grades 8 – 12 and is being held from Sunday, July 6 th through Friday, July 11 th .

Sunday is registration at 10:00 followed by a camper/parent meeting at 1:00 and then it's a jazz theory placement “exam” after which there are auditions. Not all of the activities and times have been firmed up as of press time but, in general, they will run from 8:00 to 5:00 on Monday through Thursday. However, I can tell you that they will be offering instruction in jazz improvisation , jazz history, and jazz theory, along with masters classes and jazz combo participation throughout the day plus evening activities. There will be Faculty Jazz Combos concerts on Monday and Tuesday evenings and a Faculty Big Band concert on Wednesday evening in Murphy Hall . Each of these will be followed by a supervised Jam Session . Student Jazz Combos concerts will be held on Thursday evening and the Student Big Bands will be showcased on Friday afternoon. Applications are accepted until instrumentation and/or resident hall limits are reached. Tuition for commuter participants is $295 if received prior to June 20 th . After that it's $350. For those that are residing on campus it's $485 before June 20 th and $550 thereafter. Contact: 785-864-4730 or email musicamp@ku.edu .

What great resources to have right here in the Heartland with a historic jazz heritage shared only with New Orleans . We are fortunate indeed to have some many great musicians/educators resident in the Kansas City area. A personal note: at one of the Jazz Camps last year a father/ son trumpet duo shared this wonderful experience together – how's that for bonding? I urge you to get your children involved in jazz and attend a Jazz Camp to share with new friends the exhilaration of newfound knowledge, capabilities, satisfaction and personal growth.

Support live jazz in Kansas City and I'll catch ya' out and about!

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