Litchfield Jazz Camp
Encyclopedia
The Litchfield Jazz Camp began in 1997. The camp has been featured in Time
magazine, on CNN
and in the JazzTimes Education Guide. Litchfield Jazz Camp offers students 13 to adult of varying abilities the opportunity to study with internationally recognized jazz musicians on the campus of the Kent School
, a Connecticut
boarding school. Students learn in an intensive, noncompetitive environment, in courses ranging from one to four weeks. Students work in skill-matched combos, both at the camp and on the Gazebo Stage at the Litchfield Jazz Festival
.
Faculty is subject to change
, Sonny Rollins
, Tom Harrell
, Bill Charlap
, Kenny Werner
, Kenny Rankin
, Stanley Turrentine
, Paquito D'Rivera
, James Moody
, Danilo Pérez
, Jane Monheit
and many others.
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine, on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and in the JazzTimes Education Guide. Litchfield Jazz Camp offers students 13 to adult of varying abilities the opportunity to study with internationally recognized jazz musicians on the campus of the Kent School
Kent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
, a Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
boarding school. Students learn in an intensive, noncompetitive environment, in courses ranging from one to four weeks. Students work in skill-matched combos, both at the camp and on the Gazebo Stage at the Litchfield Jazz Festival
Litchfield Jazz Festival
The Litchfield Jazz Festival began in 1996 at the White Memorial Conservation Center in the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut. The parent organization that runs the festival is Litchfield Performing Arts, Inc, a not-for-profit founded in 1981...
.
Curriculum
- Combo - Upon arrival, students (after registration) are evaluated by faculty. On the following morning, all student ensembles are posted in the cafeteria. Each ensemble is directed by a faculty member and teaching assistant/junior faculty member. As many as 15 ensembles of approximately 8-10 musicians each make up the jazz camp. Ensembles meet two times daily, working on jazz repertoire, improvisational concepts and ensemble playing.
- Jazz Theory - All students attend theory class each morning. Students are placed in a theory class at their level based on an evaluation taken on registration day.
- Masterclass - All students attend a master class each day for one hour, working with student musicians who play the same instrument under the direction of appropriate faculty. During this time they may also watch a film on the history of jazz or faculty may discuss their personal musical experiences with the students.
- Private Lessons - Students have time over the course of their week to schedule a private lesson with an instructor. Most students take at least one lesson.
- Composition - An interactive, hands on workshop exploring various non-traditional approaches to composing and arranging. Students will connect to methods and techniques forged by notable and established “Downtown” composer/improvisers. The approach to composing and arranging emerged in the mid 80’s into the 90’s and coalesced around a group of players broadly associated with the now legendary downtown Manhattan venue – The Knitting Factory. The style came to be a major influence on much of today’s music scene. The course will explore the works of Mario Pavone, Steven Bernstein, Marty Ehrlich, the late Thomas Chapin and others. Students will be encouraged to construct pieces, which will be explored by the workshop ensemble and performed at weeks end.
- Instructors: Mario Pavone, Peter Madsen, Dave Ballou, Jack Walrath and others guest composers/improvisers.
- Vocal Program - In addition to the instrumental program, singers work with vocal instructors on repertoire, theory, and being a leader. Then they are placed in combos to prepare for the concert at the end of their session as well as on the Litchfield Jazz Festival. Vocal instructors include Karrin Allyson and Vanessa Rubin.
- Faculty Concerts - Three times a week a concert featuring the senior faculty takes place and twice a week a concert featuring the teaching assistants takes on campus. These concerts are free and open to the public.
- Student Jam Sessions - Nightly there are student jam sessions that occur after the evening concerts.
- Student Concerts - On Friday evening of each week (excluding session four, when the concert occurs on Thursday night due to the Litchfield Jazz Festival) all student ensembles are featured in performance for family, the camp population and the general public.
Faculty
The faculty at Litchfield Jazz Camp are among the finest jazz musicians in the country and the world. They are all touring and recording jazz musicians. Litchfield Jazz Camp’s music director is tenor saxophonist Don Braden. He and resident artists guide students through classes in performance, improvisation, jazz history, rhythm and percussion, music theory, the business of music, composition and recording engineering. Instruction is offered in voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, Latin rhythms, saxophones, clarinet, flute, and brass. Evening jam sessions and resident and visiting artist concerts add to the course work. Current and past teaching artists include:- Karrin AllysonKarrin AllysonKarrin Allyson is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including The New York Times, which has called her a "singer with a feline touch and impeccable intonation."-Career:Allyson grew up in...
- Vocal - Don BradenDon BradenDon Braden is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Braden was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He began playing tenor sax at age 13 and started playing professionally at 15. As a high schooler he played in the McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band...
- Saxophone, Music Director - Wayne EscofferyWayne EscofferyWayne Escoffery is a jazz saxophonist based in New York City.-Performing history:Since 2000 he has been working in New York City with Carl Allen, Eric Reed, and the Charles Mingus Big Band. Other musicians performed with include Ralph Peterson, Ben Riley, Ron Carter, Rufus Reid, Bill Charlap,...
- Tenor Saxophone - Onaje Allan GumbsOnaje Allan GumbsOnaje Allan Gumbs is a New York-based pianist, composer, and bandleader.-Early life:Born in Harlem, Onaje grew up in St. Albans, Queens, and started playing piano at age 7. Henry Mancini was one of his earliest and greatest influences from watching the TV shows "Peter Gunn" and "Mr Lucky" at age 8...
- Piano - Winard HarperWinard HarperHiram Winard Harper is an American jazz drummer.Harper played in the 1980s with Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, and Betty Carter, the last for four years. While working with Carter he met Wycliffe Gordon, with whom he would collaborate repeatedly...
- Drums - Jeff HirshfieldJeff HirshfieldJeffrey Lee Hirshfield is an American jazz drummer.Hirshfield studied under Ed Soph. He worked for the Joffrey Ballet in 1976-77 and then played with Mose Allison . During the 1980s he worked with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan , Toshiko Akiyoshi , and Bennie Wallace...
- Drums - Henry JohnsonHenry Johnson (guitarist)Henry Johnson is an American jazz guitarist.He began playing guitar at age twelve. While spending some formative time in Memphis, he started playing gospel music at age thirteen. By age fourteen, Johnson was playing in R&B groups...
- Guitar - Sheila JordanSheila JordanSheila Jordan is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Jordan has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to a notable solo career....
- Vocal - Dave LiebmanDave LiebmanDave Liebman is an American saxophonist and flautist. In June 2010, he received a NEA Jazz Masters lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.-Biography:...
- Soprano Saxophone, Guest Artist - Peter MadsenPeter Madsen (pianist)-Early life:Madsen was born in Racine, Wisconsin where he started playing classical piano when he was eight years old. He also classically studied upright bass at age ten. When Madsen was sixteen he started to play the piano in the jazz idiom. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire...
- Piano - Tony MalabyTony MalabyTony Malaby is a post-bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby moved to New York City in 1995 and has played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias’s Open Loose, Fred Hersch’s Trio + 2 and Walt Whitman...
- Saxophone - Junior ManceJunior ManceJulian Clifford Mance, Jr. is an American jazz pianist and composer.-Biography:...
- Piano - Nilson MattaNilson MattaNilson Matta is a premier Brazilian bassist and composer. He has been based in New York City since 1985. He is also known for his work with Trio Da Paz, Don Pullen African Brazilian Connection, Joe Henderson, Yo Yo Ma and Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage....
- Bass - Mario PavoneMario PavoneMario Pavone is an American jazz bassist.He grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut and began performing in 1965. He was a member of Paul Bley's trio during 1968-72, and Bill Dixon's trio during the 1980s. He also performed with such musicians as Barry Altschul, Wadada Leo Smith, and Gerry Hemingway...
- Bass - Charli Persip - Drums
- Valery PonomarevValery PonomarevValery Ponomarev, Russian: Вале́рий Миха́йлович Пономарёв, Valery Mikhaylovich Ponomaryov, is a Russian born jazz trumpeter. He has lived in the United States since 1973.-Career:...
- Trumpet - Claudio RoditiClaudio RoditiClaudio Roditi is a Brazilian jazz trumpeter.After arriving in the United States in 1970, he began to study at Berklee School of Music, where he became musically influenced by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan...
- Trumpet - Vanessa RubinVanessa RubinVanessa Rubin is an American jazz vocalist and composer.-Biography:Rubin was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, grew up in a musical household to parents from Trinidad and Louisiana. After achieving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Ohio State University...
- Vocal - Ali RyersonAli RyersonAli Ryerson is a flautist with a background in both classical and jazz, as well as being an instructor. She has performed and toured worldwide with a wide range of artists including Billy Taylor, Kenny Barron, Stephane Grappelli, Frank Wess, Red Rodney, Laurindo Almeida, Art Farmer, Maxine...
- Flute - George SchullerGeorge SchullerGeorge Schuller is an American jazz drummer. He is the son of composer Gunther Schuller.He was born in New York City and raised in Boston, graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music with a BA in jazz performance in 1982. He then played locally with Herb Pomeroy, Ran Blake, George...
- Drums - Avery SharpeAvery SharpeAvery Sharpe is an American jazz double-bassist.Sharpe began playing piano at age eight and also studied accordion in his youth. He learned both electric and acoustic bass as a teenager, then studied with Reggie Workman at the University of Massachusetts...
- Bass - Dave StrykerDave StrykerDave Stryker is an American jazz guitarist. He has 21 CD’s as a leader to date, and has been a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and Kevin Mahogany, among others...
- Guitar - Helen SungHelen Sung- History :Sung is a native of Houston, Texas. Her musical life began with classical piano and violin. She attended Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and went on to receive undergraduate and master's degrees in classical piano performance at the University of Texas at...
- Piano - Jack WalrathJack WalrathJack Walrath is an American post-bop jazz trumpeter and musical arranger known for his work with Ray Charles, Gary Peacock, Charles Mingus and Glenn Ferris, among others....
- Trumpet - Mark WhitfieldMark WhitfieldMark Whitfield is an American hard bop and soul-jazz guitarist born in Syosset, New York, probably better known for his recordings as bandleader for both the Verve and Warner Bros. Records record labels...
- Guitar - Matt WilsonMatt WilsonMatthew Wilson may refer to:* Matt Wilson , Irish international footballer of 1880s.* Matt Wilson , of Trip Shakespeare and the Flops* Matt Wilson , New York jazz drummer & composer* Matthew Wilson, British rally driver...
- Drums - Rachel ZRachel ZRachel Carmel Nicolazzo better known as Rachel Z, is a jazz pianist. She attended the Berklee College of Music Summer School and Manhattan School of Music pre-college, where she launched the quintet, Nardis, whilst studying with Joanne Brackeen and Richie Beirach in NYC. Later Rachel Z graduated...
- Piano
Faculty is subject to change
Litchfield Jazz Festival
All students perform with their combos on a dedicated second stage on the Litchfield Jazz Festival the first weekend of August. Included in their tuition is a three day lawn pass for them to enjoy the music. In addition to playing, students receive instruction from Litchfield Jazz Festival stars. These have included Toots ThielemansToots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
, Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
, Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell is a renowned American post-bop jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and arranger.-Biography:Tom Harrell was born in Urbana, Illinois but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area at the age of five. He started playing trumpet at eight and within five years, started playing gigs with...
, Bill Charlap
Bill Charlap
William Morrison Charlap is a jazz pianist born October 15, 1966 in New York City.Bill Charlap comes from a musical background and is a distant cousin to famed jazz pianist Dick Hyman. His mother, Sandy Stewart , is a singer who had a hit in 1962 with My Coloring Book, while his father was Broadway...
, Kenny Werner
Kenny Werner
Kenny Werner is an American jazz pianist.-Biography:Kenny Werner is a world-class pianist and composer. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world....
, Kenny Rankin
Kenny Rankin
Kenny Rankin was an American pop and jazz singer and songwriter, originally from the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, New York.-Biography:...
, Stanley Turrentine
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
, Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...
, James Moody
James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...
, Danilo Pérez
Danilo Pérez
Danilo Pérez is a Panamanian pianist and composer.-Early life:Danilo Pérez was born in Panama in 1965. He is considered one of the finest contemporary pianists and jazz composers of our era....
, Jane Monheit
Jane Monheit
Jane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist for Concord Records. She has collaborated with artists such as Michael Bublé, Ivan Lins, Terence Blanchard and Tom Harrell, and has received Grammy nominations for two of her recordings.-Early life:Jane Monheit was raised in Oakdale, New York...
and many others.