READ THE FULL ARTICLE for more on the workshop and details about this Saturday’s show…
Five years ago, some talented San Diego Jazz Musicians and Educators put together a great music faculty, outlined a curriculum and set up a new summer jazz program. Thus, the Jazz 88.3 Summer Jazz Workshop was born. Local top-shelf musicians were enlisted as the teaching staff, most or all of whom are music educators as well, including Nate Jarrell, Derek Cannon, Mike Holguin, Justin Grinnell and his wife Melonie Grinnell, Danny Green, Ian Tordella and Tommy Collins. In addition to the instrumentalists, Leonard Patton took charge of the jazz singers.
LISTEN LIVE TO these and other San Diego Jazz musicians on San Diego Sessions with Sue Palmer, Sundays, 5-6PM PT on San Diego’s Jazz 88.3 WORLDWIDE http://Jazz88.org
The summer camp has two week-long sessions with a total of over 60 students, and the Francis Parker School donates space at the school, which serves as the campus. The first five days of camp, Monday through Friday, are devoted to auditions, individual and sectional lessons, and combo rehearsals. Saturday is the big day, with a final concert for each group combined with a graduation ceremony.
Last week’s camp, July 13 through 18, was for elementary and middle-school students. Their Saturday concert, held on the main stage of the House of Blues in downtown San Diego, was a great one with four groups performing. The combos had names from the greats of jazz...John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery and Kenny Dorham...and featured compositions from those artists, as well as a student vocal performance with backup from a faculty combo. You can check out camp and concert pictures on the Jazz 88.3 Summer Jazz Workshop Presented by House of Blues Facebook Page.
The final week of camp, for high school students, is in session now.
Their final concert is this Saturday, July 25 at 10AM at the House of Blues, 1055 5th Avenue, San Diego. It’s free, open to the public, and all ages are invited. Come hear the future of Jazz and applaud these students and their families for supporting the continuance of this great art form we all love.
