Guest Faculty: John Clayton, Jay Thomas, Bill Ramsay
Workshop: September 17-20, 2009
Participant Big Band Concert:
7:30pm, September 19, 2009 - Joseph F. Wheeler Theater
Purchase tickets today!
When we talked to Artistic Director John Clayton about adding two weekend intensive workshops to our jazz season, he immediately named Big Band and Advanced Improvisation as the two topics he wanted to address first. Along with our larger summer program, Jazz Port Townsend, these two new workshops round out our offerings, all of which center on a common theme—improvisation. Improvisation, after all, is what makes jazz so special, as well as challenging and rewarding for the player.
Who should attend the Jazz Big Band Intensive?
This workshop is designed for experienced players looking for concentrated experience playing in a big band. You may be a player whose primary connection to jazz is through big band playing, and you’re looking for a way to improve your chops as a soloist. Or you may be someone who plays mostly in small groups, and who would like to be in the middle of the incredible intensity a big band can create. Either way, you’ll be in a band with 17 other musicians playing great jazz.
In describing his vision for this program John said,
We’ll have just one band, and will be accepting only enough players to fill it. Be sure to get your audition in as soon as you can for the best chance of acceptance.
Workshop Schedule
Rehearsals will be with the whole band,
led by John Clayton. Focus will be on ensemble playing (e.g. balance,
precision, intonation), and applying your improvisation skills in a
“live” situation. Sectionals for reeds (led by Bill Ramsay), brass (Jay
Thomas) and rhythm (John Clayton) will focus on woodshedding tricky
passages plus developing a uniform style as a section.
The Saturday performance will be open to the public and will showcase what you’ve accomplished over the previous 2-½ days.
Thursday, September 17
- 3 - 5:30 pm: Check-in
- 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Dinner
- 7 - 9:30 pm: Welcome and Rehearsal
- 9:30 pm: Reception
Friday, September 18
- 9:00 - 10:30 am: Rehearsal
- 10:45 - 12:00 am: Improvisation Class
- 12 - 1 pm: Lunch
- 1 - 2:15 pm: Brass Sectional
- 2:30 - 3:45 pm: Reed Sectional
- 4 - 5:15 pm: Rhythm Sectional
- 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Dinner
- 7 - 9 pm: Rehearsal
Saturday, September 19
- 9:00 - 10:30 am: Rehearsal
- 10:45 - 12:00 am: Improvisation Class
- 12 - 1 pm: Lunch
- 1 - 2:15 pm: Brass Sectional
- 2:30 - 3:45 pm: Reed Sectional
- 4 - 5:15 pm: Rhythm Sectional
- 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Dinner
- 7 - 9 pm: Public Performance
Sunday, September 20
- 9:00 am: Listen to recording of concert, talk down
- 11 am: checkout
What Will We Play?
John has assembled a selection of big band tunes that will challenge and inspire you. Take a listen to these renditions by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra:
Application and Notification
This workshop is designed for experienced players looking for concentrated experience playing in a big band. We’ll have just one band this year, and will be accepting only enough players to fill it.
- Download our Jazz Big Band audition form.
- A $100 deposit is due with your application. If we’re not able to accept you your deposit will be refunded.
- You will be notified of acceptance by July 10th.
- For those who are accepted, payment in full is due August 3rd.
- If you are not accepted you will get a full refund of your deposit.
We hope you can join us for this premium experience. Your total cost is $625. That covers tuition, housing, and food. Register online today, or call Gregg Miller at 360-385-3102 x109 with any questions.
FACULTY
JOHN CLAYTON 
John Clayton is one of today’s leading voices in big band performance and composition. As co-leader and director of the renowned Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, John’s skills as a composer, arranger and conductor all combine to elicit a sound from the band that ranges from swinging and bluesy to smoking hot. John will direct the band and work with the rhythm section in sectionals, as well as participating in the improvisation sessions.
The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra is co-led by John, his brother, saxophonist, Jeff Clayton, and drummer, Jeff Hamilton. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra was the house band at the Hollywood Bowl during 1999-2001, giving John Clayton, as Artistic Director of Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the opportunity to write for such guest artists as Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Nancy Wilson and Shirley Horn. The orchestra has also recorded with John Pizzarelli, Gladys Knight and two recent albums with Diana Krall: a Christmas jazz project and a standards oriented set (soon to be released). The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, which was named by the readers of Downbeat Magazine in 2004 as the top big band
in jazz, is today considered one of jazz's great orchestras.
JAY THOMAS
Jay Thomas, a native of Seattle, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto, tenor, soprano and flutes). His music is eclectic, drawing on all musical situations in his life.
Jay’s musical talent was recognized early on. While still in high school he was the recipient of a Down Beat one-year scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston. From Boston Jay moved to New York where he frequented Village jam sessions and worked one summer with Machito’s Latin band. Three years later he had added flute and tenor to his repertoire. Through the mid-seventies Jay lived and played with top musicians in the Bay Area including Jessica Williams. In 1979 he moved back to Seattle and became a frequent member of the house band at Parnell’s Jazz Club working engagements with jazz artists George Cables, Charles McPherson, Bill Mays, Ralph Penland, Harold Land, Diane Schuur and Slim Gaillard and sitting-in with many greats as they traveled thru Seattle.
Jay can be heard on over 60 LPs and CDs. Blues For JW is Jay’s eighth CD as leader and fifth release from McVouty Records. Jay’s first two CDs, Easy Does It on Discovery Records and Blues For McVouty on Stash Records featured Cedar Walton and Billy Higgins.
Jay has appeared in concert with the bands of Mel Lewis, Clayton-Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Bob Florence and Frank Wess. He has played festivals at Wolf Trap with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, the Aspen Jazz Festival with Herb Ellis, Jake Hanna and Mel Ryne (recorded with them on Roll Call), and the duMaurier Jazz Festival with Chuck Israels
BILL RAMSAY Bill Ramsay is a Pacific Northwest jazz institution. A longtime member of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, his own ten piece Jazz Band with Milt Kleeb sets the standard for large ensemble playing.
Bill's career is impressive. He played alto sax in the Buddy Morrow Band in the early 60s, played bari sax in the Maynard Ferguson Band, lead alto sax in the Ray McKinley Band, tenor sax in the Benny Goodman Band, and played alto and bari sax in the Count Basie Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Bill has toured with the likes of Les Brown, Frank Wess & Sweets Edison Band, Grover Mitchell's New York All Star Orchestra, Dennis Mackrel Jazz Orchestra, and Frankie Capp's "Juggernaut."
He has recently formed a new Nonet playing the music of Miles Davis, Gil Evans and Gerry Mulligan. The band features French Horn and Tuba.
