Artistic Director John Clayton was kind enough to take a few moments and share his thoughts about a few of our Festival performers and teachers. Many of you have been viewing these on the faculty bio pages. However, as we get closer to the Festival performances, we'll be posting these here on the main page, as well.
First up - Wycliffe Gordon...
Want to become more accomplished at improvising? We have the perfect opportunity for you. October 29-November 1 we are inviting one of jazz's great improvisers, Geoffrey Keezer, to spend a long weekend with you taking your existing improvisation skills to the next level. We're calling it "Advanced Improvisation."
Here's video of Geoffrey in action...
This intensive is designed for experienced improvisers (instrumental
and vocal) looking for specific suggestions as well as more abstract
concepts to further their skills. In addition to playing with other
participants and receiving coaching in a master class setting,
significant time will be given to discussions about improvising and
being a musician.
Pianist Geoffrey Keezer
draws on 20 years experience touring and recording with the greatest
artists in jazz, offering students a chance to interact on a one-to-one
basis with a contemporary jazz master. Geoffrey's free-flowing,
inclusive, positive teaching style encourages and empowers young
players to access their highest musical and creative potential, while
giving down-to-earth advice on all aspects of the jazz business.
To learn more, and to register for this premium jazz experience, visit our Advanced Improvisation page.
When we talked to Artistic Director John Clayton
about adding two intensive workshops to our jazz education programs, 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 2009 offerings, all of which center on
a common theme—improvisation. Improvisation, after all, is what makes
jazz so special, challenging and rewarding for the player.
We'll be announcing the Advanced Improvisation session very soon, but let's talk Big Band!
John has rounded up two of the best - Jay Thomas, and the legendary Bill Ramsay to join him in leading a Jazz Big Band Intensive, September 17-20. It will run concurrently with "Jazz and the Word" a new literary gathering led by Quincy Troupe.
In describing his vision for this program John said, "
Visit our Jazz Big Band Intensive page for more information.
Hi everyone. I want to encourage you to start preparing for your audition for Jazz Port Townsend, if you haven't already. The deadline for auditions this year is April 13. Now is too early to panic, but definitely not too early to focus!
We're really pleased at how our new system of submitting auditions is working so far. Quite a few of you have uploaded your audition files already, which is great. In case you're a little unsure of how to create and submit your audition digitally, we've prepared the following primer which should help. As always, feel free to contact me at gregg@centrum.org, or 360.385.3102 x109 if I can be of help. Thanks!
Gregg Miller, Jazz Program Manager
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2009 Audition Information
Submitting Your Audition. You must first register. After doing so, you will receive an instructional email that includes a log in and password for a virtual folder at box.net. Follow instructions carefully and remember to upload your audition mp3 file and required .txt audition form to your box.net folder no later than April 13. To save your audition form as a .txt file go to your “File” menu, then “Save As,” then in the “Save As Type” box choose “Plain Text.”
You can find the specific audition requirements for your instrument or voice at our website, www.centrum.org/admin/auditions.html
Tips for creating MP3 files for submitting your audition.
If you’re not quite sure what this means, don’t worry. It’s not as complicated as it sounds!
First you’ll need to create a digital recording of your audition. There are lots of good programs you can download for free that will make this easy for you to do this on your computer. One of our favorites is Audacity, available at http://audacity.sourceforge.net, which will record your recording digitally, and allow you (via a one-time-only install) to export in MP3 format. Additionally, there are a number of other devices for making digital recordings, such as minidisc recorders, etc.
Using a good microphone IS important. Without one you can’t make a good recording. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, but if you don’t have one it would be a good investment (or you can borrow one). If the mic doesn’t come with a plug that matches your computer mini jack or USB port you can get an adapter at Radio Shack, Best Buy or another electronics store.
Start by placing the mic c. 6 - 8 feet away from you, or possibly more if you’re playing with other people. Experiment with different placements to see what sounds the best. Remember, you need to be clearly heard—it’s YOUR audition!
If you are using Audacity, then you are done. Save your MP3 file and upload it to our box.net site per the instructions you’ll receive when you register.
If your recording device and/or software hasn’t already saved your audition as an MP3 file (ending in .mp3) you’ll need to save it in that format. If you already have iTunes or Windows Media Player on your computer they can automatically create MP3’s for you.
Alternatively, if you have your digital recording in a non-MP3 format, you can convert it to MP3 for free at www.zamzar.com.
To use iTunes, simply load your audition recording into iTunes. Then go to the folder that contains your iTunes Library. (This is NOT the list of your music you see when you’re in iTunes. All those titles are links to the actual files, which are what you want). Label your file as follows, using capital letters as follows; Lastname-Firstname-Instrument-1(2, 3, 4 etc).mp3 (Armstrong-Louis-Trumpet-1.mp3). The process is similar for Windows Media Player.
Once you’ve registered and received an email from us asking you to upload your audition to box.net you’ll be ready to go. Congratulations!
If you are reading this post, you are connected in some way to the jazz community here at Centrum. Perhaps you are a workshop participant. Or a music teacher, or an aspiring jazz musician. Maybe you are a concert attendee, a jazz club devotee, a jazz program volunteer--or maybe you just like reading/watching/listening online to what is going on here.
We would like to make it easier for you to connect with each other--and us--online.
I would like to personally invite you to join a new social community network that we have set up at for you. It is a community focused on Jazz at Centrum, and it is located at http://centrumjazz.ning.com.
Centrum is starting to roll out some social networks for each of its major program areas (blues, jazz, residencies, literature, fiddle tunes, and young artists). We're doing this as part of a broader effort to rethink the work we do. We are recognizing and acknowledging that a lot of what we do is centered around creating, and sustaining community. That means that we want and need to provide tools to allow the community to grow and connect.
It's a shift for us, and I'm sure we'll stumble occasionally. But in the end, we hope to serve you all better by doing a better job of listening and learning.
Our intention is to provide a place where folks can network and learn about the people who are coming to or interested in Centrum jazz programs. Beyond that, we really have no specific agenda...we want the network, and the community, to grow and evolve organically.
This main site--www.centrum.org/jazz--will continue to be the "official" site for Centrum jazz activities, but we'll be participating right along side you on the community site as well.
So please dig in and participate. Upload your photos, videos, songs, recordings, and the like.Talk to each other. Jam online with each other. And please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns. My email is keven (at) centrum (dot) org.
Artistic Director John Clayton has been en fuego this Autumn putting together a truly spectacular faculty for the 2009 Jazz Port Townsend workshop. We've still got a few pieces to plug into the puzzle, but we have enough pieces in place that we are officially--today--beginning registration for the 2009 gathering.
To sweeten the deal a bit, we are offering a $50 discount to those folks who register and pay in full before the end of the year. Happy Holidays :^)
As always, we have scholarship support available if you need assistance. We also think you'll like our new audition system this year.
So read on, tell your friends, and get practicing (of course we know you've never stopped practicing!). We look forward to seeing you in 2009.
...and stay tuned for information on two intensives coming in Autumn 2009.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Centrum jazz community. I have some great news for you. We are within moments of opening registrations for our 2009 jazz programs.
In addition to Jazz Port Townsend (faculty is SMOKIN') in July, we're going to offer some smaller gatherings in the Fall that are laser-focused on improving your skills in the jazz idiom.
We're excited to get started. Stay tuned for the announcement.
The Puget Sound Energy Foundation presented Centrum with a grant of $5,000 in support of Centrum’s Jazz workshops and performances at an 11 am ceremony on Friday, Aug. 29 at Fort Worden State Park.
“This generous gift has certainly come at an appropriate time,” said Centrum’s Executive Director Thatcher Bailey, saying that in 2008 Jazz Port Townsend had more participants than at any other time in the organization’s history. “How wonderful for our students, performers and faculty to be acknowledged in this way,” Bailey said.
Bailey said that under the artistic direction of John Clayton, the jazz program includes year-round learning and performance opportunities for players and audiences from around the region and country.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to assist in the valuable work that Centrum is doing,” said Phil Bussey, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs for PSE and chairman of the Puget Sound Energy Foundation.
“So many residents of the Olympic Peninsula have benefited from Centrum’s programs over the past 35 years—they are indeed an organization that deserves to be rewarded and recognized.”
To date in 2008, the Puget Sound Energy Foundation has awarded more than $189,000 in charitable grants to 34 regional organizations. The grants are awarded based on a competitive review process to qualifying 501(c) (3) charitable organizations in PSE’s 11-county Washington service and broader operations area.
“Generous donors like Puget Sound Energy have also made it possible for Centrum to provide nearly $24,000 in scholarship support to attract great young players to the jazz program,” Bailey added.
(In the photo: Phil Bussey presents $5,000 check to Thatcher Bailey and Centrum Board President Libby Reid.)
Hugo Kugiya of the Seattle Times attended 2008 Jazz Port Townsend, and has posted his review. It's a great piece, detailing the linkages between the workshop and performance components of the week.
"The defining moment of Jazz Port Townsend was perhaps the one that was not planned.
On the last day of the jazz festival, a few hours before clouds and a sudden chill set in, a young woman in a floral print dress and white sandals, her toenails painted bright green, stepped onto the big stage with her acoustic bass.
Behind her was the festival big band, before her an audience of more than 1,200 who had never before heard of Kate Davis.
Plucked from one of the week's many student workshops, Davis, 17, a senior-to-be at West Linn High School in Oregon, sang "Sometimes I'm Happy." The arrangement was spare but perfectly balanced and suited to her talents. The song ended and the audience roared.
The professionals on the sideline mostly agreed: She could be a star someday. Davis was added extemporaneously by artistic director John Clayton after he heard her play the song in a class."
Jazz everywhere! Walking around Fort Worden this afternoon, it seemed like there was music coming out of every building. More than 30 combos playing at the same time. In the schoolhouse building I felt like Alice through the looking glass - I never knew what I would find when I opened a door. Anything from melodic and mellow to totally hot!
Check out my photos of some of the players.
Kristina Whipple
