Yes, last year's camp was a really positive experience. The camp is different from many other jazz camps because we focus on specific repertoire for the entire run of the camp. We select a number of jazz standards, from easy to more challenging, so that everyone can get a chance to really familiarize themselves with specific tunes. This way, a more in depth application of various concepts can be achieved. Oftentimes, we tend to look at a tune and then get distracted by other tunes and concepts, and we don't REALLY learn the tune we set out to learn in the first place. "The Shed" is a chance to focus a little more deeply. This is not to say that we don't just call other tunes if the mood strikes!
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| Alan Jones, one of the many great faculty members |
The range of folks who attended last year ran the gamut from raw beginners to more experienced adults and everything in between. Most of the feedback was positive. Some people wanted more instrument specific information; this year, we are adding instrumental master classes in addition to the general masterclasses. We've also added a day, so we will have more time to get to more topics.
The most exciting thing about this year's "Shed" is the presence of tenor saxophone master Jimmy Greene. Mr. Greene is internationally known as a soloist; he spent years as a sideman with Tom Harrell and Harry Connick, Jr. and many others. He has a number of albums out as a leader, and is a really fine composer and educator.We worked together at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada for 2 years. I'm delighted that he can make it out to Portland!
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| Jimmy Greene |
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