Summer Jazz Workshops Announced at The Nash
Workshops are $150 and are held Monday - Friday for 90 minutes, in morning or afternoon sessions.
By: Stephi Wild May. 20, 2021
The Nash brings its annual summer workshops for students interested in expanding their skills in the world of jazz.
Workshops will be held virtually during the first week of June. Beginning June 7, if all participants agree, the workshops may expand to meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC.
Workshops are $150 and are held Monday - Friday for 90 minutes, in morning or afternoon sessions.
For more information or to enroll, visit thenash.org/education/thenash-2021-summer-workshops/ 
Jazz Bass Workshop with Ben Hedquist
June 1-4 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
With a focus on bass line construction, the role of the bass within a rhythm section and technical elements of the instrument, the Jazz Bass Workshop will give bassists the skills they need to groove and function effectively in a live musical situation. This workshop, led by Dr. Ben Hedquist, will cover different approaches to walking, creating melodic bass lines, and ways to groove hard within a rhythm section. Open to all students (upright OR electric bass) with at least two years of experience.
*This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom
Improvisation Essentials Workshop with Pam Morita
June 1-4 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Contrary to common belief, jazz improvisation is a learned skill. It is a language developed over time, which involves listening, imitation, speaking small phrases, and eventually sentences that have a deeper meaning. The Improvisation Essentials Workshop will explore these ideas and help students learn to use them over the harmonic structure of scales, arpeggios, and chords so that we can begin to speak the language of jazz. No prior experience of playing jazz is required, but knowledge of major scales and chords in all keys is helpful. Open to all ages and experience levels i?? *This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom
Trad Jazz Workshop with Zach Wiggins
June 1-4 (1 - 2:30 pm)
Working in small and large group settings, the Trad Jazz Workshop focuses on music from the New Orleans tradition made popular by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet and Bix Beiderbecke. The Trad Jazz Workshop will be a fun and exciting exploration of the music of ragtime, early swing, hot jazz, and more.
Open to all students with at least 2 years experience on their instrument i?? *This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom
Beyond Acoustic Jazz: i??Technology for Practice, Composition, & Performance with Adam Roberts
June 7-11 (10:30am-12:00pm)
Beginning with fusion, Jazz has embraced technology for its possibilities in sound creation, and modern musicians have access to more options than ever before. This workshop will show you how to use technology in practice (tools include Ableton Live and various practice apps), and in performance (effects processing and Ableton Live). Inspired by the work of Kneebody, Ingrid Jensen, John Scofield, and Donny McCaslin, experiences will include a how-to for building an effects rig, an effects petting zoo, exploring compositional devices, and developing arrangements of tunes or original compositions designed to support effects processing.
All levels welcome.
Latin Jazz Workshop with Raúl Yañez
June 7-11 (1:00 - 2:30 pm)
Focusing on Afro-Cuban Jazz and Mambo literature made popular by artists such as Mario Bauza, Machito Grillo, Eddie Palmieri, and Chucho Valdéz. Under the direction of master musician and teacher Raul Yanez, this workshop is an inspiring and culturally enriching musical experience. Open to all students with at least 2 years experience on their instrument.
Jazz Composition Workshop with Russell Schmidt i??
June 14-18 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
With a focus on composing new music, as well as learning basic scoring techniques, the Jazz Composition Workshop will help participants develop their individual creativity, regardless of experience level. Led by composer/educator Russell Schmidt, the program will explore foundational elements (form, melody, harmony, rhythm, orchestration) as well as various conceptual approaches to help inititiate the ideas and launching points from which fully-formed compositions grow.
Students of all levels are welcome.
*This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom with the option of meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
Bebop Workshop with Mike Kocour i??
June 14-18 (1 - 2:30 pm)
Explores the jazz line characteristics of artists such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Barry Harris and more. Taught by Arizona State's Director of Jazz Studies, pianist, composer, and arranger Mike Kocour, the Bebop Workshop offers an intensive jazz experience for those wishing to explore this aspect of jazz improvisation and composition.
Open to intermediate (3+ years in jazz) and advanced experience levels. This educational experience will include lots of singing, listening, and writing and some instrumental performance. Consequently the workshop does not include a final culminating performance.
*This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom with the option of meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
Odd Meter Workshop with Eric Rasmussen
June 21-25 (1 - 2:30 pm)
Playing in "odd meters" is now standard procedure for modern musicians and especially jazz improvisers. This workshop will focus on tips and tricks to get you comfortable playing in 3/4, 5/4, 7/4, 5/8 and 7/8 over jazz standards and other song forms. We will also focus on playing over the bar line in 4/4 and expanding your rhythmic palette. Open to intermediate to advanced level students that are comfortable improvising in common meters. i?? *This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom with the option of meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
Phoenix Jazz Girls Rising with Claudia Bloom and Mary Petrich
June 26 - August 14 Every Saturday from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm*
*Classes will meet as a group for one hour, and then each student will receive an additional hour of individual instruction scheduled with one of the instructors.
Phoenix Jazz Girls Rising is designed to teach young female musicians the basic skills of jazz improvisation. Students will learn well-known jazz tunes and create improvised solos to express individuality. In addition to the eight weekly sessions, each student will receive an hour of individual instruction via Zoom to be scheduled with one of the instructors. Open to girls ages 10-17. i?? *This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom with the option of meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
Vocal Jazz Workshop with Dennis Rowland
July 5-9 (1:00-2:30pm)
The Vocal Jazz Workshop will focus on the vocalist's role in a jazz ensemble. Through performance, vocalists and instrumentalists will explore the basics of what to listen for when performing with an ensemble, how to choose tunes and keys, intros and endings, improvisation and vocal techniques. Open to all ages and experience levels. i?? *This workshop will meet in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
Vocal Improvisation Workshop with Dr. Greg Amerind
July 12-16 (1 - 2:30 pm)
Unknown to many, the voice is as much a musical instrument as piano, guitar, or saxophone and that a true jazz vocalist must approach their instrument and training in the same way as any other jazz musician. Maybe, as a singer, you've already explored improvisation or you have just discovered the music of someone like Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, or Bobby McFerrin and you want to learn to "scat sing" like they do. During the workshop students will practice basic phrasing, runs & licks, and scat syllables using blues and other basic jazz song forms.
Open to all ages and experience levels i?? *This workshop will be held virtually via Zoom with the option of meeting in-person, practicing safety guidelines from the CDC, provided The Nash, the instructor, and the workshop participants all approve.
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