PUTNEY — The Vermont Jazz Center has begun its 40th iteration of the summer jazz workshop.
The week-long program takes place on the campus of The Putney School, and encourages intermediate to professional level local and international students; in Vermont they polish their improvisational and musicianship skills while enjoying a hiatus in a beautiful, bucolic setting.
These workshops began in 1974, when famed Hungarian guitarist Attila Zoller formed the Attila Zoller Guitar Clinics. These informal programs were fundamental in the development of young musicians like Peter Bernstein and Helmut Kagerer and many others who would come to Zoller's rustic home in Newfane and study with him and other masters.
The program attained nonprofit status in 1987 when Zoller took on a board of directors, registered with the state, and conscripted friends like Joy Wallens, Howard Brofsky and, Gene Rush to help with the curriculum and organization.
To this day, the VJC honors Zoller's spirit and attention to quality.
Over the years, the Summer Workshop has grown in numerous ways, most notably through increased numbers of students and staff, but also by developing a vocal program under the guidance of Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton (this year, Karrin Allyson will stand in for Jordan).
The Vermont Jazz Center's Summer Workshop emphasizes the importance of improvisation and small-group dynamics, encouraging participants to find their own voices using the jazz language. The courses offered include jazz theory, master classes in each instrument, focused listening, and faculty-led ensembles.
Eugene Uman is Artistic Director and Ginger Morawski is the Summer Workshop Administrator. There are dozens of community volunteers who contribute to its smooth operation.
This year's program will feature approximately 45 instrumental and 16 vocal students and more than a dozen musician/teachers. They'll unite into instrumental and vocal ensembles and each day take part in master classes, formal performance groups, and classes in jazz composition and theory.
In the evenings, evoking the Zoller spirit, students and faculty will jam until the wee hours of the morning. The students will offer a performance on the final evening of the workshop; the faculty will deliver their own on Thursday evening. Both concerts will take place at the Michael S. Currier Center at the Putney School.
On Thursday, Aug. 13, the VJC Faculty Concert will present vocalists Karrin Allyson and Jay Clayton; Ingrid Jensen (trumpet): Jeff Galindo (trombone); Scott Mullett (saxophone); Harvey Diamond, Ray Gallon, and Eugene Uman (piano); Marcus McLaurine, George Kaye, Dave Picchi, and Cameron Brown (bass); Franciso Mela, Brian Adler, and Claire Arenius (drums); and Julian Gerstin, percussion.
The ticket price for the faculty concert is $20, $15 for students. Local music students pay $7.50.
On Friday Aug. 14, the VJC Summer Workshop Student Concert will showcase faculty-coached student ensembles with numerous vocalists and several piano trios.
This concert will be divided into two sections, the first will start at 3:30 p.m., and the second show will resume at 8 p.m after a dinner break. Singers will be accompanied by a professional jazz trio and the piano trios will be assisted by and perform with a faculty bassist. Also performing will be five faculty-coached ensembles, usually comprised of two or three horns, piano, bass, and drums.
For the student concert, a $5 donation is suggested. All concerts will take place at Putney School's Michael S. Currier Center, which is accessible to all.
The VJC's Summer Jazz Workshop is sponsored by William and Laurie Schutt with further assistance from Vermont Public Radio and the Vermont Arts Council.