With this year’s UNC Summer Jazz Workshop soon coming to a close, I wanted to take this time to reflect on the most memorable aspects of the week. It was a fun and exciting experience that I would recommend to enthusiasts and newcomers to jazz alike.
Here are my four main takeaways from my time at the workshop (in no particular order):
1. The professors and other staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic
Professor Bechtel, Professor Davis, and Professor Anderson are all personable and genuine people who truly understand and care about the topics they cover. I’ve learned so much about the history and journalistic coverage of jazz in such a short time thanks to their experience.
On top of that, everyone who took part in the evening concerts brought such energy and talent that I’m grateful to have experienced live.
2. It’s great to work with other students interested in jazz
In my experience, fellow journalism and jazz history students are genuinely interested in the study of jazz and each bring their own unique perspectives to the table.
It was a frantic but fun experience to cover a concert live on Twitter and see how everyone else is reacting to the music in real time (check out this week’s posts using #UNCjazz).
I also enjoyed the opportunity to have one-on-one conversation with another student for our interview profile assignment (an example of which can be seen here: https://tarheels.live/uncjazz2021/2021/06/23/workshop-student-profile-austin-tyner/).
3. Jazz is personal and dynamic
I came into the workshop with some knowledge of jazz already, but being able to watch musicians interact, prepare, and perform live has made me appreciate the art form on another level.
One aspect of jazz that stands out among other genres is the element of improvisation. Despite all of their preparation, performers each get to leave their own mark on the music through solos.
Jazz is really about individuals and their ability to react to each other’s creativity in the moment.
4. Jazz is a rewarding process
Through sitting in on combo rehearsals and lessons, I’ve seen the hard work put in by jazz performers to learn and prepare directly.
Jazz is a complex musical medium that is challenging to master. However, the passion of the musicians always shines through, both in practice and performance, showing that they feel the effort is well worth it.