Norberto “Betto” Herrera leading a group of campers in a salsa dance during a performance at Hill Hall. He hosted a salsa class before the concert.
I spent the week of June 24 at UNC-Chapel Hill for the 14th annual Summer Jazz Workshop. In more recent years, a journalism sector of the workshop was added for individuals who want to learn, appreciate and write about jazz. As a journalism student in this jazz workshop, I did that and more. Here are my four key takeaways:
The Faculty is No Joke
I had the privilege of learning from several faculty members at the 2024 UNC Summer Jazz Workshop. It’s easy to forget a person’s qualifications and abilities when they’re lecturing. My professors’ expertise in the classroom was evident, but watching them practice what they preached was nothing short of incredible. True artistry from the class to the stage.
Jazz is Not Just Jazz
Jazz is a term I always considered to be all-encompassing. I likened jazz to elevator music: sultry and calm. After participating in the workshop, I understand that jazz is a musical umbrella with numerous subsections housing endless variations and possibilities.
Impressive Young Artists
The age demographic at UNC Summer Jazz Workshop 2024 was expansive. Among the participants were children, just having picked up their instrument of choice, more mature individuals continuing the mastery of their craft, and every age and ability in between. It was a privilege to watch people of all ages learn from one another and collaborate to make beautiful music.
Jazz is a Language
Most people acknowledge that music is its own language. However, an important concept I learned this week was that jazz stands alone as an individual dialect. The terminology, time, rhythm and skill involved in jazz music is amazingly specific.
Final Thoughts
The 2024 UNC Summer Jazz Workshop was an invaluable experience. Having little experience and skill in music, I was awestruck by the talent and musical intelligence of the faculty and participants. Each performance throughout the week was a testament to the dedication and brilliance necessary to play and appreciate true jazz.
Baron Tymas posing with his guitar in a professional shoot.
For over a decade, UNC-Chapel Hill has hosted the prestigious UNC Summer Jazz Workshop. Chock full of renowned musicians who are masters in their respective crafts, the workshop promises an abundance of talent to emulate and endless things to learn from the first-rate staff.
Among the gifted musicians and guest professors is Baron Tymas. Here’s what you need to know about this generational talent:
Education
Baron Tymas, originally from the Washington, D.C. area, received his bachelor of arts in English from Howard University. Tymas returned to Howard University post-grad and acquired a master’s degree in Jazz Performance, Jazz Composition, and Jazz Arranging, one of the first students from the university to do so.
Gateway to Music
Tymas first picked up a guitar 50 years ago. Many of his childhood friends played instruments, encouraging him to become familiar with the guitar. 50 years later, Tymas has taken the jazz world by storm with the instrument he describes as “an amazingly inspiring puzzle that keeps revealing cool new things.”
His journey to mastery included learning from his friends, high school teachers, Guitar Player magazine, and his favorite records by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana, Charlie Parker, and Taj Mahal.
Style
Though he appreciates music worldwide, Tymas says, “Jazz is probably the most appropriate name of a genre that encompasses and invites many of them.” Beyond his talent on guitar in the jazz realm, Tymas dabbles in bass guitar, piano, drums, and vocals, though he mentioned struggling to remember lyrics when it comes time to sing for a crowd.
Teaching
Tymas has lectured at countless schools and workshops. Notably, he served as Associate Professor of Music at N.C. Central University, Adjunct Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar at UNC-Chapel Hill, and currently assumes the role of Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Concordia University in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Accomplishments
Tymas is no one-trick pony. Though predominantly a guitarist, he displays expertise in improvisation, composition, arranging, jazz history, ensemble coaching, and education. The Baron Tymas Quartet has released four jazz albums, each receiving high praise from other prominent figures and journals in the jazz community.
His 2017 album, “Montréal,” was described by Midwest Record as “one of those records where everything comes together so righteously that all you have to do is sit back and enjoy it…”
Continued Education
This is Tymas’ third time teaching at the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop, crediting his return with the hope to “spread the joy that [he] experiences playing music” among attendees and spend time with “the wonderful faculty at this camp.”
Though highly educated and highly accomplished, Tymas is still learning. “I have been teaching for several decades and am constantly learning from my students and colleagues…[and] from my own hits and misses,” he says. This time around at the workshop, Tymas learned that “you can have a great time teaching an improv class” even with a larger crowd.
Tymas’ take on the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop
Tymas had nothing but good things to say about the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop. He praised the program’s attention to detail and said that the organized nature of the camp “allows the teachers a sense of security if they want to try innovative things.”
Reflecting on his Career
Achieving the level of mastery that Tymas has is no easy feat. Becoming comfortable with an instrument is only the first step in a lifetime of improvement. Tymas reflects on his music career noting that the most difficult aspect is “finding time to practice.”
However, Tymas also finds practicing to be one of the most rewarding features of his job. Playing with and for people is a highlight for Tymas. He says, “I love the energy exchange when I get to play in a nice room (or outside) with real human beings around who are into it.” Anyone afforded the opportunity to listen to Tymas display his artistry is certainly fortunate.
Rahsaan Barber on saxophone, Nathan Warner on trumpet, Jerald Shynett on trombone, Stephen Anderson on piano, Jason Foureman on bass, and Dan Davis on drums performing Barber’s “Open Sesame” in the Moeser Auditorium.
The jazz performance at Moeser Auditorium started at 7 p.m., filling the venue with a palpable sense of nervous anticipation and first-day jitters. As the lights dimmed, the audience eagerly awaited the musical journey ahead.
The first piece, “Open Sesame,” set the stage with an energetic, danceable vibe. Each part was distinct yet seamlessly blended into an upbeat, cohesive sound. Rahsaan Barber’s saxophone solo was particularly notable, with vibrant vibrato adding texture and a “dirty and greasy” feel during the rough, prolonged notes. The mastery of each musician was evident, their passion for music bursting off the sheet music.
Seeing musicians, previously only heard in lessons, demonstrate their artistry was a highlight. The trumpeter’s movement through the harmonic scale was dizzying in a most exciting way. The bassist, Jason Foureman, complemented the work of each of his fellow musicians by serving as the spine of the music.
The second tune, a cha-cha-cha titled “Brooklyn en la Casa,” was sultry and a bit dirty, with Nathan Warner’s trumpet solo inducing a “stank face” among the audience. The music built throughout the piece, making skin crawl in the best possible way and inducing goosebumps in anticipation of a big note.
The third tune continued the sultry and dirty theme. The audience was captivated by the raw emotion and intensity of the performance.
Throughout the performance, the connection between musicians and the audience was profound. Each note, each solo, and each collaboration was a testament to the power of live jazz. The performers brought their personalities into the music, making it not just an auditory experience but a visual and emotional one as well.
The jazz performance at Moeser Auditorium was a night to remember. It wasn’t solely about the music, but rather the shared experience of witnessing the culmination of countless hours of practice and passion.
