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Stephen Thompson, who goes by Stevie, is attending the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop this year. Stephen is from Lumberton, North Carolina, majoring in economics here at UNC-Chapel Hill.

I had the opportunity to ask Stephen some questions about his experience at the workshop and his personal journey regarding his musical interests.

Q: What brought you here to this workshop and how did you find yourself here?

A: Stephen told me that he is here mainly for the credits that this workshop gives to put toward his college degree.

“I also like jazz guitar so it was a really good match for me,” he said.

Stephen said he’s been in jazz bands throughout middle and high school and was interested in seeing what he could learn here at this camp.

Q: How did you end up playing the guitar?

A: Stephen said that his dad also played guitar, and so when he was growing up, there were always guitars around so he naturally picked on up. His dad taught him basic chord shapes, but he eventually took lessons and learned more guitar over the years.

Q: Do you listen to any other kind of music?

A: Stephen said he listens to a lot of rock and pop music so the jazz guitar fingering patterns and chord shapes aren’t foreign to him. He said his other musical interests pushed him further to attend this workshop and dive deeper into other kinds of music there are.

Q: How is your experience at this camp so far and is there anything that stuck out to you?

A: Stephen’s experience at the camp has been a very positive one. He said that although the days are long he feels that he’s learning a lot and having a lot of fun while doing it. He said he likes the jam sessions and would regularly plug in his guitar to jam with everyone else.

He also said that the Wednesday night concert was his favorite since it was the first time a guitar player performed this week.

Q: Any other takeaways from the Summer Jazz Workshop?

A: One of the takeaways that Stephen mentioned was how nice the instructors were and how into the whole experience they were. They were fully committed and passionate about jazz, and he found it very refreshing in contrast to other learning experiences he has been to.

 

Al Strong, Rahsaan and Roland Barber, Stephen Anderson, Jason Foureman, and Kobie Watkins played at UNC’s Moeser Auditorium Monday night. It was the first performance of 2023’s UNC Summer Jazz Workshop’s nightly concerts, featuring trumpeter Al Strong’s original compositions as well as his take on a few classic jazz tunes.

The first song of the night, “Lullaby for the Ancestors,” begins with all six performers blaring in unison before gradually becoming sweet and melodious. The arrangement then becomes quiet to make room for solos.

The trumpet comes first, followed by the bass. All the while, drummer Watkins’ hands bounce in a syncopated rhythm from the rim of his snare to his hi-hat. Strong and the Barbers follow in unison, the sound of brass and saxophone blending richly.

Anderson’s piano solo follows, featuring an erratic and unending stream of syncopated notes, a perfect bridge from the previous brassy tones. The ensemble crescendos before cutting off suddenly and Rahsaan Barber picks up repetitive runs on his saxophone. All goes quiet for Strong’s bluesy trumpet solo before an enormous crescendo that seamlessly blends into a fresh take on “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

Throughout the entire performance, the musicians’ love for their craft is evident on their faces. Each player nods their head and furrows their brow in appreciation for each other’s solos. Watkins is constantly beaming, and I wonder how his arms never tire as he expertly keeps the beat. Foureman’s entire body follows his hands as they rhythmically bounce up and down his bass.

Highlights from the night include Roland Barber’s imposing and elephant-like improvisations on trombone, as well as the equally impactful quiet and breathy moments Strong created with whisper tones on trumpet.

Perhaps the best moment of the concert was the final blues song, which featured the audience’s participation. Strong encouraged the crowd to clap along to the beat as well as created a call and response. He beams at the conclusion, announcing that we successively chased off the blues. The audience reciprocates his enthusiasm with a standing ovation.

Monday’s concert set a high standard of artistic excellence as the workshop looks forward to the rest of the week’s performances.

The performers are all faculty members from the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop, and they are playing a series of original compositions by Al Strong. They have never rehearsed as a group before, but they are able to play together seamlessly as a group for they have practiced the scores beforehand. Dr. Anderson says that in order to prepare for this concert, he had to practice while he was camping with his family in a rainstorm.

The group starts by launching into a challenging dissonant piece of jazz, as if to demonstrate their technical prowess to their own jazz students in the audience and give them a glimpse of what is possible through hard-work and dedication.

My favorite moment of the entire night was during Roland Barber’s trombone solo on the first song. He built up so much noise and intensity that it sounded like a raucous hoard of elephants stampeding.

The group played for nearly two hours, and covered a diverse catalog of jazz, blues, and Latin fusion.

Between songs, Strong, looking dapper in a pair of red pants, white button-up shit, and eggshell fedora, remarked that this lineup was his “dream band” and that he wished that he could take them on the road. He also admitted that he panicked for a week straight when he saw the words “music by Al Strong” on the program.

Overall, the music was incredible, and the charisma of Strong made the music even more compelling.

During the last song, which was a boogie-woogie type blues, Strong sang call-and-response to the crowd, which served as a fun way to end the night.

 

 

The lights dimmed as the performers walked casually onto the stage. Dr. Steven Anderson, the director of the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop introduced the members of the sextet. 

Jason Fourman on bass 

Rahsaan Barber on sax

Jerald Shynett on trombone 

Kobie Watkins on drums

Al Strong on trumpet

With Anderson himself on piano, the ensemble carried all the musician talent needed to deliver an exhilarating and dynamic performance. The drums snapped to life as Watkins delivered a steady and intricate beat. Alongside Fourman’s bass and Anderson’s rhythm the backing sections provided steady support for the horns to paint beautiful strokes of melody and improvisation. 

For those new to jazz like myself, the best way to describe Strong’s grammy award winning trumpet playing is its vocal qualities. Depending on the tune his playing would fluctuate between sweet and soft to raspy and bombastic. 

I was surprised by the little subtleties of a live performance. The expressions on the musicians faces and the non verbal communication added a uniquely human layer to the experience. Additionally, as evidently clear in the last number, the audience interacted as well. Despite Al Strong singing “we’ve got the blues,” the night was an experience of joy. 

The first day of the 2023 Summer Jazz Workshop at UNC finished with a concert featuring “The Music of Al Strong.”

 

The sextet featured: 

• Al Strong, trumpet
• Rahsaan Barber, saxophone
• Roland Barber, trombone
• Dr. Stephen Anderson, piano 
• Jason Foureman, bass
• Kobie Watkins, drums

The instruments were arranged in a semi circle, giving the audience a clear view of all musicians. The rhythm section was placed on the outside with the piano on the far left, bass in the center, with drums on the right side. The frontline instruments were then placed in the center of the stage. 

The music began as soon as the musicians walked on the stage. The first piece, “Lullaby for the Ancestors” began with all instruments playing at maximum volume, then the trumpet took the lead and moved into a somber melody. 

An improvised drum solo took us to the next piece, “At-Nimara’s Journey,” a groovy tune that allowed each musician to have their own solo improvisation, as well as collectively improvising during the song. 

The improvisation throughout the concert impressed me. Each musician created their own unique, impressive solo, but the collective improvisation of the instruments together made the piece special. 

The performers almost seemed as if they were trying to outdo each other’s solos. Roland Barber would play a stunning solo then step away while Al Strong would perform his own impressive solo in an attempt to up Barber. However this was done with the utmost respect, while one performer was soloing, the others would nod in approval and visually show how impressed they were with their bandmates skill. 

The show progressed through multiple pieces, but they all flowed smoothly from one to the next. The Music of Al Strong didn’t come to just play us tunes, but to put on a full show. 

The audience enjoyed the concert thoroughly. People bobbed their heads in time with the music, bounced their legs, and clapped throughout. 

To end the show, Al Strong got the audience involved, leading them in a clap in time with the music. Strong led us in some song to get us excited for the camp and recapped his bandmates with us clapping in time. 

This concert was my first live jazz experience, and I was blown away by the expertise, expression, and connection the players had with one another. Previously I had only listened to jazz music passively, but watching jazz is an immersive experience. I could feel the music during the concert. Now I can truly say you haven’t lived until you’ve seen live jazz music. 

The UNC Summer Jazz Workshop  and its week of performances opened with Al Strong and the following featured musicians:

• Al Strong, trumpet
• Rahsaan Barber, tenor saxophone and flute
• Roland Barber, trombone
• Stephen Anderson, piano
• Jason Foureman, bass
• Kobie Watkins, drums

Al Strong is an award-winning trumpet player, composer, and educator from Washington, D.C. He is a graduate from the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. While creating and performing music, Strong also strongly advocates for young people getting to engage with music.

Though it had a slightly late start, the concert didn’t fail to make the wait worth it. Strong stepped out in his snazzy pink attire and the group immediately began to play an impressive set. Some highlights from his performance are Strong’s ability to alter his tone from warm and crisp to whispery and dark.

Stephen Anderson complimented Strong on the perfection of his pieces. From one experienced musician to another, he could tell that Strong made no careless decisions when it came to his charts. With such attention to detail, Strong has created a very intricate and impressive repertoire which was still a hit in live performance. 

Roland Barber on trombone and Rahsaan Barber on tenor sax both stood out in their improvisational skills. Oftentimes they were trading back and forth within the ensemble. It was common to see them both tapping, swaying, and grooving while shredding their solos—then taking a quick swig of water to recoup.

UNC’s own performers included Stephen Anderson and Jason Foureman. Though Anderson said he felt unprepared, his performance was magnificent. Every soloistic choice felt intentional and harmonically intricate with motifs often based off of the other improvisers.

Foureman has an impressive back story and a long list of accolades. He represented the UNC Jazz department well with his creativity and foundational support of the ensemble as other players improvised over top of his chord progressions. All of Foureman’s solos were enjoyed by Strong himself, as he couldn’t help but turn and smile when the bass was featured.

One of the highlights was Kobie Watkins’ stellar performance. Watkins is a Chicago native now known as one of the best modern jazz drummers with his title of “swing master.” His energy brought something special to tonight’s set that seemed to be an audience favorite. 

Watkins played with such nuance and attentiveness to every player by adjusting to both fit the player and make his performance truly musical. Watkins would also improvise with difficult rhythmic ideas but also with the most contagious energy. His facial expressions made it seem like each entrance, lick, or melody was the best he’s ever heard. 

You wouldn’t know by listening to their performance that these musicians only had two hours to practice together. Strong and his entire group had a very dynamic performance that highlighted their range as musicians. Some of the pieces were lively and energetic while others were soft and mellow.

This performance highlighted the importance of live jazz music. Seeing the players communicate in real time and feed off of each other’s energy is a unique attribute of the jazz genre. Strong also emphasized the musical influences who impacted his own compositions and the importance of remembering the roots which carry such valuable history.

 

 

Al Strong opens the first night in a weeklong full of concerts with a bang. The UNC Summer Jazz Camp was blessed tonight with the performance of Al Strong and other renowned players including Rahsaan Barber on the saxophone, Stephen Anderson on the keys, Jason Foureman on the bass, Roland Barber on the Trombone, and Kobie Watkins on the drums.

Al Strong played many original pieces all with a personal connection to himself. He told stories of African American history even having one of his original pieces about Harriet Tubman.

The venue was bright with a stage set with soundboards at the back to project the band’s sounds into the crowd. Microphones also accompanied them to help resonate their wonderful melodies with even more clarity.

One of the highlights of the night was Strong’s original piece titled “The Dog”, which he says is a story about relationships and the backstory behind it not particularly suited for a younger audience. But the piece itself was invigorating with lots of bombastic sections followed by wonderful and passionate solos.

The atmosphere was transformed into a vibe of passion. Throughout the piece, you can see the iconic “stank face” on all of the performers as they stirred the souls of the crowd.

At the end of the concert, Strong got the crowd involved with the music. He initiated a call and response with his soothing voice and tasty melodies. He would sing a line and the crowd would sing it back to him.

As the final chords were played it was clear that this was a moment to remember as the crowd stood in applause in awe of the masterpiece they had just witnessed. The ability to captivate the crowd and take them on a journey through the melodies and rhythms of the pieces was legendary.

In a transforming world, the live music played here tonight serves as a reminder of the timelessness of being in the present and experiencing the now. Tonight truly showcased the impact of jazz on our souls, community, and country.

 

A long first day of excitement and exhaustion held by UNC Summer Jazz Workshop participants concluded as blue lights shone in Moeser Auditorium. 

“The Music of Al Strong.”

June 26, 2023. 

Award-winning trumpeter, Al Strong, took to the stage.

Alongside him was a group of uniquely talented individuals. The band was made up of UNC professors and esteemed professional musicians. 

• Rahsaan Barber: Saxophones
• Roland Barber: Trombone
• Stephen Anderson: Piano
• Jason Foureman: Bass
• Kobie Watkins: Drums

From start to finish, Strong kept the audience in the palm of his hand. The band swung both in their playing and in their physical movements, grooving from side to side for the entirety of the hour-and-a-half-long performance.

Although Strong was the star of the show, he accepted that position humbly. He was often seen stepping to the side during the performance to allow his band to shine. After Roland Barber blared out an especially remarkable sequence, Strong nodded and smiled in admiration.

The ensemble’s communication skills were clear throughout the show. Players signaled with their hands or instruments to each other to play louder, start an improvised phrase, or to join the rest of the group.

Transitions between pieces acted as a rhythmic show-and-tell. Anderson, Foureman, and Watkins conversed elegantly with their overlapping melodies, telling the same story from three different perspectives.

Watkins’ enthusiasm was a highlight of the evening. His never-ending energy and permanent smile were contagious to the audience, particularly after one of Rahsaan Barber’s growling, run-filled saxophone solos. 

Strong’s musical choices brought Moeser Auditorium on a historical and personal journey. “At-Nimara’s Journey” honored Harriet Tubman, while “Lullaby For The Ancestors” brought emotion to the crowd.

When Strong started the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” melody, an elderly couple looked at each other and smiled at the piece’s familiarity. 

Strong’s impressive range and contrast came through in “The Dog Who Always Finds His Way Home.” Repetitions, runs, and moments of resolution brought the theme to life. 

Minutes later, Foureman held the audience in a trance with his hauntingly beautiful sound. Not even a breath was heard, for fear of losing the bass’s serenity.

The remainder of the concert featured a level of muted fuzziness from Strong, though it was entirely intentional. Comparable to the sound of an old-time audio recording, the texture was a pleasant addition.

Strong ended his evening leading the audience in a sing-along. Students, faculty, and staff joined Strong in chanting “The Blues” and “No More Blues” and clapping rhythmically.

“My name is Al Strong,” Strong said. “I love you very much.”

Strong wailed one final hurrah. 

The audience leapt to their feet.

Al Strong, Rahsaan Barber, Roland Barber, Stephen Anderson, Jason Foureman, and Kobie Watkins performed for us in the elegant Moeser Auditorium. There was much talent to look forward to, most of which being a part of UNC’s faculty. 

One performer I was particularly excited for was 2x grammy-nominated trumpeter, Al Strong. Strong has an extensive discography embodied by his own unique sound. Another is guest trombonist, Roland Barber, a prolific performer and composer having worked with Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, and many others.

Before the show, Dr. Anderson prefaced us with Al Strong’s attention to detail when it comes to writing music. This was displayed in the intricate, yet harmonious performance about one hundred of us witnessed that night.

You could both hear and see that each instrumentalist played with immense passion. Strong played while scrunching his face almost the entire night, so you know he was focused and almost unable to miss a note. Roland and Rahsaan Barber played their brass instruments with dirty, soulful bends. You would think Anderson and Foureman’s fingers were cramping by the end of the show by how fast they played their piano and bass, respectively.

The highlight of the night for me was seeing Kobie Watkins absolutely shred the drum set. This world-renowned Jazz drummer is known as “Swing Master” and that night I found out why. Every hit was precise, exactly where he wanted it. It seemed effortless to him as he awed the crowd with his smiles and expressions. When Watkins is really in his zone, he does this thing where he tilts his head up and gazes as if he is letting a drummer’s spirit take over and play for him.

Monday night at Moeser Auditorium, I gained a true appreciation for Jazz. The energy and emotion that artists pour into their instruments is truly infectious.

 

https://rolandbarber.com/

https://www.levasmusic.com/

https://scjazz.org/sc-jazz-masterworks-ensemble/members/kobie-watkins

Tonight, I heard one of the most influential rising trumpet players in North Carolina: Al Strong.

The Music of Al Strong was a performance for the University of North Carolina Jazz Workshop, and it was performed at Moeser Auditorium.

Al Strong hails from Washington D.C and started his playing career at the Duke Ellington School of Music, where he hasn’t looked back. After College, Al has made a career pushing the boundaries of music through his unique performances, thrilling compositions and education in the community.

Al Strong played 6 original compositions with a band composed of well-renowned players including:

• Rahsaan Barber, Saxophones
• Stephen Anderson, Piano
• Jason Foureman, Bass
• Roland Barber, Trombone
• Kobie Watkins, Drums

They began the program with Lullaby for the Ancestors, a lyrical ballad that shows off the unique sound of Strong. His improvisations express technical virtuosity and a repertoire of tone colors.

Throughout the piece, Strong is able to make the trumpet sing to the audience in a way that make you connect with the piece at an individual level. His tone is rich and full, and he shows the ability to maintain this quality at vastly different volumes.

Throughout the program, all of the performers are able to express their individual skill and style.

Roland Barber’s sound is gritty and aggressive; and he used many different techniques to produce growls and glissandos.

Jason Foureman frequently took solos where he moved up and down the full neck of the bass in the blink of an eye.

But perhaps the most important driver of the ensemble was Kobie Watkins.

Kobie is a Chicago area native who has recorded and performed with numerous well-known musicians. As the drummer, Kobie keeps the band in time and playing together.

But he keeps the band together in other ways too.

For a slow tempo, Kobie sauntered over the kit, his sticks methodically shifting from one drum to the next. When the band improvised over up-tempo swing, his sticks would dash around the set; Kobie nodding and smiling all the way.

Toward the end of the program, Al Strong used call and response to engage the crowd; asking people to clap along to the rhythm as the band continued to swagger on through the music. This spoke to the character of Al Strong: a performer for a community.

More than the incredible compositions, this performance was breathtaking because of the individuals personalities that shown through their performance, while also maintaining a cohesive whole with masterful execution.

Al Strong is one of the most inspiring trumpeters right now, and along with other inspiring musicians, he delivered a performance that demonstrated passion, agony and exuberance for all to enjoy.

 

Reviewed by Henry Swift