Jazz Notes

Dan Davis — “Dan the man” — is a beloved UNC professor and music teacher. For this year’s 2023 Summer Jazz Workshop, Davis teaches jazz history while also working with drum clinics and preforming during the nightly shows.

Last night’s concert was amazing, when did you begin playing with your hands?

When I was a kid, the first person I saw do it was John Bonhman. The first time I saw somebody do that was Led Zeppelin. But a lot of jazz drummers do it. The reason I do it, last year Kate McGarry asked me to do it for a particular song. This year, a bunch of students were saying “are you going to play with your hands again, are you going to play with your hands again” so I felt a little bit obligated.

What drew you to music?

When I was growing up, my mother was a church choir director, and I was always around music. Music was in my home, my mother was a piano and voice teacher, so every afternoon after school I would hear lessons. Music was everywhere. I was a child of the radio of the 1970s. I was really into band. Once I was in 7th grade, I played in the school band. In high school, I played in a rock band, and then when It came time to go to school, it seemed like a natural to go to music school for music education and percussion.

Notable influences?

Certainly growing up, my parents and my close friends in band. All of my teachers, Harold Jones at ECU, all these great players. Of course, all of my colleagues here at UNC are just wonderful.

Do you share your music on social media?

I am very up on posting all my gigs and everything like that. Tonight my group is playing at the Berkeley cafe in Raleigh and then on Saturday my group is playing at Durty Bull Brewery over in Durham. All of that stuff is on social media. Social media has got positive things and negative things but I feel pretty good about this part of it. It’s got free publicity and advertising, which I use for gigs. 

How did your journey with music and jazz lead to a life teaching?

Well, it was always something I have enjoyed. Even in high school, I had some students. At ECU, I got a music education degree so it was very much part of my training and background. Its fun for me and I enjoy working with students. I like to pay it forward and give back to the community and all. It’s just a really enjoyable and rewarding thing for me.

By Niall Fulghum and Adley Calhoun

 

The UNC Summer Jazz Workshop is in full swing with only one day left. To get a better understanding of what the workshop is like, we interviewed Ben Hinkle and Wesley Ashley, two rising high school seniors from Charlotte, North Carolina. 

How did you guys meet?

BH: Technically, we met in elementary school, but really kind of became friends in seventh grade. 

WA: Yeah, seventh grade is when we actually became like solid friends. 

When did you each start playing music? 

BH: I started drums when I was four. It’s weird because it’s not one of those things where my parents forced me to, I just kinda begged them for a drum set. I don’t know how that happened, I don’t know how I knew what that was or anything but I just kinda did and it just kinda went on from there.

WA: My parents put me in classical piano lessons pretty early on, like around fourth grade. But even before that, they would put me in classes, like a Kindermusik thing, and I think I really liked that. I picked guitar up, I got kinda bored with classical piano so I transitioned into that. But I also kept piano as something as well. 

How old were you when you switched?

WA: Middle school. 

What made you want to play the instrument that you play?

BH: I can say right now I still like playing drums a lot just because I definitely think it’s the most fun and even though there’s not a melodic aspect you know, I think the rhythm is just really important and cool. And you can kind of do it forever. 

WA: Everyone has like something that they do to just kind of, I don’t know, have an outlet and you know of course everyone has multiple outlets. I would just say it’s another really strong outlet that like, I know I can consistently have. 

What type of music do you listen to? What are your favorite types of music to play?

BH: I honestly like to listen to a lot of the music that like normal people listen to. Like I listen to a ton of hip-hop, I love Pop Smoke, you know, I love all of those guys. When it comes to other genres, I like listening to fusion, like Snarky Puppy is one of my favorite bands. 

WA: Yeah I agree, like fusion guys, like Lee Ritenour is a crazy guitarist, he’s really good…John Scofield…but yeah we both kind of have weird stuff stashed within our liked songs on Spotify, like people go through mine and are like “this doesn’t make sense”. I like Death Grips and then I’ll go into Scofield and then I’ll have like Katy Perry. I’d say I mostly like to play jazz standards, but we also mess around with a lot of rock stuff too just to have fun. 

BH: Yeah I like playing standards as a group just because it’s easy to do, but when I’m on my own I’ll try to play music that is kind of complicated with really good drummers and a lot of it isn’t jazz. I like to play Rush a lot, Led Zeppelin, those big guys; and a lot of times when I am by myself I do not play songs as much as I just practice my rudiments and stuff like that. 

When did you get into playing jazz? 

BH: For me, jazz definitely was not from the beginning, it was not one of my first choices, but one of my teachers is a really good jazz player on drum set and he showed me how much of an art form it is compared to a lot of the other genres because you have to be a lot more intent with how you play and it’s really good to just explore other genres and everything. I’d say it still might not be my first genre but it’s really important to understand.

WA: I actually started playing jazz like on piano. When I would get really bored I would just loop 2-5-1’s or whatever and just like improvise right hand but then I realized I should just do this on guitar cause I just liked that even more, so then I just started learning more standards on guitar, I guess, putting a picture together about how I can interpret them on my own.

What brings you to the workshop?

BH: The biggest thing is I thought it was really important to play with other people that I don’t usually play with and learn how to play in a different setting, because I don’t play with as many people as I want to and this helps me learn how to fit into a band.

WA: Yeah, it’s definitely exciting to just be around musicians constantly, cause you always have the opportunity to make music together. I mean Jazz is so collaborative that it’s helpful to have everyone around. I know me and you, we try to do stuff but it always resorts to rock stuff with like four people, like Men I Trust, we play some of that. 

Are you guys staying on campus this week or are you commuting? 

WA: We are staying on campus. 

How has that been? 

WA: It has been really nice, our dorm room was actually a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be, and we were able to room together. 

Which combo are you a part of? What have you learned from that specific instructor? 

BH: My instructor is Dr. Greg Gelb. One of the biggest things that I have really learned in my combo is a lot of the rules that drummers have to follow when they are playing with the band, and how they are charged with keeping time, but also making sure that everyone knows what section they are going into and making sure that everyone is following like the roadmap. And you also need to be really attentive to how you play during solo’s, and making sure that for everyone’s solo you are playing a little differently. 

WA: Mine is Ms. Becca Clemens. She emphasized that the role of the guitarist is to kind of just float on top of the bass player. And she was talking to the whole rhythm section when she said this, but that we all need to be in communication with each other, like always be looking up. I mean obviously, know where you are in the music, but also make eye-contact with people to ensure that you are together. We are not used to that. 

How do you feel about your upcoming performances on Friday?

BH: I feel really good about the performance. I think that it is going to be really nice, everyone in my section has a solo. I am curious how it is going to go because, of course, nerves and everything, but so far, I mean, I feel really confident about it. 

WA: Yeah I feel really good about it and I think, even though it is a pretty big band, I think everyone is really super proficient in what they do and know what to do so I feel like I will blend in and everyone will blend really well together. 

Have you attended the evening faculty concerts? If so, what did you think of them?

BH: Yeah, we attend the concerts at night. One of the biggest things that I have seen and been impressed by, especially with the drummer, was his ability to keep tempo even when he is playing these crazy things, because some of his playing just seems super sporadic and at some points it seems like the whole band is at somewhere different, but they’re really all together, which is really impressive. I do not understand how they all keep that pulse together. 

WA: I have been kind of going back to what Dr. Clemens emphasized to us, like the communication skills while putting on such a performance is really impressive to me, and that is one of my favorite things to catch. Like them not actually talking to each other, but the way they’re communicating while blowing through stuff is actually the most impressive to me. Like last night, Jason, the bass player, and Anderson just locking in on that crazy hit at the end, that was pretty awesome to watch. 

What influence has the workshop had on you? Has it influenced your plans for the future in terms of jazz music? 

BH: Yeah so like the workshop has influenced me a lot with pushing me to get together with a group of people to play with them, which I haven’t been doing as much, and when I get home I’m gonna try to really get a group of people together so that we can start playing and gigging which is kind of the half-of-music that I haven’t been doing. I’ve just been kind of stuck practicing over and over again without actually doing the playing for people. 

WA: Yeah, I agree, kind of the same thing, because I know that we’re about to go home with each other and you know figure it out. Yeah it’s influenced us to become collaborative with people, I think that’s definitely the main thing.  

Do you have any closing thoughts? 

BH: I’m really glad I’m here because I think it’s really changing my perspective of how I’m going to play and how I’m going to get together with other people to play with once I get home. 

WA: I agree on that. It’s changed my perspective on how I should practice I guess. You know, just having someone, like my guitar instructor, is really helpful to realize a solid way to get to where he is. I’m not saying I’ll…it’s just helpful to see that path I guess. 

 

This year’s jazz workshop hosts many talented musicians with a variety of backgrounds. Among those musicians is passionate guitarist Ian Gadow from Wilmington, North Carolina.

A UNC Student

Ian is a rising senior here at UNC. As he studies under an information science major, Ian is involved in the music scene through classes and consideration of a music minor.

Music Production, guitar lessons, Rap Lab, and Jazz Workshop are all under his belt for classes he has taken at UNC. Ian is also looking forward to the beat-making lab, which he has signed up for next semester.

Why Jazz Workshop?

Ian seeks the experiential education credit for his degree. He found that this class is a perfect fit. In 8th grade, he first picked up an upright bass to play for his school’s band. A year later, Ian moved to an electric bass and shortly after, developed more of an interest in the electric guitar.

“I chose jazz workshop to be out of my comfort zone,” Ian says as this will be his first time performing on stage with a guitar. The hours of practice have been taxing for him, especially since this is also his first time playing jazz.

Ian says this workshop has been challenging, yet inspiring for him. “Having the resources and being able to go and talk to all of these very talented musicians, there’s no greater opportunity to do that.”

After hearing Ian jam out during Monday’s sessions, I can tell he is up for the challenge. Ian has been studying hard for Friday’s performance and says he feels both “excited and nervous.”

Musical Influences

Ian has heavy metal to thank for picking up the guitar. “I’m a huge Steve Vai fan” he says. The first song Ian began learning was “For the Love of God,” the seventh track on Vai’s 1990 album, “Passion and Warfare.”

“I love Yngwie Malmsteen.” Both are former members of the heavy metal band Alcatrazz who despite not having much commercial success, left an astounding musical legacy.

It is George Benson and Eric Gale who really got him into jazz. Ian is quite fond of the progressive jazz style of play.

Forthcoming

Ian is looking forward to mastering his musical craft and eventually being able to produce and mix his own beats. He says his favorite styles of production is rap, being a fan of Three 6 Mafia and J Dilla.

J Dilla is a jazz-influenced producer most prominent in the mid-1990s. “Dilla brought in that jazzy swing to rap,” Ian says as we discuss some of our favorite contributions to hip-hop. In the near future, he will have his own style of production, fused with the many genres and artists he appreciates.

For now, Ian prepares for the student concert on Friday, which Jazz workshop participants have been practicing all week for. It is an honor being alongside such talented musicians as we eagerly anticipate their performance.

Follow Ian Gadow at https://www.instagram.com/ian_gadow/

Hello World,

We are coming to you with the scoop on Aiden Huckabee, a young talented musician who is attending UNC’S 13th Annual Summer Jazz Workshop.

We’ll begin with some background information on Aiden. He is 14 years old and plays many instruments, but his main instrument is guitar. He also has dipped his toes in various parts of the musical field to include, but not limited to, jazz composition, arrangement, and musical production using Ableton Live.

Here is a Q&A we did with Aiden:

Q: How did you get into music?

A: I was exposed to music at an early age by my grandmother. However, I did not start taking it “seriously” until I experienced health issues, which in turn led to lots of free time at home. 

Q: How old were you when you started being a musician?

A: I was exposed around age 7, but I started taking it more seriously at age 11.

Q: What artists do you look up to?

A: To list a few: Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, and Mountain Goats.

Q: What path do you envision music will lead you down?

A: Well, I really want to study music at Berklee College of Music, but my long-term goal is to either become a music professor or to become a professional musician. 

Q: What are some of your hobbies, outside of music?

A: I really like fishing, hanging out with family and friends, and spending quality time with my mother.

Q: What is one “easy” thing about the workshop?

A: The easiest thing about the workshop is finding talented peers to work/ jam with. Everyone here is very talented.

Q: What is one difficult thing about the workshop?

A: Being on the younger side and feeling as though people have more experience. Also feeling like you have to prove yourself.

Q: What about the workshop has brought you out of your comfort zone the most?

A: Being the youngest person in the advanced sections of the workshop, I initially thought I would have a harder time fitting in.

Q: Any final words for the people reading this?

A: I’d like to give a big thank you to Dr. Anderson for making this possible, and to Mr. Ned (my band teacher), Mr. Steve Wilfong (a very talented teacher of mine), and My mom for everything they have done for me. Also, thank you to UNC for making the workshop possible, and letting me spread my wings here.”

Where can you find Aiden? Look him up on Spotify at “Aiden Huckabee.”

I spotted Samuel Edoho-Eket during the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop’s nightly advanced jam session this past Tuesday night. In addition to being an adept player, he seemed like an incredibly friendly individual. I was proven correct and granted the opportunity to interview him the next day.

I expected an interesting interview, knowing that Edoho-Eket experimented with a variety of instruments. What I did not expect, however, was to hear about his special connection to professional jazz musicians Rahsaan and Roland Barber.

I found Edoho-Eket during lunchtime following one of the workshop’s improv lessons. His bass recorder was still in-hand, a surprising sight as it added yet another instrument to my mental list of what he could play. While his workshop name-tag would tell you that Edoho-Eket is a trombonist, you can find him playing alto saxophone and trumpet during the week’s jam sessions.

I make my surprise at the sight of the new instrument known, and Edoho-Eket explains that recorder was his first instrument, having been introduced to it through his elementary school. He pulls out yet another recorder, this time pocket-sized, and laughs at how his fingers are too big for the holes. Regardless, he is able to play a sweet tune on it and I feel compelled to ask how many instruments he can play.

“Play well?” He jokes before explaining that he has experience with trombone “off and on” for 33 years, recorder since age nine for a total of 34 years, alto saxophone for a year and a half, and trumpet for six months.

With so many instruments under his belt, I wonder what Edoho-Eket does for a living. He explains that math and science were always his strong suits, leading him towards a career in IT. While music is extremely important to him, it remains more of a hobby than a profession. He tells me that entrepreneurship was always an interest of his, a goal he decided to pursue following the death of his grandmother. “She was a pillar of the family,” he says. “Her death made me realize that life is short.”

As surprised as I was by the bass recorder, I was even more so upon learning that Edoho-Eket grew up with renowned musicians and UNC SJW concert performers Rahsaan and Roland Barber. They met in their shared hometown of Nashville Tennessee, even attending secondary school together. “Rahsaan was the first person I saw when I walked in,” Edoho-Eket recounts. Little did he know that meeting would lead to many future visits to the Barbers’ house.

The Barber twins were “all in, 100%, every day.” Edoho-Eket says. Musical instruments were always present at the Barber household, where he would spend much of his time hanging out and discussing music. “Pretty much everything I know I credit [to] them,” he adds.

It was Roland’s trombone instructor, Tom Lundberg, who taught Edoho-Eket to play without puffed cheeks. His lessons were invaluable to Edoho-Eket, who to this day wishes he hadn’t “wasted” his first five years on the instrument without instruction.

This is Edoho-Eket’s second year at UNC’s Summer Jazz Workshop. He says that he has a great time reconnecting with the Barbers and is deeply appreciative of his mother — who flew in for the week — and wife taking care of their children while he is here.

Edoho-Eket’s favorite part of the workshop is getting to play with the other musicians. He especially enjoyed the opportunity to receive one-on-one instruction from professional trumpeter Al Strong, who gave a fantastic performance on campus this past Monday night.

Edoho-Eket describes the experience of playing next to Strong in jam sessions as “incredible” and “the pinnacle of [his] quote unquote ‘musical career.’” He worked crazy hours last week at his IT job to be able to attend the workshop, which he considers a vacation.

“It’s an unbelievable experience,” he tells me with a smile.

Samuel Edoho-Eket walked into his childhood friends’ home – the Barbers – like he often did after school. 

Being in the country music capital of America, one might expect one of the many CDs stacked in the Barbers’ Nashville home to hold the name “Shania Twain” or “Garth Brooks.”

Instead, on the couch next to Roland Barber’s trombone, strategically balanced on top of Rahsaan Barber’s saxophone, or scattered across the kitchen, were a different assortment of names.

Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Wynton Marsalis. Jazz.

Edoho-Eket found his friends in their kitchen, a CD player already blasting one of Hart’s famous saxophone solos. The trio, brought together by rhythms and soul, critiqued the music for hours on end, pointing out their favorite sequences and gathering inspiration.

Years later, after going their separate ways to find work and start their adult lives, the group came back together. And it was jazz that did the trick. 

The UNC Summer Jazz Workshop, an annual five-day program in June, teaches students from middle school through adulthood. Participants learn about improvisation, performance, jazz history, and theory from esteemed professional musicians. 

Rahsaan and Roland Barber are both on the faculty for the 2023 workshop, while Edoho-Eket is a participant. A friend’s brother told Edoho-Eket about the opportunity and encouraged him to attend, both for the musical experience and to catch up with his friends.

“It’s a dream come true,” Edoho-Eket said.

Edoho-Eket is a multitalented musician, having played trombone for 33 years, alto saxophone for a year and a half, trumpet for seven months, and various recorders since he was a kid.

Growing up in the 1980s and ’90s, Edoho-Eket heard a lot of hip-hop music but said it was too negative for his taste. It was Roland Barber that played Edoho-Eket a J.J. Johnson record their freshman year of high school, causing him to fall in love with jazz.

“To get a window into what it takes to become at that level is really amazing to see firsthand,” Edoho-Eket said.

Having a group of friends who shared his same passion for music inspired Edoho-Eket to build his own skill, he said. Listening to the Barber brothers practice and try out new techniques pushed him to be better.

“It was really interesting seeing up close, what it takes to be a great musician,” Edoho-Eket said.

Edoho-Eket said he enjoys how applicable music is to other aspects of his life, particularly in the lessons it teaches. 

“The thing I love about music is, you have to continue working to get better,” Edoho-Eket said. 

Just because you can’t play something right now, it doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to get there, Edoho-Eket said. 

Even in his job as an IT consultant, Edoho-Eket can utilize the lessons he has gained from music, particularly in his dedication to everything he does. 

That dedication doesn’t go unnoticed. 

Rahsaan Barber, Edoho-Eket’s childhood friend, complimented the musician on his attitude. Barber said that trait can be used to inspire other students at the workshop.

“One of the [reasons] I think he’s such a great model for our students is the openness to trying things,” Barber said. 

Throughout the workshop, Edoho-Eket has played many of the instruments in his collection, including trombone, trumpet, alto saxophone, and bass recorder.

In speaking with Barber, he reflected fondly on listening to jazz records with his brother and Edoho-Eket as kids, noting that the love he had for music was something that began one day and never faded.

“There was something about the creativity of it and also the connection to it,” Barber said.

That connection that Edoho-Eket and the Barber brothers found within jazz music and formed with each other continues to grow stronger.

And if the friends ever miss home, there’s nothing like a week full of brass and blues to bring them right back. 

Get to know Samuel Edoho-Eket a bit more:

• Favorite part of the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop: The “Music of Al Strong” concert
• What Samuel is looking forward to: Latin Night and seeing everyone’s combos on Friday
• Favorite piece he’s played: “Black Nile” by Wayne Shorter or “Soppin’ The Biscuit” by Roy Hargrove

Elaborate harmony, syncopated rhythmic motifs, and improvisational complexity — three of the most beloved elements of the jazz genre. The weeklong program known as the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop was set for late June again this year. It was a very successful week for the performers, as they got to work in their individual combos, take jazz specific theory courses, and attend daily jam sessions and concerts.

I had the opportunity to speak with one of the participants — Julianne Rejesus — about her reason for being here and what the experience has been like.

Rejesus is a rising freshman at UNC Chapel Hill. She is from Apex, North Carolina, and has been playing trombone since 6th grade. Rejesus started playing jazz in 8th grade but decided to stop after a while. Just this year, she has picked it up right where she left off.

Rejesus participated in the Triangle Youth Jazz program (TYJ) this past spring, which helped spark her interest in returning to jazz. Her ensemble came to UNC’s campus for the Duke Ellington Competition, and she was then introduced to this workshop. Since she’ll be attending here in the fall, Rejesus thought it would be a great opportunity to be on campus and push herself outside of her comfort zone.

At the start of the week, she was feeling a little nervous to be a part of the workshop. Rejesus didn’t know what to expect, but was hoping this experience would help her gain confidence as a player. 

“I knew there would be great players and great teachers,” she said. 

Some of the featured faculty members include drummer Kobie Watkins, marimbist Juan Álamo, bassist Jason Foureman, trombonist Roland Barber, and saxophonist Rahsaan Barber. The instructor overseeing the Jazz Workshop is Dr. Stephen Anderson—a jazz pianist, composer, and instructor of jazz studies here at UNC Chapel Hill.

Rejesus goes on to describe what she loves about jazz and what makes it special to her.

“The thing I love about jazz is that you can put random players together and make music immediately,” she said. 

Rejesus also appreciates how creative jazz can be. For her, TYJ was all about learning to take artistic liberty, and that’s a skill she’s hoping to improve upon in this workshop. Rejesus is also looking to find her own unique voice within her playing style — or at least the tools to help her develop it after this weeklong workshop.

“Everyone’s artistic style is so cool. I think that’s one of the coolest things about jazz — how everyone develops a unique sound,” she said.

We talked briefly about Rejesus’ experience as a woman both in the jazz workshop and other jazz spaces in general. She recounted her early days as a jazz musician feeling like there weren’t many other women partaking in jazz ensembles.

“Most jazz cats don’t care about who you are… if you can play, you’re in. I don’t want being a woman in jazz to be what I’m known for… but at the same time it is part of my experience” she said.

Rejesus also gave some advice for aspiring jazz players: “Have fun and don’t overthink it,” she said.

Jazz is a challenging art form that can take years and years to master. Looking back, Rejesus wishes she hadn’t stopped when she was younger. Now, she is putting herself out there and enjoying all the creative intricacies that jazz has to offer.

The UNC Summer Jazz workshop is underway this week, and musicians have traveled from all over to witness inspiring performances and to hone their craft in jazz music.

One of the many people in attendance is Jhon Martez, a 20-year old trumpet player in his fifth semester at Berklee College of Music.

Having performed the trumpet for most of his life, Jhon was immediately interested when he was offered a scholarship to attend this incredible workshop.

Jhon was born in the Dominican Republic, and he comes from a family of music, with his father playing the saxophone and his mother being a singer. “My father was my first teacher, and I have always wanted to be a musician like him.” Jhon said.

Along with his parents, Jhon has two older brothers who are also musicians themselves.

He says the first time he picked up the trumpet was when he was 2 years old, but it wasn’t the way you would expect.

“I was slinging that thing around like it was a toy,” he said. It wasn’t until he was 4 years old that he actually produced his first note.

From there, Jhon honed his craft until receiving a scholarship to Berklee and moving to Boston. Right now, he is a student in the trumpet performance degree program, but he studies other disciplines such as production and composition.

Aside from his studies, he maintains an active schedule of performing at gigs in the Boston area, with his favorite gigging experience coming at a beer factory in the city.

“It was such an interesting place to play and something I had not experienced before,” Jhon said.

Aside from his parents, his inspirations include Wynton Marsalis, Clifford Brown and Arturo Sandoval .

Jhon remarks that Sandoval is of particular inspiration because of his Latin American influences within his jazz performance.

Jhon is just one of the many inspiring musicians who comes to this camp to hone their craft in the musical cornucopia that is jazz music.

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.