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Jazz camp miracles, 2014 edition

25/8/2014

6 Comments

 
Picture
Lauren Walker herded together as many campers as she could after the closing concert and shot this for posterity
So here’s a picture of 80 some-odd people looking happy. That’s because the closing concert at the 2014 JazzWorks jazz camp has just finished and they’re happy with how they played or sang and they’re maybe just a bit relieved that it’s over too.
     There’s nothing quite like it in most of our lives, this business of preparing to perform, anxiety sneaking up on us, or sometimes just barging noisily into the room while we’re trying to sleep; then practising, practising, thinking you’re ready, thinking you’re not; and finally, because there’s no choice, walking out onto the stage and trying to get it right.
     And then, getting it right, or close enough, hearing the applause and having your friends, and a few strangers, tell you how well you did. No wonder all those people are smiling.
     When we talk about camp, we talk about workshops and master classes and trying to learn new things and do the old things better, and generally broadening our education in the music. But there’s this other dimension too, the ego thing.
     Some call it empowerment, but that’s too academic a term. What it is, is spending a few days of the year in a space where other people are openly appreciative of what you do. Whether you’re a hot-shot kid with lots of chops, an aging instrumentalist with vague memories of chops, an experienced player who is just starting to play jazz or a total beginner — whichever category you fall into, you are likely at camp to encounter people telling you how well your are doing or, after the concert, how well you did.
     What a concept. Imagine if, in real life, people were frequently praising you (particularly when you deserve it). It doesn’t happen, which is why it is so nice that it happens at camp and why we come away smiling and spend the next few days with what has become known as “the camp buzz.”
     At camp there is very little of the sniping, one-upmanship and second-guessing that are such a feature of the civilian life. People support each other and don’t judge. If you’ve been there, you know that some of the performances that get the biggest applause at the final concert are by the people with the least experience and the biggest musical hurdles to jump over.
     So that’s another reason to love it. My highlights this year, in addition to frequent access to red Jell-O, include getting to play with the scholarship winners, work with and listen to the indefatigable and inspirational Rémi Bolduc, listen to Doug Merriam sing Stardust at the Singer Intensive Concert, be present at the composer’s section of the camp and hear Mary Moore’s great song, Better Be Good or Be Gone take shape, meet and hear some new musical friends, like Ted Phillips from Montreal and Gilles Belliveau from Moncton, and enjoy the renewed presence of veteran players like John Haysom and Lloyd Hiscock.
     The jam sessions I was at were great inter-generational collaborations. The boathouse, though never a convivial place acoustically, had a friendly, co-operative vibe, and some stirring performances, with great help from faculty members like Nick Fraser, Nancy Walker and Kevin Barrett. There was a Charlie Parker tune that had Rémi, Kevin and Gary Elliott on djembe that just about floated the boathouse into Lac McDonald. I looked in on the beginner’s jam and it seemed like good things were happening, people were getting up and playing who might not have done so otherwise. That’s an innovation that should stick.
     As for the faculty concerts, the choices are limitless, but it’s hard not to be moved, cheered and inspired by Rob Frayne’s version of Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen. It has been almost 10 years since the accident that threatened to take away his musical livelihood. Last year at the faculty concert, he played a little and that was big. This year, he sounded goooood. Another camp miracle. In big and little ways, they happen every year.
     I left out a left of stuff in order to make room for your highlights. There’s an Add Comment button below. What did you think?

6 Comments
Lloyd Hiscock link
26/8/2014 01:29:10 am

Ego-less jazz is what I found at Jazz Camp. As I said in one of the sessions, I'm old at music and new at bass. Playing bass with a group was daunting -- at first. But everyone helped me get past that into a more familiar place where I could enjoy learning and playing my new instrument. In particular John Geggie whose advice was invaluable and is largely responsible for the shift from passive to active. Thank you, John. But he wasn't the only one who offered support to me .. Kevin Barrett's enthusiasm, knowledge, and encouragement was more than I could have expected. And the combo - Brian, Colin, Beverley, Toni, and Kate - who endured my "learning pains" -- thank you for your encouragement and help.

What were the dates for next year again?

Reply
Betty Ann Bryanton
26/8/2014 02:12:01 pm

Next year's dates, Lloyd, are Aug 18-20 for the 2-day Composers &/or Independent Practice, and Aug 20-23 for the rest of the camp. I'll see you there! I wouldn't miss it for anything - for all the reasons Charley describes, and more!

Reply
Ian Schwartz
27/8/2014 02:46:33 am

The day after camp I walked around Place du Portage, smiling at people like I'd done all week at camp, and I was surprised that no one smiled back. Oh yeah, I forgot I was back in the real world :-(.
Only 355 days to go until next year's Jazzcamp...Ian

Reply
Mary Moore
29/8/2014 02:06:48 am

I am still riding the wave of jazzy energy all the way from Lac MacDonald, which gets me happily through the return to mundane chores and gym workouts.

This year was my first year attending the Composer's Symposium - but it won't be the last! Access to the esteemed JazzWorks faculty, and the sessions critiquing the composer's pieces were so illuminating.

When the rest of the crowd shows up, the pace gets wonderfully hectic, the meals, the combo practices, big choir, jams, masterclasses and, of course, the camp fire.

This intensive environment is chock full of learning opportunities and experiences. See you all next year!

Reply
Roberta Huebener
3/9/2014 06:07:29 pm

Aside from the general camaraderie, good cheer and the beautiful surroundings, the things that I enjoy the most at camp are the process oriented things like the optional extra days before the full camp when a few early-bird campers have a more relaxed opportunity to practice, or work on their originals and get a bit more face-time with faculty members. Last year Nancy gave me a great final chord to fit the mood of my original tune.This year Christine rescued me from my terrible mistake in rhythm notation on this year’s original tune. That two-day addition to camp alone has been worth its weight in gold to me. In general, I also enjoy the focus on musical problem solving, the respect and supportive behaviour of our faculty towards the skill levels of all participants, The support we get from our fellow campers, the creative ideas and surprises that arise when we work with our combo leaders arranging and rehearsing tunes, and all those funny comments that calm the little tensions and frustrations when we are trying to make the music work...And then there’s the faculty concert – some of the best live jazz performances I’ve ever heard/seen… just for us. Maybe it's just because at camp we all have a heightened awareness of what is going on in the music, but whatever the reason the effect is huge and much appreciated... Finally, you can't beat, the newly polished performances of participants in singer intensive combos and performances realized in the originals combos and the delighted faces of people who never thought they could do it... and then did.

Reply
Chris Thompson
7/9/2014 07:14:41 am

Just to add to Charley's wise words about the supportive environment at Jazz Camp, it's not about how good you are compared with the others. It's about recognition of personal improvement. In fact, many people have told me that they use my concert videos to judge their improvement over the previous year. In the case of the newbies, I think they get the most applause because it takes a lot of guts to perform for an audience of your peers, most with more experience. And we've all been there. Jazz Camp is a magical experience. As the commercial says "Wouldn't it be nice if real life were like this?".

Reply



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    About this blog

    Tune Up won't be a calendar of events — Ottawa Jazz Happenings takes care of that. But it will discuss events and issues of interest to the JazzWorks community. Journalist, author, trumpet player and a jazz camper since 1999, Charley Gordon is a former vice-president of JazzWorks.

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