BluesAlley.org - Summer Jazz Camp

Blues Alley Jazz Society is pleased to announce our return to Carter Barron Amphitheater for our annual “Summer Jazz Camp” for kids between July 9th and 20th, 2012. Under the new musical direction of internationally renowned bassist Michael Bowie, and accompanied by a host of complementary jazz educators, he shall conduct classes Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 am and 3:00 pm daily.

Every summer the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra takes up residence in Rock Creek Park at the historic Carter Barron Amphitheater. The Amphitheater shares a deep historical tradition with such jazz luminaries as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and the Count Basie Orchestra. The big band tradition is alive and well on the Carter Barron Amphitheater stage and it is the jazz DNA of Washington, DC. Every summer the stage hosts the military big bands of the Army, Navy and Air Force and we will continue that tradition with our own culminating concert.

Students may audition by submitting an MP3 of the audition materials to michael.bowie1@gmail.com before May 30th, 2012. Send an email to the same address if you need to audition in person.

ALL APPLICANTS: State your full name, grade, phone number, email address, school, city and state at the beginning of the recording.

ALL INSTRUMENTS (EXCEPT DRUMS)
1. Prepared Selection: Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce" - medium tempo with standard chord changes. You can use a play along CD if live accompaniment is not available. 2 choruses of improvisation is required. Bass players also walk for two choruses.

2. Self Selections: Play two songs of contrasting styles, jazz classic, standard, or other styles.

3. REQUIRED: Play the excerpt for your instrument from the pdf link below and major scales through four sharps and four flats from memory at mm 98

DRUM SET

1. Play the following Billie's Bounce blues choruses: 2 choruses of time, 2 choruses of solo, repeat 2 choruses of time. Accompaniment may be live or recorded. Demonstrate time in: latin, ballad, hip hop/funk and brushes. Include 1 chorus improvisation for each style.

REQUIRED: Play the excerpt for your instrument from the pdf link. Click here to download the required excerpt for your instrument:

Saxophone
Trombone
Trumpet
Piano
Guitar
Bass
Drums

Applicants will be notified of their status by email shortly after we have received their audition mp3. For further administrative information you may also contact our Executive Director Harry Schnipper. If you have been selected to participate in the camp click the "Donate" button below to receive your placeholder position.