Scot Ranney's LearnJazzPiano.com archive: Welcome back from the jazz workshop Scot!

LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Welcome back from the jazz workshop Scot!
pianogirl -- 08/05/2004, 13:49:20 -- #6285
How did it go? What did you learn? What did you play? How were the faculty present concerts and the jazz fest itself? And how was the mood knowing that it was Bud's last year? Sandra
CynBad -- 08/05/2004, 18:19:28 -- #6293
I am not Scot, but I was at the workshop. Hey, are you the same Sandra who was there last year in Bob Florence's combo? The mood was a bit strange but it was still a great workshop. At the end of the Saturday night concert, Bud let everyone know how unhappy he was about being "fired". He was very bitter. It was a very emotionally-charged end to the concert. Then they all came back out and played "Bouncin' with Bud" since Bud was "bouncin' right out of there". Bud said he will never come back to Port Townsend again. And there is talk he will start his own workshop in Phoenix.
pianogirl -- 08/06/2004, 13:01:12 -- #6321
Yup, that is me - one and the same. Which combo were you in? I am sorry that they could not have had a more gracious way to say farewell to Bud. Who knows, maybe they tried and he was so angry at having to leave that he chose this way to go out. I don't know if starting a workshop in Phoenix will work - I imagine that Centrum provides a lot of infrastructure and marketing. Running a workshop of that size is a huge undertaking. It will be interesting to see how many of the existing faculty come back without Bud. How did you find it compared to the year before in terms of the music and the learning?
CynBad -- 08/07/2004, 15:03:05 -- #6343
I was in Randy Halberstadt's improv class last year. I have long red hair - you might remember me. I was in Randy's class again this year - we had a huge range of abilities in that class. I think they need to change the way they enroll piano students. Limit it to the number of combos, and let people request the improv class if they want. The music and the teaching was GREAT again this year. Some of the special topics were repeats from last year, so I just went to different ones. Bob Florence was still playing and conducting BEAUTIFULLY, although he seems to be getting more frail and can't see well at all. I think Bud was so angry because he felt he had built the success of Centrum's jazz workshop, and he was being treated like just an employee that they were tired of. There was some talk that he was going to put on a workshop the same week as Centrum's. Some organization in AZ had approached him about doing a workshop years before. I think it would be a mistake to do it the same week. Some of "Bud's" faculty have developed relationships and networking in Port Townsend, and they aren't just going to follow him everywhere. It remains to be seen what Centrum will do with the program next year. I will have to see the faculty and program for next year before deciding if I will go. Maybe I'll see you at a workshop next year! Cynthia
pianogirl -- 08/07/2004, 17:27:54 -- #6350
You know, I just can't see having a jazz workshop in Arizona in the summer - too hot! And part of the charm of the Bud Shank one is the locale - Port Townsend is such a spectacular town. I agree with you on the faculty - they have developed relationships with PT and with each other. Trading that "sure thing" for the uncertainty of a new workshop is risky as well. I do remember you Cynthia! Too bad about the wide range of abilities in Randy's class. I suspect that they added more combos and let more piano players in to increase the revenues on the workshop. Another alternative would be to have two improv classes for piano players. I remember last year listening to the improv piano class perform and there were some good players that could easily have been in a combo. I hope to be there next year and like you will check out the faculty and program before signing up. Sandra
CynBad -- 08/08/2004, 16:39:12 -- #6377
I'm sure the Aebersold workshops in Kentucky in the summer are too damn hot too! But people keep going. Yes, if they had two piano improv classes, it would cut down on the class size and you would get more personal attention. I liked it last year because there were only 4 of us in the class! It was like a master class or group lesson! This year there were 7 in the class and you spent most of the time listening to Randy work with the other students. But Randy is still a great teacher, and the 2 or 3 really advanced guys in the class ended up liking the class a lot, because they learned things they wouldn't have ever learned in a combo.
MackGrout -- 08/10/2004, 02:56:59 -- #6417
Hey, my names Mack and I was also at the festival. I was in Pete Christlieb's combo. It was my first year attending, and it was so incredibly inspirational. There are so many good players, it makes you feel like trash! Then you come home and practice and try to get better for next year. Thats what me and some of the guys decided the idea behind 'Jazz Camp' was. I think (firing? Not re-hiring?) Bud Shank was a stupid thing for Centrum to do. He is not a regular employee, and he DID build the workshop. People know it as the Bud Shank Workshop not the Centrum Jazz Camp. Anyways I just dont understand why they would let him go after so much success! I hope that whatever happens in the end though, that they keep it pure. That is what makes it so great, it is a specialized camp for jazz.
Scot -- 08/11/2004, 16:59:38 -- #6451
I had a great time at the camp. It was nice to meet a few people- mack for example. Randy Porter, a great piano player, ran the combo I was in. We had a fun concert with a captive audience (between shows on Saturday outside the main stage). The bass and drummer are strong enough players that I'd consider hiring them for gigs. It was a blast. I thought the atmosphere of the camp was pretty good, regardless of Bud's situation. Some people may take Bud's speech at the end of the show on Saturday as bitter, but I think it was more "telling it like it is". Bud created the camp and made it what it was. He never wanted it to be a school-book educational camp. He wanted it to be a place where students of jazz can hang out with pros to get a look at the real world. It appears that the camp is headed more into the classroom direction, which is fine by me- less competition for gigs because when everone learns from the same books, everyone starts sounding the same and no one wants to hire who all sound like Aebersold or Baker, you know? Word has it that New Mexico has a jazz camp (Alberquercy, can't spell it worth a damn) the same week as centrum and they've been trying to get Bud to do his thing there for years. I bet he goes there next year. I have a feeling that John Clayton is going to be strongly considered for the next director position- this is from overhearing a conversation between Clayton and Gregg Miller outside of the mainstage on Saturday. In the end it's about money, not music, jazz, or education. Bud did not agree with the patron family of Centrum Jazz. It's fairly obvious who that is. The patron family did not agree with Bud on the direction of the camp. They want it to be more profitable, which means more kids and less faculty. Bud wanted to have faculty around for every 20 or so kids so no one would feel left out. Back in 1988 when things were still fairly new, there were small combos, lots of faculty, and lots of opportunities to get some private time. Two weeks ago, you'd be lucky to find some time with any of the faculty (I did, though, manage to score an hour long lesson with Bill Mays!) because of how many students were there. Yeah, Bud is fired and won't be back next year, he's not happy about it because it's a political decision (right, Bud is "retiring", that's a joke!) but maybe the scope of the camp has outgrown Bud's original idea. Maybe Bud NEEDS to set up a new camp the way he wants so that those of us who want to have a more personal time with jazz greats can, like it used to be in the 80's at Centrum. Growth equals change, and Bud is an old guy who doesn't want to change (doesn't have to, does he? He deserves the right to fight change with all the contributions to jazz he's made) and shouldn't have to. Maybe I'll go to New Mexico next year and see what's going on! Did I forget anything in my ramble? Camp and festival notes: Bill Mays master class was excellent. His piano knowledge toolbox is overflowing. I have developed a huge respect for the guy. George Cables, John Clayton, and Victor Lewis had the heaviest trio/rhythm section going during the festival at the Upstage. They played a bunch of Cables originals and John Clayton said that he'd been shedding the material for three weeks- had it all memorized! Bob Florence/Ingred Jensen didn't sound nearly as good as they did last year- without Alan Jones on drums, their weekend music was good but not earth shattering. Last summer their music was probably some of the best jazz I've EVER heard. Denny Goodhew playing with Dave Peck, Jeff Johnson, and Reed Whitwell (I think) was amazing as usual. I love the way Denny doesn't let anything distract him. He walks up to a sax, slowly and deliberately selects one, picks it up, looks around, checks his music, and slowly goes about a process of getting ready that obviously drove Dave Peck crazy. "Hurry it up man, let's play, etc etc..." But Denny is a guy who doesn't let himself be hurried. When he is ready to play, he plays. This is a good lesson- don't let anyone hurry you on stage. You have all the time in world. A minute or two won't kill anyone. One of the best quotes I heard was from Phil Woods in his master class on Saturday afternoon. He was talking about a student who was choking while trying to play. Who wouldn't? Phil Woods is a monster. Still. So Phil said, "It sounds like you're trying to please me. Don't please me- anger me! I want your music to make me angry." Hey, that's perfect! If you are choking when auditioning, concertizing, or whatever, just remember, don't play to please anyone but yourself. Play your stuff. Piss everyone else off if they don't like it, but please yourself when you are playing and that way you'll ALWAYS be true to what is most important in music. Dr. Suess said something that applies to music as well as life: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Best set: George Cables, of course, but at the Public House, the last song of the night featuring Pete Christlieb (mother of a tenor player) and Jay Thomas (trumpet and sax, trumpet that night), and Gary Smulyen (sp; great bari player) pulled out a tune and played the sh*t out of it. To be honest, I think it's the best solo Pete has ever done. This is his last year here for many reasons, not least of which is that he is one of the old school guys who is loyal to Bud. So Pete's last solo in Port Townsend might have been the best solo of his entire life. New stuff, old stuff, the best of what Pete does in a way he never did it before that I hear. My ears are still buzzing and my heart races every time I think about it. Probably ranks in the top three solos I've ever heard (Bob Berg is one, McCoy Tyner is another, and now this one). My personal fun time: I was asked to run the Tuesday night jam session in town. I felt it was a huge compliment, and plus I was happy to have a chance to get involved a bit. Not that it will lead to anything, but I enjoyed myself. The jam itself was insane for a while! Mack was there but unfortunately took off before I could get him on the piano (Still haven't heard him play :) Tons of kids, signups.... there were two full pages of names of people who wanted to play. Somehow it all worked. Someone said, "It's like herding squirrels." I love that statement- I'll use it again before the week is out. My schedule was once again insane. I woke up and quarter to five each morning to go practice on the vocal piano (a Yamaha C3 in mint condition) for a few hours before breakfast. This year I played tennis a bit as well in the morning, and that was fun and allowed me to get more personal with some of the guys like Bill Mays who also played tennis in the morning. I may go to Centrum one more year just to beat some of those guys as I'm a bit rusty after having not picked up a racket since 1997 (and that was only for a few hours). The days were PACKED, not an ounce of downtime, and with all the jam sessions at night, I didn't sleep until at least 12. Lack of sleep does wonders for reality perception. One of my highlights was on Sunday night, the first day. I wandered around the schoolhouse looking for jams and found Ingred Jensen in a room warming her trumpet up. No one else was there. Ingred, by the way, is a great trumpet player. I love her style- lots of Miles influences but definitely with her own personal stamp. Lots of respect for players who get their own sound while staying true to the roots. Anyway, I am long time friends with her fiance', John Wikan, and told her so, then asked if she'd like to play a few tunes- piano and trumpet. I think Have You Met Miss Jones came out better than I've ever played it. We had great musical communication- her ears are huge, both harmonically and rhythmically (sp). We played a few tunes, then met up again later on where a few other people were playing (John, some bass player, her, and I sat in on piano). We played another hour's worth of odd-meter standards.... well, applying odd meter to standards (Caravan in 7 was fun), plus lots of strange latin american (Peru) and African stuff because John is a master of all that. Anyway, as usual, the first night of jams was the best. Ok, I'm stopping now. Lots more to talk about, but I already wrote a book!
CynBad -- 08/11/2004, 20:27:55 -- #6452
Hey Mack! I noticed you were from Port Orchard, but I never met you. I'm from Port Orchard too. Cynthia
Jazz+ -- 08/11/2004, 22:22:45 -- #6453
Good advice: "One of the best quotes I heard was from Phil Woods in his master class on Saturday afternoon. He was talking about a student who was choking while trying to play. Who wouldn't? Phil Woods is a monster. Still. So Phil said, "It sounds like you're trying to please me. Don't please me- anger me! I want your music to make me angry." Hey, that's perfect! If you are choking when auditioning, concertizing, or whatever, just remember, don't play to please anyone but yourself. Play your stuff. Piss everyone else off if they don't like it, but please yourself when you are playing and that way you'll ALWAYS be true to what is most important in music. Dr. Suess said something that applies to music as well as life: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
Jazz+ -- 08/11/2004, 22:26:04 -- #6454
Portland? That's David Friesen, Jerry Hahn & Dan Balmer country. They are good players!
CynBad -- 08/12/2004, 10:01:03 -- #6459
Portland? Who mentioned Portland? David Friesen is Seattle-based, I thought, but Dan Balmer is from Portland. They are both great players and were both on the faculty and the workshop at Port Townsend. I spend most of Friday night at The Surf listening to a group led by Friesen with Balmer and others.
MackGrout -- 08/13/2004, 02:42:50 -- #6474
Wow! Another pianist in Port Orchard! That is actually amazing! We should meet up some time for coffee or something and talk music I leave for Cornish in 20 days! VERY EXCITED! Mack
pianogirl -- 08/13/2004, 04:33:37 -- #6478
Scot, sounds like an amazing week. And how great to run the Tuesday night jam session too! How was Randy Porter as a combo coach? I like his piano playing and I know a guy who studies with him in Portland. I have no sense, however, how he would be in a group coaching situation. I guess I am wondering if at your level if you learned anything knew from that situation (beyond the great rhythm section people you were playing with). So if it is going to more of a classroom format, does that mean fewer combos and more improv-type classes? I am scratching my head a bit to see how you can up the student/faculty ratio without dropping the number of combos. As long as there are lots of opportunities to jam and hear people play, then changing some of the instruction could be good. Did any of the faculty comment on the change (you can keep it anonymous) or were they tightlipped? Someone above (I think it was Cynthia) said that Bob Florence seemed more frail than last year so perhaps that affected his playing with Ingrid. I too liked them last year. I liked hearing both Bud and Bob with Ingrid in different groups and how they stretched themselves to play with her. And having John Clayton as the creative director would be good. I imagine he would have some influence/pull with faculty. I noticed that the website has already been expunged of Bud's name. Change happens and all but it is too bad that under the circumstances there could not be a mention of Bud's contribution to its success over the years. Hearing of who you and Cynthia and Mack heard makes me green with envy! Cynthia, David Friesen always has some interesting group playing. And makes me miss the PNW too! I don't think I will be back out west to visit til November.... And Mack, have fun at Cornish! Let us all know how it goes. Sandra
Scot -- 08/13/2004, 09:52:03 -- #6482
Randy Porter was a GREAT combo leader. In fact he really opened some new doors for me to explore. Randy will be a huge name one of these days, no question about it. If you ever have a chance to study with him, I'd jump on it. I know I'm more experience as a pianist than most of the people who go to the camp, but regardless of my level, the centrum camps this summer and last have given me tons of stuff to look at and dig into. I'm a good player- but I'm not where I want to be and have a lot of work to do, and it was nice to help get some focus in the areas I want to improve from guys like Bob FLorence, Randy Porter, Bill Mays, and others. I think there will be less performing combos and more combo style classes where a lot of people sit around and jam to Aebersold or rhythym sections... but that's just conjecture. The faculty didn't have a lot to say, except for a few of the old school. That afternoon sitting around with Christlieb, Ramsey, and Clayton was educational... I've already mentioned basically a summarized version of what I learned from them. Bob Florence might have looked more frail, but the reason was, as his wife Eve (sp) was so proud to say, is that Bob lost about 30 pounds and though is lighter in the pocket, he feels really good. His playing is still at the top of the heap. I hung out with those two a lot that week mainly because they are so damn cool and we were all friends from last year. And of course, having the opportunity to hang out with Bob Florence is like... a martial artist having the chance to personally hang out with Bruce Lee or something. Bob is a guru of jazz and music in general and each moment talking about anything from the ants to his approach to A-Train is priceless.
CynBad -- 08/13/2004, 18:12:56 -- #6495
Bob Florence was as great as ever; his playing was superb. In fact, he pretty much had me in tears when he played "Invitation" with the big band. I auditioned for Bob, that's where I'm coming from in my impression that he's getting frail. It seemed like his wife was with him all the time, helping him take notes, remember things and keep track of everything. He could hardly see at all. He couldn't see as far as the piano I was auditioning on. And he had some short-term memory problems. Yes, he looked very thin and frail. He couldn't see the people in the big band, but he knew who they all were. His mind is still brilliant, and musically he is WONDERFUL. He's a great human being, too. Really nice, inspiring, supportive. But physically, he's getting frail.
comrade c -- 08/19/2004, 23:14:45 -- #6603
glad to hear you guys had an AWESOME time. I had the pleasure of meeting ingrid jenson years ago, hearing her play, and having her here me play in a festival for high school bands. Incredible sense of harmony and rhythm, and her tone was awesome, esp from the flugelhorn.
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