New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp for Adults

Have you ever aspired to become an old-New Orleans-style musician? Or, if you ARE a musician already, have you ever aspired to learn the old-New Orleans style music?

If you can answer "Yes" to one of the above, you may want to consider signing up for the Annual New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp for Adults that is held in the French Quarter during the first week of June. Whether you plan on a career in music or just want to do it as a sideline, the Camp comes highly recommended by those who have already taken part in it. It is open to all ages between 21 and 101, although a limited number of younger participants are accepted.

Since its establishment in 2009, the Camp – with a limitation of 80 participants – has instructed over 150 students from nine countries and three continents.

Founded by local musicians Banu Gibson, Leslie Cooper and Nita Hemeter, the New Orleans Trad Jazz Camp (NOTJC) is a week-long session where adult musicians and music enthusiasts from around the world are invited to learn the history and techniques of traditional jazz in the city where it all began: New Orleans. From the group's mission statement come these objectives:

To teach and perpetuate the musical style of early jazz music as it originated in New Orleans
To create a yearly musical event in New Orleans that will raise the level of musicianship and knowledge of early jazz
To expose traditional jazz to a larger audience
To attract musicians from around the world to NOLA to learn traditional jazz

The camp is held in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. The curriculum includes lectures from local jazz historians, music lessons, nightly jam sessions and visits to jazz venues in town, including Preservation Hall, Fritzel's Music Hall, the steamboat Natchez and other locales where campers may be invited to "sit in" with their instruments. There is also a traditional, New Orleans-style "second-line" parade through the historic streets of the French Quarter. The camp concludes with a concert performed by the campers in the Grand Ballroom of the Bourbon Orleans that is free and open to the public.

The camp faculty includes some of the top local jazz musicians on their respective instruments. Among the traditional New Orleans jazz instruments for which instruction is offered are trumpet, reeds, trombone, piano, banjo/guitar, bass, sousaphone/tuba, drums and vocals. Guest speakers include jazz historians and other specialists with expertise in the jazz culture.

Amateur and professional musicians are welcome! Applications can be found online at www.neworleanstradjazzcamp.com and early registration is recommended to guarantee a place in the camp. Price for the camp includes accommodations, breakfast and lunch, in addition to the camp fee.

For more information call 504-895-0037 or email info@neworleanstradjazzcamp.com.