New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp for Adults
June 10-15, 2012

The New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp for Adults is kicking off its third year during the week of June 10-15 and there are still some openings for those who are interested in participating in the camp.

If you have you ever aspired to become an old-New Orleans-style musician or, if you ARE a musician already and have ever aspired to learn the old-New Orleans style music, this experience is for you. 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 88 participants – has instructed over 150 students from nine countries and three continents.  So far, for the 2012 camp, students from 24 states plus Canada, Switzerland, Finland, Scotland, the U.K. and Argentina have signed up.

Faculty

This year the camp's organizers have lined up some celebrity jazz musicians to help out in the instructional effort. World-renowned jazz clarinetist Dan Levinson joins the faculty in New Orleans for Jazz Camp 2012. Levinson will bring his vast talents back to the Crescent City where, in the early 1990s, he played on Bourbon Street. During a 20-year career, he has appeared alongside such prominent artists as Dick Hyman, Mel Tormé, Wynton Marsalis and he played in Woody Allen's band when they toured Brazil. Dan has performed on over 75 CDs and can be heard on the sound tracks of several films including Marti Scorsese's The Aviator. To learn more about him visit his website at www.danlevinson.com.

Also joining the camp as a special adjunct faculty member is Ed Polcer whose credits range from playing in Benny Goodman's Sextet to running Eddie Condon's club in New York City between 1975 and 1985. He has played at the White House for President Clinton and for the King of Thailand. For more information visit his website at www.edpolcer.com.

Returning faculty are: Connie Jones – cornet, Otis Bazoon – clarinet, Ray Moore – saxophone, David Sager – trombone, David Boeddinghaus – piano, Carl LeBlanc – banjo/guitar, Matt Perrine – tuba, Kerry Lewis – bass, Gerald French – drums and Banu Gibson and Leah Chase – vocals.

Background and Mission Statement

Founded by local musicians Banu Gibson, Leslie Cooper and Nita Hemeter, the New Orleans Traditional 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 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.

Also new this year, the camp is awarding scholarships to ten student musicians from local schools. The scholarships were made possible by contributions from local jazz lovers and well as supporters from across the country.

Applications for the camp 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.