NEW ORLEANS – During summer break, students don’t want to be in a classroom, right? But, in a few days, that’s just where dozens of young musicians and vocalists will be as they kick off the Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp at Loyola University, which runs from June 26 – July 14.
This is the 23rd year for the camp and it’s sure to be a great learning experience as young musicians and vocalists work with some of the most influential jazz performers, dancers and vocalist around, reps said.
“I love the Jazz Camp as I get to meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds, states and even countries,” notes an enthused Jack Groh, who at 14 years of age is attending his fourth summer Jazz Camp. Groh, who plays the violin, is also looking forward to swing dancing classes that he plans to participate in this year. The instructor for the class is none other than the “Queen of Swing” and the Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp’s life-long artist-in-residence, Norma Miller. As Groh explains, “We are going to start off with basic swing dancing for a few days, and in the final week of the camp, we will do a routine with partners. I can’t wait as I have friends also taking the class so it should be a lot of fun.”
And fun is what the camp is all about even though students will be working hard to further perfect their talents, reps said. Everyone participating had to audition, so all the students in the program have basic music knowledge. The goal of the camp is to take that knowledge and talent and nurture it even more.
Kevin Gullage is a recent New Orleans Center for Creative Arts graduate and will soon start his freshman year at Loyola in jazz performance. He’s a pianist and vocalist, and when it comes to experiencing the camp and all it has to offer, he says it best. “This will be my fourth year at camp and I’ve learned so much about reading music, technique and entertaining,” he said. “More importantly, I’ve learned from some of the most preeminent musicians around and what they have done is teach me how to be a great performer.”
The Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp was created in 1995 to preserve the rich jazz tradition of New Orleans. Some two decades later, the camp has served a couple thousand young adults aged from 10 to 21-years-old. The program not only offers instrumental classroom instruction, but also campers can participate in Music Composition and Swing Dance, reps said. It’s also the only camp to offer string instruction.
This year the camp will host this year’s artist-in-residence – renowned trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater. Bridgewater’s 30 plus years of experience includes roles as performer, composer, arranger, record producer and educator. He has been a member of the groups of Max Roach, Horace Silver and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra to name a few. He has also shared the stage and/or studio with the Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Heath, Sir Roland Hanna, Wynton Marsalis and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers among others.
This is the seventh year the Jazz Camp is being held at Loyola University.
The class schedule for the Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp includes:
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Students attend classes based on what instruments they play.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – More class instruction
Other events and dates of note:
Thursday, July 6 – 3:30 p.m.
Jazz Camp field trip
Campers will take a field trip to the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint for a brass band performance by the Paulin Brothers and then go to Café Du Monde.
Monday, July 10 – 10:00 a.m.
Artist-in-residence press conference
Nunnemaker Hall, Loyola University
Monday, July 10 – Friday, July 14 – 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cecil Bridgewater and “Queen of Swing” Norma Miller conduct classes.
Tuesday, July 11 – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Meet the Artist reception – this is a private event.
Wednesday, July 12 – 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Benefit concert/ Jam session
Little Gem Saloon
445 South Rampart St.
Ticket Price: $30 Advance, $35 Door
“Queen of Swing” Norma Miller will be the MC of this benefit concert featuring performances by this year’s artist-in-residence Cecil Bridgewater and the Jazz Camp Faculty and Alumni band.
Friday, July 15 – 8:00 p.m.
Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp culminating concert
Loyola University New Orleans Roussel Hall
6363 St. Charles Ave.
Featuring performances by camp students and artists-in-residence, Cecil Bridgewater.
Free admission
The Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp is a project of the New Orleans Arts and Cultural Host Committee (NOACHC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving cultural legacy and providing opportunities for arts education for New Orleans youth. The Jazz Camp is a three-week experience that offers intense music education classes to young students between the ages of 10 and 21-years-old. Students must have been studying music for a minimum of two years to qualify. Jazz Camp takes place June 26 – July 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at Loyola University New Orleans in the Communications/Music Complex.
