Summer Jazz Drumming Workshop Led by master drummer/composer Gerry Hemingway
July 5-9, 2004, 9am-3pm
Workshop will be held at Mr. Hemingway’s home in Plainsboro, NJ (near Princeton. NJ), Registration is limited to 5 students. Cost is $300.00
Level required: A technical command of the instrument, notation reading ability, experience playing in various musical ensembles and musical situations and an open mind. Ideal for late high school or early college age players who are committed to pursuing music professionally or who are or will be pursuing jazz music studies on a college or post graduate level.
Some of the central topics will include:
Understanding Groove and Feel, an investigation into how to develop your own relaxed, swinging, propelling groove in Straight Ahead, Afro Cuban, African, Brazilian, R & B and Blues styles.
Learning from the Masters, each day, with listening and guided analysis, we will investigate several past and present masters and understand their innovations and unique approaches to jazz drumming and improvisation.
Understanding Form as an Accompanist and Soloist, through listening and analysis, we will learn to recognize the structure of the music we are performing. We also learn techniques for improvising within a form.
Drum Soloing, learning how to develop musically expressive solos which are not a collection of licks or a display of technical ability but instead are coherent musical statements, which keep the listener engaged.
Ensemble Drumming, each day will include everyone playing together in a structured and open form way. Emphasis will be on listening and interacting. Rhythmic and coloristic structures will be explored.
Pre-registration and deposit is required. Please email Mr. Hemingway at [email protected] for details. Students not from the area will be responsible for their own transportation (NJ Transit Train has a stop very near by). You will need to pack your own lunch.
Gerry Hemingway has been making a living as a composer and performer solo and ensemble music since 1974. He leads and tours internationally with numerous groups, including his quartet with Ellery Eskelin, Ray Anderson and Mark Dresser as well collaborative groups with Mark Helias & Ray Anderson (BassDrumBone), Reggie Workman & Miya Masaoka (Brew), and many others. He has recorded and collaborated with Anthony Braxton, John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, Kenny Wheeler, Frank Gratkowski, George Lewis, John Cale and Charles McPherson to name a few. Mr. Hemingway is a Guggenheim fellow and has received numerous commissions for chamber and orchestral work including "Terrains", a concerto for percussionist and orchestra commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony. He recently completed a two year recording project for the German label, between the lines, entitled "Songs". He has led numerous workshops and master classes throughout the world and teaches privately out of his home in Plainsboro, NJ where he lives with his wife and son. Extensive back\ground on Mr. Hemingway’s activities as a performer and composer can be found at www.gerryhemingway.com.