Musicians and Students Learn and Jam Together in Documentary About UC San Diego Jazz Camp

(Press Release) For most people, memories of summer camp revolve around lawn sports, swimming and mosquito bites. But for a diverse group of musically inclined students-- ranging in age from 14 to 70+ – summer camp means days packed with workshops on jazz and nights filled with performances by renowned jazz musicians. Welcome to UC San Diego Jazz Camp, now the subject of a documentary premiering September 25 at 8pm on UCSD-TV.

This original UCSD-TV documentary explores the innovative and immersive combination of group courses, master classes, ensemble workshops, private lessons, jam sessions, and faculty concerts that make UC San Diego Jazz Camp such an unforgettable experience for students and faculty alike. Directed by UCSD-TV’s award-winning producer John Menier, the half-hour program chronicles the camp’s June 2009 session -- its seventh annual edition and the first one to be held in UCSD’s pristine new music building. In addition to the broadcast premier, the program will be available for viewing and podcast downloading at http://www.ucsd.tv.

UC San Diego Jazz Camp, a five-day summer program operated by UC San Diego Extension, offers intermediate to advanced level musicians ages 14 to adult a unique journey into the diverse world of jazz, breaking down the boundaries between "inside" and "outside” and encouraging students to experience jazz as a broad spectrum of options for musical expression. The students work closely and creatively with an extraordinary faculty of leading jazz improvisers and educators, including alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, pianists Mike Wofford and Geoffrey Keezer, drummers Willie Jones III and Gerry Hemingway, and UCSD Music professors Anthony Davis, Mark Dresser, and David Borgo. More information is available at http://jazzcamp.ucsd.edu/.

Jazz Camp Director Dan Atkinson commented, “The UC San Diego Jazz Camp has become one of the leading summer jazz workshops in the country, giving the camp’s students a rare opportunity to study with some of the world’s leading jazz artists. We are very pleased to be able to share some of the excitement of the camp experience through this documentary program on UCSD-TV.”

Watch the Entire Program: