One more week and we’ll leave on a jet plane for a month overseas. It’s quite an adventurous trip and I sure hope to connect with many of my European friends while we’re there. Here are the details:
1. We’ll arrive in Germany on July 7 and head down to Switzerland on July 9 to present at the conference of the International Society of Improvised Music (ISIM) at Chateaux D’Oex about an hour from Geneva and Montreux. We will talk and demo the principles of my Jazz Model for Creativity and I also get to perform the piano part for Lynn Baker’s arrangement of Copeland’s Billy the Kid for Big Band. Of course, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful surroundings and possibly head over to the Montreux Jazz Festival.
2. We’ll be back in Germany by July 15 and will present a concert with special guest vocalist Anne Czichowsky in Albstadt at the Landgut Untere Muehle on Thursday, July 16, 7.30pm. More info is here. This is a unique place that combines camping, wool production, shopping, and a restaurant in a resort-type nature setting. Any products from wool and sheep milk are available, everything processed organically. It’s worth spending the whole day there and of course we’re planning on the most organic jazz possible. We’ll reunite with drummer Dieter Schuhmacher and bassist Jens Loh – Anne teaches at the Stuttgart Conservatory and tours extensively with her group and Lines for Ladies, a master of the art of vocalese. Check out her info and sound here. This will be our only German engagement this year – see you there!
3. On July 17 the family heads back to Indiana and I’ll fly to Graz, Austria where 15 IU students will arrive the next day for a two-week class entitled “Comparative Music Industry”. Several students from the Jazz Institute in Graz will also join to learn and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Jazz Institute! That’s one year ahead of the IU Jazz Department – a great legacy! We will have a host of exciting guest lecturers and legendary bassist Gene Perla will visit us for lectures and a concert. Gene has performed with Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Dave Liebman and so many legendary jazz artists as well as developed a legacy as a producer and educator. We will stage a concert with professionals and students on Tuesday, July 28 at the WIST at the Jazz Institute – join us, this will be legendary!