It is some time since I have "blogged" - July, in fact and it is true to say that since then "we have done those things which we ought not to have done and left undone those things that we ought to have done" - but there is, otherwise, great health in us!
Now for the real subject of this post.
The Jazz Summer School at Monteton 2009
(from Sat. 18th July to the Sat. 25th July
From our barge home at Meilhan-Sur-Garonne
We travel North to Monteton from our beloved Barge retirement home at Meilhan, thanks to good friends with a car. Lucie and I, together with my electric piano and all its paraphernalia, arrive from the South and are within sight of the Chateau De Monteton - a journey of about 36 kilometres.
Click on any of these photos for a bigger picture
To this.......Monteton
"That can't be the place" - our mutual reaction to what we see as we slowly wind up through the narrow roads leading to this pretty village. It looks like a ruined castle. But there is nowhere else to go. It is the place, as the SatNav is telling us - "You have reached your destination." www.chateaudemonteton.com/pages/liens.php
We move the car as near as we dare, to the entrance in order to disembark with the piano. Unknown to me now, this is not by any means the last time I move my piano during the coming week. I have my back support belt ready just in case, little knowing then how much I would have need of it.
One of the two beautiful cellar practise rooms.
Lucie soon expresses her envy as we look around in amazement. She reluctantly prepares to leave. We both feel the atmosphere. It is almost "designer dilapidation". The chateau/castle itself, from the outside, really does look as if it is falling down. The surrounding buildings, also ancient, are to do with the bedrooms, restaurant and the usual offices. The Chateau/castle, where most of the practise rooms are situated, stands separate and proud. The rooms within it are spacious and well appointed with an upright piano in each. There are three floors which are connected by very ancient and rough stone and wooden stairways - not built for the timid or frail though it all adds to the excitement of being here. I don't know how many times I move the piano up and down these stairs but it is all worth it.
The wooden balcony on which one should not dare tread
It is beautiful without being prescribed or planned. It is old and yet over several periods of change. The first scene is augmented by a "bric a brac" of objet d'art. A large church bell here and an enormous concrete ear there - all of four metres high. Flowers and trees abound in various tasteful containers. There are two enormous woolly dogs lying somnolent, maybe dead? - one is old and dark grey, the other seems even older - he is brown and has a tendency to lift his head and howl mournfully from time to time, as if to confirm a diminishing role in life or perhaps apprehensive of the racket he knows is about to envelope him again! He has, after all, seen this seven times before.
A diminishing role in life?
The main area of restaurant and bar, which is the site of all evening and collective occasions is open to the elements on three sides but has some sheets of polythene which are put in place if it rains*. It has a sturdy beamed roof and ceiling.
Seating around 80 people, it is serviced by a kitchen behind the bar on one side. There are several normal round banqueting tables of ten. The countryside beneath stretches for miles like some painting or French tapestry. There is an attached balcony perched perilously high over the hillside and is, as one finds out afterwards, supported by some rather rudimentary scaffolding. What a marvellous spot for Jazz.
*(We have indeed an exciting tropical thunder storm on the third night and I awake to find a mini waterfall pouring down inside the walls of our room! - no matter. )
The open fire and meeting place just in the middle of the courtyard leading into the main restaurant.
"Somewhere over the rainbow" is being played by a lone trumpeter from some distant practise room in the castle building itself. There are valuable instruments leaning or lying around unattended. There are people like me talking in groups outside around a centre fire place surrounded by large stones for them to sit upon. It is a focus for people who are there with a common purpose - to enjoy playing jazz together and to learn more about their instruments. To improve their techniques.
For me, I want a catalyst, a new impetus and some encouragement for me to progress to a new level of playing the piano. So far so good.....the language is all English.
The bedroom facilities are very basic but we only use them for sleeping in. I meet my room mate for the first time. Dr. David Brohn is a civil engineer and professes to be a singer - The only one there as it happens - quel courage, mon ami!
We share coincidences together before checking in and unpacking what little we have brought with us. We all dine together and introduce ourselves to each other. After many names have flown through one ear and out of the other - I find that by addressing everyone as "Dave" there is a 35% chance of getting a response. There is a pleasant minority of brave ladies who make a pleasant mix.
The "Cave" where the "all nighters" hang- out into the early hours.
Notably there is a very gentle giant Irishman, Dave, who must be at least 7ft tall and, dare I say it, equally big in girth and across the shoulder. Against him, his saxophone is a mere penny whistle. Then there is "quite big" Dave the base clarinetist who also plays the contra-base clarinet; this is something I have never seen or heard before. Both "Daves" epitomise the enthusiasm, variety and purpose of this Jazz School. Enthusiasm for everything and into everything at every opportunity. Again there is New Zealand Dave; another Sax player/clarinetist whom I entrust with taking photos, some of which you now see. (Thanks Dave!) - all unique characters, like so many there, with lots of promise, enthusiasm and a common interest - from young and old.
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Big Dave, the Irishman.
The "Table d'hote" is very acceptable as it remains throughout the week for breakfast lunch and dinner. The bottles of wine on each table are re-filled on demand. No-one abuses this arrangement. The staff, presumably all local French, are obliging and attentive. The two damsels behind the bar are both stunning and naturally welcoming. The bearded "governor" is very jolly, helpful and ever-present. He obviously loves jazz too, judging by the background tapes he puts on at meal times. On the first night I hear Dave Brubeck (huh, another Dave!), Paul Desmond and Joe Morello - first recorded on vinyl when I was at school 50 years ago. This is going to be good, me thinks.
"Quite big" Dave (all of 6ft!) hiding behind his contra-base clarinet - an essential part of the New Orleans group practising in the village Hall.
It's Saturday evening, on the day of arrival. We mix and party. I learn to my relief that I can have a bar tab. Lots of us are now on beer which comes in a 50cl bottle of reasonable euro-fizz made somewhere other than France - a wise choice. These are selling as if they are going out of fashion and by the next day I feel awful.
(I get up in the middle of the night and find myself trying to get into the wardrobe to relieve myself. I sober up just in time.)
Sunday morning, the real beginning, is an important moment when all ones' faculties should be at their best. The programme sheets are late in being photocopied but we are introduced to all the tutors and given a briefing as to how things happen. Andrea Vicari, the talented and busy lady in charge of the whole show tells us all "what's what" with diffidence and good humour. I am not at my receptive best however and find out most of what's happening by asking students who have been before. This is, as I am to learn, the majority.
Our "workshop" practise room to which my piano returns each morning. Each room has an adequate upright piano provided.
There are "Workshop" groups of about eight to ten people with a variety of instruments, to which you are allocated for the whole week. These are supervised by a different tutor each morning with the intention of performing one practised piece, in front of the rest of the students, before dinner in the evening. Everyone has to perform. There is a kind of collective encouragement and laughter as each group performs its piece and each student has a solo to great applause.
Stairs to the upper floor rooms, taken from underneath- not for the feint hearted.
The afternoons are spent with the jazz band style of ones own choice and the same tutor throughout the week. I start off with with the "Soul" band after mistakenly putting a "5" and a "1" instead of a "1" and "5" on a multi-choice form.
The Soul Group which is practising Michael Jackson numbers, already has another pianist with his own piano and all his equipment. No! This is definitely not for me.
My stupid mistake is swiftly rectified by Andrea and after lugging my equipment from the top floor of the Chateau, I end up on the second day in the New Orleans Group, with Malcolm Smith as tutor, which has the village hall down the road as its practise room. I am sweating buckets but greatly relieved to be where I am.
Somehow, interspersed with the above group practising each day, the organisers have squeezed in two "Masterclasses" - we all attend these in the restaurant.
The first is conducted by Malcolm Smith who represents, for me, the real essence of Jazz with his emphasis on melody and playing "by ear" and memory - which is, after all I believe, how "Jazz" has developed to date - I am of the old school perhaps?
Malcolm, Quenton and Mornington - with Andrea and Dorian behind them and Scott on drums. (as far as I remember.)
The second "Masterclass" is conducted by Mornington Lockett who is a world class, "progressive" jazz sax player. Both masterclasses, for me, are stimulating and revealing. I am comforted by Malcolm Smith's emphasis on the importance of melody and the extemporisation around that melody and his ability to play the trombone and to encourage what is essentially an auditory and natural process. Mornington Lockett's technique and his marvellous imaginative solos - so very thrilling to hear live. We feel privileged and inspired.
For me, these excellent masterclasses emphasise the rich variety in jazz styles and its development. Between, on the one hand, progressive jazz (Bee Bop?) with its emphasis on instrumental expertise, long, well structured solos and with more of a "riff" than a melody. On the other hand, the more simple idea of swinging around familiar melodies with multiple solos and with an emphasis on the arrangement.
As if this is not enough, we are marvellously entertained by all the tutors with Andrea's Mirror Band on the Sunday night. Ingrid, (shown here), starred on tenor - and on the following Tuesday to another tutor filled group together with Mornington Lockett. Some mesmerising percussion by both Nick and Scott, exceptional base and piano delights on each occasion - Jon's guitar and Quentins forceful trumpet too.
Andrea Vicari's Mirror Band with Ingrid, Nic (left) and Dorian.
Then again, as if by way of light relief, on the Wednesday night, Dave Gelly , tenor, (Yes another Dave!) and singer Annie Bright entertain us with some old melodies and songs which "go down a storm." This is showtime. Dave is also a highly experienced member of our New Orleans Group and has his own professional group in real life. I would love to be part of such a band.
Massaging my musical dyslexia and undoubted complexes, the harmony "classes" are always going to be counterproductive with me - (I hated my early piano teacher!) - With a life-time dedicated to industrial training, I cannot see how such theory can usefully be taught in such a cursory way and without clear, achievable objectives. Others will have a different view. The standard of instruction - in the three groups I witness - with an absence of essential flip charts or any other training aids - is also indicative - rather like conducting a wine tasting without wine.
Jon, mid solo with half of Malcolm
Perhaps the "instrumental group sessions", where we are divided into pianists, drummers, guitars, brass etc .....and able to show what we can do with our respective instruments, should come right at the beginning of the week so that the tutors have a better idea of what stage each individual has reached and what their aspirations are, before deciding what to do with them or to which group they should belong or indeed, what sessions to attend. It's just a thought.....
The last night, at the Students' Concert, we let it all hang out, late into the night. We play our favourite "Workshop Group" piece to the rest after an early dinner and somehow squeeze a couple of our "preferred band style" pieces as well. One can only imagine how many solos this means in just one evening. Malcolm Smith deserves great praise for our efforts in the New Orleans group. Those with even stronger constitutions descend to the "Cave" for a final blast.
All the tutors are, as we soon find out, of the highest calibre and their obvious enthusiasm is infectious. Click here for details or on the top left hand column for more pictures. More pictures if you have any will be added. Try my email: [email protected]
http://www.jazzschool-dordogne.co.uk
MAIN TUTORS
Ingrid Laubrock - saxes www.ingridlaubrock.com
Quentin Collins - trumpet www.quentincollins.com
Malcolm Earle Smith - trombone www.malcolmearlsmith.com
Jon Bratoeff - guitar
Nic France - drums and percussion
Scott Vicari - drums and soul-band
Dorian Lockett - basses
Andrea Vicari - piano and MD
MASTERCLASS TUTOR
Mornington Lockett
A special thanks to Steve, an enviably good Jazz pianist, who obligingly helps me with a few new chords. There are at least three really good drummers on hand and quite a number of potentials, like Mike (percussion), Erik (Clarinetist) amongst the students too. There is even one regular student who is, apparently, in his eighties and always smiling and a percussionist obviously thoroughly enjoying himself. My sincere thanks to the lot of them, even though, with so many students and so much going on, it is impossible to get to know them very well in just one week.
My special thanks to Andrea and Dorian for organising such an inspirational week and managing to play so well (Piano and Base) at every opportunity.
The restaurant with the bell and its balcony. I just love this place.
Click on any of these photos to enlarge
Lucie, my wife, says I really am playing with much more imagination and that I can't stop talking about Monteton - she is pleased now for me to have recorded my rantings, however inadequately, on my "Blog".
.....and as far as I am concerned, I feel more at ease already in several keys other than Eb - my transpose button is almost a thing of the past - but, as you will by now have realised.... for me ....
"it isn't all plain sailing, y'know."
I hope to be there next year.