CMC Sessions: Traditions Moving Forward

Make musical discoveries with faculty from Community Music Center as they explore their methods, approaches, and creative practices in adapting musical traditions to inspire and guide the musicians of tomorrow. CMC Sessions: Traditions Moving Forward showcases the talents of faculty from the CMC Cultural Traditions and Piano Departments who represent diverse classical and non-classical traditions in workshops and presentations. The online workshops will use video, audio, and lecture-demonstrations to illustrate the faculty members' influences and the musical education that shaped them, highlighting how their traditions impact their teaching and performing at CMC. Their personal stories illustrate the breadth of talent and creativity in CMC's faculty.

Meet these talented and inspiring faculty:

• January 13 Jennifer Peringer A CMC Teacher’s Musical Journey of Multicultural Explorations, Creative Expression, and Community Engagement
• January 27 Larry Dunn How Jump Swing Influenced My Music Making
• February 10 Tregar Otton Classical Foundations, Popular and Traditional Performance and Pedagogy
• February 24 Omar Ledezma Jr. The Music of Pacific Mambo Orchestra: A Percussionist’s Perspective
• March 10 Jon Jang One Day American, One Day Alien: Black & Brown Artists Who Made the National Anthem Their Own
• March 24 Evelyn Davis Beginning Improvisation
• June 9 Joshua Saulle Vocal Traditions and Choral Innovations
• June 16 Michaela Overall Teaching and Supporting the Neurodiverse Piano Student
• June 23 Lilia Zheltova Traditions of the Russian Piano School and Their Implementation in Today’s American Teaching
• June 30 Martha Rodríguez-Salazar Bridging Cultures and Creating Communities: How My Binational Experience Shaped My Musical Perspectives.

Larry Dunn, How Jump Swing Influenced My Music Making

January 27, 2022 at 7pm (PT)

Larry Dunn came from a family of music lovers and grew up listening to the LPs and 78s of Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Illinois Jacquet, Art Tatum, Nat Cole Trio, and many of the jazz swing greats of that era. This, in large part, was the foundation of his musical life, and was built upon and refined over the years. As he grew as a songwriter and musician, he borrowed heavily from those traditions. Charlie Christian became a big influence on his playing and the music of Big Joe Turner, Count Basie, and Louis Jordan became his musical neighborhood, forming the touchstone as Larry took his place in the jump swing revival of the 1990s, writing, performing, and recording songs in this style. Larry will talk about the history of this music that began and flourished in the ‘40s. He’ll play recordings of his songs that owe more than a tip of the hat to the jump swing era and talk about the ‘90s jump blues swing scene.

This event will be conducted online via video conferencing. RSVP to receive the link to join, emailed prior to the start of the discussion.

People who are interested in this workshop can dive deeper by exploring private lessons and group classes and ensembles.

Bio:

Larry has recorded for Warner Bros., Rounder, and Rhino record companies. He has written, recorded, and produced 7 indie CDs. As a published songwriter he has had music placed in film and television, MUZAK, Pandora, and been recorded by other artists and included on compilation CDs. Larry has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and with his group Rhythm Sheiks played many of the live music venues in San Francisco and Bay Area during the ‘90s.