Year Round Programs

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David Berkman, Pianist

"The people at the Vermont Jazz Center are some of the unsung heroes who create places for creative music to exist. Presenters like them are essential for the continuance of the music. I am extremely grateful for their work and I loved performing there!"
-David Berkman

Draa Hobbs, guitarist

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The Jazz Center believes in the concept of multi-generational combinations; jazz is a music that is based on passion, knowledge, intention and talent.

All ages are welcome!

To Register or for more information:
Please call 802-254-9088 or email Eugene

The VJC will resume its popular intergenerational ensemble program open to instrumentalists and vocalists over 12 years of age; these combo classes culminate in a student concert at the Jazz Center on December 5^th. Participants will be matched with regards to ability levels in combos of 4 to 7 musicians; their experience will be both challenging and rewarding. Additional ensembles will be added if necessary.

George Kaye will lead an intergenerational ensembles with a focus on learning material that is appropriate for their skill levels but that will challenge them to move forward. Participants will explore repertoire that includes styles from swing to cool, modal to bebop, ballads to fusion.

Instructor: George Kaye
When: Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Cost: $250

Latin Jazz Ensemble

Instructors Julian Gerstin (percussionist) and Eugene Uman (pianist, arranger) help participants develop skills while playing music that uses specific rhythms as their basis. Latin styles emphasized include Cuban Son, Rumba, Bolero and Cha cha cha, Brazilian Partido Alto, Samba Reggae, Bossa and Samba, plus Colombian Cumbia..

Instructors: Julian Gerstin (percussionist) and Eugene Uman (pianist, arranger)
When: Wednesdays, 4:00 – 5:30pm
Cost: $250

Women's Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Anna Patton will lead a vocal ensemble that will sing a cappella  arrangements of songs from the swing era as well as contemporary pieces in the same vein. The ensemble will work up arrangements from  groups like the Andrews Sisters and Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, focusing on blend and precision in close harmonies. We will also take  time to look at the chord progressions underlying the arrangements and develop some of the aural skills that go into harmonizing in the  jazz idiom. All vocal parts are welcome. Experience with sight singing is helpful but not required.

Instructor: Anna Patton
When: Tuesday, 5:30 – 7:00pm
Cost: $200

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5 Week Jazz Classes

Listening to Jazz

Bassist George Kaye is eager to encourage a new breed of jazz listeners by deconstructing and reconstructing the music with the participants to show the thought process involved in creating jazz.  He will illuminate the factors that define jazz, such as improvisation, swing and interaction by playing recordings and showing videos of the jazz masters in action.  George is a huge fan of Miles Davis and often uses examples of Davis’ various groups to reveal the magic that makes this music so enjoyable.  Kaye’s classes will be on Mondays from 5:30 to 7:00 and will begin on February 8^th.   He will offer two consecutive five-week sessions.

Instructor: George Kaye
When: Mondays, 5:30 – 7:00pm
Cost: $100
Class Size: 6 or more

Ear Training/ Aural Skills

A class for singers, instrumentalists, and curious listeners. Ear training is an intuitive yet analytical approach to harmonic interpretation and improvisation. We will learn to identify and sing intervals and chords, find the roots of chords, and recognize chord progressions. We will apply these skills to singing tricky melodies, harmonizing, and making up bass lines. We will aslo do harmonic detective work on a wide variety of recorded music, investigating what makes different styles of music distinctive. We will dabble in the art of stealing musical ideas. The only prerequisite skill is to be able to match pitches with your voice.

Instructor: Anna Patton
When: Tuesdays, 7:30pm
Cost: $100
Class Size: 6 or more

Private Instrumental and Vocal Instruction

The VJC also offers private lessons for the following instruments:

      INSTRUMENT - INSTRUCTOR

• Saxophone - Scott Mullett
• Bass - George Kaye
• Voice - Samirah Evans
• Vocal (Choral) - Anna Patton
• Guitar - Draa Hobbs
• Trumpet - Steve Sonntag
• Drums - Claire Arenius and Jon Fisher
• Piano - Eugene Uman

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Jam Sessions

The Vermont Jazz Center was recently awarded “Best Jam” session in New England by Yankee Magazine- come find out why!

We believe that the missing feature in jazz education today is the venerable tradition of the Jam Session. Stories such as Charlie Parker's epiphany at the Reno Club in Kansas City (where Jo Jones reputedly threw a cymbal at his feet!) abound and attest to the importance of the jam session as an educational tool. The jam session was the place where jazz masters in their early years gained an understanding of the language of jazz.

Recently hi-lighted on Vermont Public Radio, the jam sessions are a way for musicians to get to know one another and to try out techniques and tunes that they are studying in a real-world environment with supportive listeners and encouraging peers. We ask for a modest $3.00 donation from listeners and players alike.

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