It was a glorious Sunday morning in late-March, typical for that time of year. The "Flying Jazzman's" musicians were upstairs setting up in the Little Gem Saloon’s homey “Ramp Room” as my team of mentors arrived. This was our first ever New Orleans band workshop.
Strains of blues from the brunch downstairs would swell and then fade with each person who entered the room. Finally, when everyone was present, I signaled to Jan Nielsen, the bandleader. He understood that the stage was his and it was time to get to work.
Leroy Jones and Roland Guerin arrive to join me for our band workshop while our guests from Denmark get set up on the stage.
When they started to play for us, it was obvious that each of Jan’s band members shared his passion for New Orleans music. Sure, we would have plenty to work on for the rest of the day. But their enthusiasm was a great place to start.
Read on to see the rest of a fabulous day with our friends from Denmark and see what our workshops entail.
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Our Workshop Format
First, our guests perform a short set for us. After a few songs, a brief assessment helps us learn the things they want to work on most.
Shannon Powell and Leroy Jones (seated) listen to our guests.
Then, my team of mentor-musicians and I perform a couple of selections.
From left to right: David Torkanowsky, Evan Christopher, Brian Seeger, Leroy Jones, Shannon Powell, and Roland Guerin. Here's how we do things in New Orleans!
Through an open discussion of their experiences, valuable insights about performing the traditional music of New Orleans are shared.
David Torkanowsky shares some tips about how the rhythm section works together in a New Orleans ensemble.
Next, we split up for some one-on-one instruction. The Little Gem Saloon is a large enough facility that each member of the guest ensemble has space for a private coaching session. This is an important aspect of the tradition that all these New Orleans masters recognize.
Søren Pedersen gets some tips about brush-work and New Orleans grooves from master drummer, Shannon Powell.
Jesper Riis, a professional trumpet-player and arranger in Denmark, talks shop with the great Leroy Jones.
After focusing on some individual skills, it's time to get back on the bandstand. For applying concepts of ensemble playing, the jam session format is the perfect model.
Our guests from Denmark jam with some of New Orleans finest musicians.
It's quite a workout. And, at this point, everyone’s more than ready to sit down for a lunch catered by Little Gem Saloon.
Little Gem Saloon serves a 3-course family-style meal for all of the workshop participants.
Time to Strut Your Stuff
Following lunch, the workshop concludes with a performance. The Flying Jazzman band decided to take advantage of the stage downstairs, which I personally prefer. It's elegant yet casual and perfect for acoustic music.
A two or three camera taping captures the set. The group gets all the raw footage. But we edit one complete song and include it with a short video of the workshop.
Our Danish friends were restricted from “working” so Little Gem Saloon wrote them a letter to specify that they were only coming for an educational workshop. Of course, for groups without permit concerns, such as bands in the U.S., your set can be open to the public!
Schedule Your Workshop
The workshop format is flexible. But for the most meaningful experience, we strongly encourage including the elements you just read about.
Every band is unique, so the conversation starts with writing to us. Tell us about your band and what you want to do together.
Read more about what's possible!
