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CENTRAL, SC – Jazz, improvisation and the joy of music will be the name of the game when Southern Wesleyan University hosts its all-ages, all-levels Summer Jazz Program, June 23-27. The Summer Jazz Program will feature saxophonist Doug Norwine, a renowned player known for his improvisational ability and his numerous studio credits; anyone tuned into American popular culture in the last 20 years can almost certainly hum one of his riffs.
“I live for this kind of situation and I can’t wait to get to Central,” said Norwine. “I love playing, I love teaching and I love seeing beginning musicians getting better, not to mention hearing more seasoned players sharpening their chops. This is going to be a ton of fun.”
For any player that has ever wanted to learn how the pros improvise on the spot, this is a golden opportunity to watch Norwine, one of the best in the business, and to get firsthand advice on how to get more comfortable with the theory, and practice, of improvisation. Upon arrival students will be auditioned in a pressure free atmosphere and placed into combos that reflect the average ability of each member. Throughout the week there will be master classes on more formal techniques, as well as on improvisational techniques, based on level, and combo practices where the students apply the concepts of the different classes they are attending.
Norwine will also be featured during a special clinician lecture time, where he and the other musicians will tell about themselves and field questions. Each night the featured musicians will also play the tunes the program attendees are working on themselves so they can hear how the pros handle the charts. A CD will be provided at the end of the week for all participating kids.
“We’re thrilled to have Doug headlining this year’s program,” said Greg Day, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Southern Wesleyan. “He’s a pro’s pro, has a genius ear and his scorching improvisations are the stuff of the dreams of anyone who’s ever played an instrument.”
The public is invited to FREE short concerts at SWU on Wednesday and Thursday nights, June 24 and 25, at approximately 7:15 p.m., and a program concert featuring the participants of the SWU Summer Jazz Program on Saturday, June 27, at approximately 10:30 a.m.
The public is welcome to come out to observe classes during the week.
ABOUT DOUG NORWINE:
Among the many credits that Norwine has under his belt, the one that seems to be the most popular and enduring is that of Lisa Simpson’s baritone sax, and that of her deceased mentor "Bleeding Gums" Murphy on evergreen FOX television series, The Simpsons – Doug’s playing is also featured on The Simpson's Sing The Blues and The Simpson's Yellow Album.
Doug has maintained a busy schedule as an in-demand studio musician in Los Angeles for the last two decades, and then some. He has been heard on the soundtracks of shows like Roseanne, Full House, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Rugrats, Suddenly Susan, The Tonight Show, Family Ties, Will and Grace, West Wing, General Hospital and Frasier, among the many. His film credits include JFK, True Lies, Ten Things I Hate About You and Fright Night, which are just a few of his gigs while a staff musician for major motion-picture companies including Touchstone, Universal, Warner Bros, Fox, Paramount, and Sony.
Another dimension to this multi-faceted artist is his extensive recording and touring credits with some of the biggest names in jazz and pop music. Doug has been a soloist on numerous recordings with such artists as Chaka Khan, Melissa Manchester, The Four Tops, Ray Charles, Maureen McGovern, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and, in addition to his studio work, has performed and toured with many famous artists such as Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, Tony Bennett and Harry Connick, Jr.Other jazz artists coming to the SWU Summer Jazz Program includes studio trombonist Wes Funderburk, from Atlanta; respected teacher and trumpet player Pat Harbison from Indiana University, and Stockton Helbing from Denton, TX on drums. The clinic will also feature a selection of local musicians.
Program and registration information is available by calling Greg Day at (864) 644-5414, or by emailing gday@swu.edu.
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