Positively good vibes on the scene…

Life is actually pretty positively brutal for everyone

And it can really positively suck pretty bad

Unless you positively choose to make it different

Music allows me to positively be involved

In mostly constructive things

Teaching, practicing, playing

Studying, writing, recording

Only positively good vibes come from

Such a positively pure pursuit to learn music

If the Internet were not here

No one would positively know that I am – artistically

That would positively not change who I am though

Have been on this path positively too long

Being positive and positively making something

Positive happen can positively become a life’s habit

Don’t let the negative spirits in your home and sanctuary

And positively don’t entertain these in passing on the street

A man/woman is indeed what he/she positively thinks

Solve problems in the most positive way – it’s infectious

Positively works from what I have seen in 50+ years

And truly, our sincerest condolences go out to the entire Alaadeen family and his numerous other colleagues and friends.

Alaadeen actually became my best friend in Kansas City during the first 5 years that I was back home. I still also consider him to have been one, among my greatest non-relative mentors. He is, therefore, naturally included among those people who have been significant toward my positive development at the various stages in my life and career. This company of mentors and teachers includes many great people, many of whom also became my friends. You don’t get anywhere in life without good people like:  James R. Fuchs, Charles Molina, Nevada Rosbia, Fred “Caruso” Jones, Marcus A. Hampton, Willie J. Driffin, Larry E. Bennett, Charles E. Heintz, Jr., O’tress L. Tandy, Sr., Ralph Jay Nelson, Bob Cowan, Leon A. Brady and of course, Alaadeen.

Perhaps, considering that I am now middle aged myself, Alaadeen is likely among the last few significant adulthood mentors that I will encounter during the remainder of my life in this form.

1997 LEBLANC BELL MAGAZINE FEATURE OF BURNETT MUSIC COMPANY, INC. (1995-2000) | St. Robert, MO

In the winter of 2000, our family music store business was taking its last corporate gasps and we knew that it would not be long before that chapter would be over for us. Since we had started the business immediately after concluding a 22-year active duty military bands career, it had served as our reasons for remaining in the small rural community just outside of the main gate to our last military post. With the closing of our music store, we looked for places to live where I could resume professional performing, recording and teaching activities, unimpeded and in earnest. We didn’t know if we’d stay in the Midwest or go to the East Coast. I was already familiar with the St. Louis scene, but preferred Kansas City as a city – probably since I was originally from the KC area. No offense to my good friends who live there and love it, but I personally didn’t like St. Louis as a city.

I didn’t want to live on the east coast at that point in our family life. So, I started checking into what was going on musically in Kansas City as much as I could from long distance via the Internet. Not many professional musicians were using the Internet back then, so the samples of what was happening were not as good as they are now. But, I found Alaadeen’s music on the Internet while searching to get an idea of what the jazz scene in Kansas City was like.

I heard Alaadeen’s music and knew that I could learn from him. I was 45 years old then, and coming into this very artistically creative point in my life and career. Since I had retired from military service with a pension, I wasn’t even remotely interested in doing music as a commercial product to play as background in a restaurant or bar.

With Alaadeen before the debut performance of Bobby Watson's "18th & Vine Big Band" at the Gem Theater in Kansas City - KC STAR NEWS

Making a start in a new city as a jazz musician is tougher than tough – no matter how good you are. Then, when you add the fact that we are talking about being a saxophone player in Charlie Parker‘s town, this escalates that dynamic exponentially. I had some unrealistic perceptions of what being a jazz musician would be like outside of the military bands when I first came back home to be based out of Kansas City. I learned a lot of how it really is out here for most jazz musicians from observing what Alaadeen did and by asking him direct questions.

I still recall telephoning, speaking with his wife, Fanny and making an appointment to meet with Alaadeen shortly after we had moved back home to be based out of Kansas City. And, I recall bringing music I was working on, a copy of my “Time Flies” CD, some cassette tape recordings of my playing; as well as my instruments to the interview for potential study with Alaadeen.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by his wife’s smiling face and escorted to Alaadeen’s music room in the left wing of their home in Overland Park. He listened to my recordings, he listened to me play a couple of prepared things, and he played some changes for me to improvise over. After about two hours, he said: “Okay, what do you want from me?” To those who knew him, that is quintessential, Alaadeen. I looked at him and said that I knew that I could play, but there were things in my playing that I wanted to free up. And, when I told him that I was sure that he could hear that too, it brought a smile to his face and the statement for me to “be here on Wednesday and we’ll work some things out together”…

DRUM ROOM: ALAADEEN, Cb, and DAVID BASSE | Photo by Fanny Dunfee

Mostly, Alaadeen didn’t give me any direct answers, but really made me think through the particular query to the end and come to my own conclusions – musically or otherwise. I thank him most for that. He told me that I came to him as an already formed mature artist and what he could show me was how to be the best student of the music that I could be.

Alaadeen treated me like a peer, although he was old enough to be my father – literally; and, Fanny said many times that he considered me a musical son. I came to Kansas City to engage professional performance opportunities. Not necessarily in terms of making a living doing music because artistic musical efforts are rarely rewared in that context. But, I was looking for the opportunity to engage this music in a place where the heritage of the music runs legitimately deep.

GETTING IT FIRST HAND FROM THE SOURCE: Standing between Alaadeen (tenor sax) and Jack Lightfoot (trumpet) in the CLO was a finishing school in the art of that "deep groove" of Kansas City swing...

Beyond the normal hyper-competitiveness that is inherent to the jazz music scene anywhere, Kansas City was really difficult to get some career momentum established when I first got here. I’d go to jam session after jam session to meet people and network. I found that there were not many listening rooms at all in the city. And, that for me getting into that rotation would likely take 20 years of the “just-being-here-long-enough-for-people-to-get-used-to-you-and-know-you” dues that I didn’t have left to pay at that point in life.

My brother, Richie Pratt told me that the 5 years it took me to finally start getting “leader” gigs in Kansas City, would have taken 10 or 15 years to achieve in New York during the hey day years of his tenure working on that scene. Alaadeen did not necessarily wield his considerable influence in my favor, but made me stand on my own merits because that is the way it is supposed to be in this type of paradigm. In military bands, we never had to worry about having gigs to play. But, ultimately, I have finally learned that we all have to make our own scene and there is rarely room for new band leaders within established circles outside of the military band world. My first regular gig was at the historic Drum Room in Kansas City and the Alaadeens came to my first gig there, showing support of the honest dues I had paid to get there…

Nonetheless, I believe that my association with Alaadeen helped introduce me to certain people on the scene here who otherwise would not have given me opportunity of such consideration at all.

2007 CHARLIE PARKER TRIBUTE | MUSICIANS - Horace Washington, David Basse, Stanton Kessler, Dan Jaffe, Bobby Watson, Kevin Greg, Loren Pickford, Chris Burnett, Alaadeen, and Mike Corrigan (yes, bagpipes!). Photo by Fanny Dunfee.

After a couple of years knowing him, Alaadeen and I mainly would hang out at his house at least once a week, listening to music and talking about musical issues. We practiced together a lot back then too. We stopped hanging out in 2007 when our schedules and paths went in different directions for some reason. Although we didn’t interact as much in recent years, those “hangs” are the times that I missed most when I look back upon our friendship and fraternity.

I was glad to have gotten to see and spend some time with him before he moved on. I wished he could have heard how much my flute playing has matured. And, I totally agree with Fanny’s statement on that same day when she said: “He taught all of us a whole lot, Chris…” Yes, indeed, a lot of useful things, not just things dealing with musical issues…

Today, I will go to pay my last respects to his positive spirit. Part of him remains with me and numerous others.

Peace Alaadeen, peace my friend – well done, sir!

You may have noticed that there are several Kansas City Youth Jazz (KCYJ) “12:30 Combo” performances listed on my itinerary on the Home page, as well as on the calendar on the Performance page here on site.

kCYJ @KANSAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION

This is pretty cool, especialy when you consider that the “12:30 Combo” is only in its third semester of existance as a formal ensemble class offered by the Kansas City Youth Jazz program. It says a lot of positive things about both, the quality of our students and of great platform provided to metro area youth by the KCYJ program. Students not only learn the technical aspects that make up an enjoyable jazz performance, they learn to integrate their musical talents within the context of day to day life by performing for others in public.

The KCYJ organization gets numerous requests for the students to participate in public events throughout the metro area and beyond. This past Spring, KCYJ was invited to the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 6th Annual Next Generation Festival. So, not only does public performance help validate KCYJ students’ learning of material covered during the semester, it can also provide a positive service to community at large in this context.

Mr.Burnett and some of KCYJ "1230 Combo" members | Photo by Joe Sands

Following are details for a couple of the community and professional service organization events that KCYJ students were asked to formally contribute their musical talents. Way to go KCYJ…

FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010 at 7PM

Kansas Bandmasters Association 2010 Summer Convention: Kansas City Youth Jazz “Reno Band” (Leon Brady) and “12:30 Combo” (Chris Burnett) performing at Kansas Bandmasters Convention at Wichita, KS

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS

The Kansas Bandmasters Association presents the very finest association of experienced and successful instrumental music educators dedicated to working within the organization to mentor each other and new additions to the community.

The rich heritage of Kansas Music Education is preserved in our organization when names like Dilley, Foster, Barnes, Markovich, Tracz, Betton, Hewitt, Molina, Fuchs, Elsass with hundreds of others have contributed to making Kansas Bands among the most respected in America.

TRADITION

Founded at the Ramada Inn in Manhattan in 1972 and 1973, the Kansas Bandmasters sought to find a community of like minds who would assemble to assist each other in the growth and development of bands in Kansas. The CONVENTION has a great tradition of getting directors AND THEIR FAMILIES together in a comfortable and affordable location where they share in clinics, concerts, rehearsals and reading sessions. Evenings provide informal sessions by the pool, concerts by our outstanding Kansas Community Bands and opportunities for families to share in the close-knit kinship of directors from school districts, universities, private studios and the amazing wealth of knowledge shared by our retired directors.

VIDEO: Why Music Matters – Jack Stamp

GUEST ARTISTS

KBA tries to bring the very best EDUCATORS to the convention to share with our membership. This summer, the convention will include: James Barnes, Scott Watson, Mary Watson, Daniel Kirk, Doug Auwater, The Independence City Band with Don Farthing, The Marshall’s Band with Clifford Manning and MORE! The Kansas All-Collegiate Jazz Band, YOUNG TEACHER PANEL, KSHSAA State Required Band Music READING BAND, Pep and Marching Band reading session, Jazz by the Pool, SMART music lab setting, The Outstanding Band Master Award…and more!

ALSO SEE:

Kansas Bandmasters Association website | http://www.kansasbandmasters.org

—

SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2010 at 1:30PM and 2:30PM

Unity in the Community’s 2010 SUMMER IN THE CITY: The Kansas City Youth Jazz “12:30 Combo” directed by Chris Burnett will perform at this Unity in the Community fundraiser event on Saturday, July 24. Performance times are 1:30 to 2:00 and approximately 2:30 to 3:00.

UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY is the Midwest’s newest most innovative community organization. UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY provides a broad spectrum of services to our clients. Our experienced team offers a proven track record of developing and executing strategic, value-added programs that focus on delivering measurable results.

OUR PROGRAMS

UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY’s comprehensive programs are designed to assist the families of those incarcerated and to prepare and assist individuals transitioning back into society. UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY seeks to include many community partners: corrections, parole, businesses, workforce development agencies, elected officials, landlords, mental and medical health providers, victim services, formerly incarcerated individuals, neighborhoods, faith & community-based organizations.

UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY offers the following:

PROJECT H.I.K.E. ™ (Helping Inmates Kids Excel) provides the children of the incarcerated ages 4 to 18 years old with mentors; and also to provide them with outlets to develop into positive and productive adults. Through a Mentoring Children of Prisoners grant kids will be matched with mentors.

YOUTH ENTRPRENEURSHIP CAMPwill provide middle and high school students with exposure to entrepreneurship at its best. This week long camp will develop its best talent into a 4-H Entrepreneurship Club. The 2009 camp was held July 13-17, 2009, and is scheduled for July 12-16, 2010.

OUR MOTTO

The motto of UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY, INCORPORATED, is “Restoration through Spiritual Transformation”.

ALSO SEE:

Unity in the Community website | http://www.mounity.org/

Ever-proud parents with our daughter Lorri after her graduation from the Unversity of New Mexico

I think that most parents with adult children could write a similar paragraph as I did above. I know that my own parents could have done so at this relative point in their lives as parents.   And, to those reading this who can and perhaps do relate to these words, I hope that you are as thankful for being able to as I am. I have ultimately learned as much as I taught, grown as much as I grew, and have become a better person because of our two children – both, individually and collectively.

But, this is likely the most compressed period of major milestones so far in my adult life. First, beginning with our son’s graduation from the University of Texas at Austin in December 2009; and, culminating in our daughter graduating from the University of New Mexico and being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force a few days ago in May 2010. Happy? Hell yeah! Proud? Hell yeah too!

I guess I am so happy about this family milestone because it covers the only major area that I was insistent upon our children doing – getting a 4-year college degree from a good school.  And, in keeping with a time honored and generational tradition among the Burnett and Anderson families, each child fulfilled their parental mandate in due time.  I guess I felt the last remaining bits of nurturing-parental-anxieties melt away upon witnessing our youngest child graduate college.

We have now finally graduated to the concerns of parents/grandparents who are engaged in that next phase of family life.  We have turned over the nurturing duties primarily to our children’s generation.  And the cool thing about this fact is that I am confident that both of our children are capable and are ready to assume leadership roles in that capacity…

Our son graduated from the University of Texas at Austin | VIDEO: "Horns Up!"

Our son completed his degree at the University of Texas at Austin, after serving our country and becoming a highly decorated soldier during a time of war.  I served in the military bands – during peace time.  This guy is my hero.  Our daughter most recently completed her degree from the University of New Mexico, where she was under a full Air Force ROTC Scholarship.  This lady is our family’s first Commissioned Officer.  SALUTE!

University of New Mexico 2010 Commencement

Terri nor I attended any of the classes that contributed to our children getting their respective degrees in Economics and Psychology.   But, we have our own personal form of “peace” in knowing the general facts about the advantages of the average person having a 4-year degree versus not having one.  Hopefully, more great opportunities continue for our adult children in their lives and careers.  I hope that they have as much fun and joy as I am having and have had…

How a College Degree Pays for Itself: Financial Costs and Long-term Benefits

By Wendy Croix
Of the 699 people on Angelfire’s “noted high school and elementary school dropout” list, 18 are billionaires. American entrepreneur Jim Clark, founder of “Netscape” and the first Internet billionaire dropped out at 17 to join the Navy. John Travolta, Charlize Theron, and Quentin Tarantino have done just fine without a high school diploma, too. In fact, for all educational groups below the bachelor’s degree, the median income exceeds the mean or average–which means that some people succeed dramatically with little formal education.

Many people trust their luck, rolling the dice with their futures and playing the long shot like the super-achievers above. Others play the odds and bet on education.

Granted, the last few years have seen a drop in real earnings for holders of bachelor’s and associate’s degrees, thanks to the impact of inflation on wages. A degree isn’t a guarantee. Still, undergraduate degrees remain excellent investments, and gains by those with advanced degrees have been staggering. According to 2003 Census Bureau statistics:

• Associate’s degree holders average $8,000 a year more than their high school educated friends.
• Workers with bachelor’s degrees make nearly $23,300 more a year than high school graduates.
• Master’s degree holders average $11,300 more a year than bachelor’s degree holders.
• Professionals with doctorates have annual incomes $37,265 higher than workers with bachelor’s degrees.

The following estimates put ballpark figures on the possible costs and benefits from investing in various college degrees. The calculations use recent Census statistics–the biggest economic picture painted with the broadest possible strokes–to provide two frequently used measures of value:

• The Net Present Value (NPV) of a degree indicates the total value today of the projected income gains after the cost of getting the degree is deducted. The greater the NPV, the better the educational investment. Any NPV greater than zero means that the educational investment pays for itself.
• The Future Value (FV) measures the degree’s total net payoff 40 years down the road, assuming a 40-year career span unless otherwise noted.

Both the NPV and FV calculations are based on averages drawn from the more realistic of the government’s two income profiles. Thus, these numbers reflect the economic fortunes of all workers, not just those who worked year round. Using these statistics takes into account the link between both underemployment and unemployment and lack of education.

[read complete article here]

With our youngest member of the next generation of college graduates

So, considering everything in our lives so far, Terri and I also feel like we finally graduated too …

ABOUT REAL BOOKS

KCYJ Combo Students will need to have their own copy of the Real Book, Volume 1, 6th Edition (Hal Leonard Publishing) in their personal library from this point forward.  We will essentially use these books as reference resources to melody lines and chord changes used in some of the standard jazz compositions selected for performance and study.

In addition to the Real Books, there are now Play-A-Long CDs available for many of the compositions found in the Real Book. The Play-A-Long CDs feature professional Rhythm Section Players performing the compositions. This is similar to the Aebersold concept, so it is a good source of learning for both, Horn Players and the Rhythm Section instrumentalists in the 12:30 Combo.

The Play-A-Long CDs work for all versions of the Real Book. However, there are four specific versions of the Real Book.  Choose the version that suits the instrument(s) you play:

• C version – Piano, Guitar, Flute, Oboe, Vibes
• Bb version - Trumpet, Flugel Horn, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet
• Eb version – Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
• Bass Clef version – Bass, Trombone, Tuba, Bassoon

You can get these from most any music store in the Kansas City metro area for around $20 each, or use the links to buy them at Amazon.com online.

SPECIFIC VERSIONS OF THE “REAL BOOK” VOL. 1

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION FROM THE PUBLISHER – The Real Book: Sixth Edition.  The Real Books are the best-selling jazz books of all time. Since the 1970s, musicians have trusted these volumes to get them through every gig, night after night. The problem is that the books were illegally produced and distributed without any copyrights or royalties paid to the master composers who created these musical canons.

Hal Leonard is very proud to present the first legitimate and legal editions of these books ever produced. The covers look the same, the engravings look the same, the songlist is nearly identical, and the price remains fair even on a musician’s salary!  But every conscientious musician and music store owner will appreciate that these books are now produced legally and ethically, benefitting the songwriters that we owe for some of the greatest music ever written!

400 songs, including: All Blues * Au Privave * Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) * Black Orpheus * Bluesette * Body and Soul * Bright Size Life * Con Alma * Dolphin Dance * Don’t Get Around Much Anymore * Easy Living * Epistrophy * Falling in Love with Love * Footprints * Four * Four on Six * Giant Steps * Have You Met Miss Jones? * How High the Moon * I’ll Remember April * Impressions * Lullaby of Birdland * Misty * My Funny Valentine * Oleo * Red Clay * Satin Doll * Sidewinder * Stella by Starlight * Take Five * There Is No Greater Love * Wave * and more!

REAL BOOK PLAY-A-LONG CD SETS

Now available: play-along CDs to some of the most popular songs featured in the world-famous Real Books.

Each volume features selections sorted alphabetically from the 6th edition. Instrumentalists can play-along with a real rhythm section professionally recorded for these products.

PLAY-A-LONG CD (TITLES A - D)

Volume 1 A-D includes 60 songs: Agua De Beber (Water to Drink) * Airegin * All Blues * All of Me * All the Things You Are * Alright, Okay, You Win * Anthropology * April in Paris * Au Privave * Autumn in New York * Autumn Leaves * Bewitched * Black Coffee * Black Orpheus * Blue in Green * Bluesette * Body and Soul * Boplicity (Be Bop Lives) * Bright Size Life * But Beautiful * Cherokee (Indian Love Song) * Confirmation * Desafinado * Django * Donna Lee * and more!

PLAY-A-LONG CD (TITLES E - K)

Volume 1 E-K includes 60 songs: Easy to Love (You’d Be So Easy to Love) * Epistrophy * Falling in Love with Love * A Fine Romance * Footprints * Four on Six * Freddie Freeloader * Giant Steps * God Bless’ the Child * Hello, Young Lovers * How High the Moon * How Insensitive (Insensatez) * I’ll Remember April * I’m Beginning to See the Light * Impressions * In a Sentimental Mood * In the Mood * Isn’t It Romantic? * It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) * and more.

PLAY-A-LONG CD (TITLES L - R)

Volume 1 L-R includes 60 songs: Lady Sings the Blues * Like Someone in Love * Little Boat * Lullaby of Birdland * Lush Life * Maiden Voyage * Meditation (Meditacao) * Misty * My Favorite Things * My Foolish Heart * My Funny Valentine * My Romance * My Way * Nardis * A Night in Tunisia * Oleo * Ornithology * Paper Doll * Prelude to a Kiss * Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) * Red Clay * and more.

PLAY-A-LONG CD (TITLES S - Z)

Volume 1 S-Z includes 60 songs: Satin Doll * Sidewinder * So Nice (Summer Samba) * So What * Solitude * Some Skunk Funk * Song for My Father * Stella by Starlight * A String of Pearls * The Surrey with the Fringe on Top * Take Five * Take the “A” Train * Thou Swell * Waltz for Debby * Wave * When I Fall in Love * Yesterdays * You’re Nobody ’til Somebody Loves You * and more.

WE STUDY MUSIC THEORY – ALWAYS …

In order to perform and improvise jazz music, each musician must understand how the music itself works.  This is termed, “music theory” in most contexts.  Here is a very good description of what music theory is from an online encyclopedia called Wikipedia:

Music theory is the field of study that deals with how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures found in composers’ techniques, across or within genres, styles, or historical periods. In a grand sense, music theory distills and analyzes the fundamental parameters or elements of music – rhythm, harmony (harmonic function), melody, structure, form, texture, etc. Broadly, music theory may include any statement, belief, or conception of or about music. People who study these properties are known as music theorists. Some have applied acoustics, human physiology, and psychology to the explanation of how and why music is perceived.

MUSICTHEORY.NET

MusicTheory.net is a great site to study music theory online for free.  Check it out by clicking the picture below…

MUSICTHEORY.NET | Classic and New versions are cool ...

MATERIALS FOR JAZZ STUDENTS

Some members of the KANSAS CITY YOUTH JAZZ - 12:30 COMBO

The 12:30 Combo is the newest supplemental ensemble and is in its second semester of officially being offered at Kansas City Youth Jazz. Students learn jazz compositions, study improvisation techniques and practice bandstand management. Heavy emphasis is placed on jazz theory and work toward mastery of song forms. Enrollment is open to all students already participating in an existing KCYJ band and admission is based upon the approval of the instructor. Concert and performance selections will be taken from the compositions and repertoire material studied this semester.

SEMESTER TWO PERFORMANCE COMPOSITIONS
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1. Bags’ Groove (Milt Jackson)
2. Billie’s Bounce (Charlie Parker)
3. Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham)
4. Blues In A Closet (Oscar Pettiford)
5. Now’s The Time (Charlie Parker)
6. One By One (Wayne Shorter)
7. St. Thomas (Sonny Rollins)
8. Take The A-Train (Duke Ellington)
9. Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock)

KC Jazz Masters 2010 | Annual Fundraiser for KCYJ on May 2

KC Jazz Masters 2010

Kansas City Youth Jazz program began with one band and a handful of dedicated students and parents. It has since grown to 5 bands and 2 combos composed of over 100 students from over 50 different schools throughout greater Kansas City, including students from Fort Leavenworth, Lawrence, Lansing, Olathe, Raytown, Raymore-Peculiar, Lee’s Summit, Blue Valley, Blue Springs, Kansas City, MO, Independence, and Turner schools along with several students from Shawnee Mission and Kansas City, Kansas.

Masters of KC Jazz 2010 is next Sunday evening May 2nd at the Madrid Theatre!

Purchase your tickets today to support Kansas City Youth Jazz!

Photograph from the 2009 Fundraiser Concert that featured Will Matthews from the Count Basie Orchestra. Pictured: Clarence Smith (drs), Will Matthews (gtr), Joe Straws (bs), Jason Goudeau (tbn), and Chris Burnett (asx).

This year’s concert features many very talented Kansas City musicians, including Diverse, the award winning group from UMKC, Millie Edwards, the Jim Mair combo, David Basse, Mike White, Joe Straws and the KCYJ instructors, Leon Brady, Chris Burnett, Jason Goudeau, Stan Kessler, Greg Richter and Clarence Smith. Also making a special appearance is the KCYJ Reno Band, just back from two performances at the Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey, California.

Date: Sunday, May 2, 2010
Time: 7:00 to 9:30 PM
Where: The Madrid Theatre, 3810 Main Street, Kansas City, MO (map below)
This year’s hosts are Annie and Antwaun Smith

KCYJ 2010 Calendar

April
25 – KCYJ Spring Picnic
30 – Reno Band performance at the Folly with KC Jazz Orchestra

May
2 – Masters of KC Jazz Concert/Fundraiser
6 – Reno Band at the KC Jazz & Blues Film Premier
9 – Annual Spring Concert
15 – Summer registration and placement

June
5 – Summer session begins

July
3 – No classes or rehearsals
31 – Last summer rehearsal

August
1 – Summer Concert at Fairway Park
7 – Fall registration and placement
28 – Fall Saturday rehearsals begin
30 – Reno Band rehearsals begin

September
6 – Labor Day Weekend – NO classes

December
11 – Spring 2011 enrollment and placement

Kansas City Youth Jazz - GET INVOLVED !

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Monterey Jazz Festival | NeXt Generation Festival

The three-day event includes performances by middle school through college level ensembles as well as competitions, with awards going to the top groups for High School, Conglomerate, and College Big Band Divisions; for High School and College Vocal Ensembles; for High School Combos; and for our newest component, the Open Combo Division for high school conglomerate and college level ensembles. The event also includes Next Generation Jazz Festival’s annual Composition Competition, open to high school composers or younger. The top three high school big bands, top high school combo, top conglomerate big band, top college-level big band and vocal ensemble, top two high school vocal ensembles, and top Open Division combo will win cash awards and be invited to perform at the 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival presented by Verizon, September 17 – 19, 2010. In total, 10 groups from the Next Generation Festival will perform at 2010 MJF, with the top high school big band kicking off the Arena/Lyons Stage program on Sunday, September 19, 2010. Other selected groups will perform in the Night Club, the Garden Stage, and the Coffee House Gallery on the Grounds.

Auditions will also be held for chair positions in the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, which embarks on a summer tour and is a featured ensemble on the Festival’s Sunday afternoon (September 19, 2010) Arena/Lyons Stage program. For 2010 MJF, Dianne Reeves, MJF’s Artist-In-Residence for 2010, will perform as a guest vocalist with the NGJO.
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THE TOP BAND FROM THE KC YOUTH JAZZ PROGRAM WAS INVITED THIS YEAR.

… AND, I WAS INVITED TO GO ALONG AS A FACULTY CHAPERONE …

WE DEPART FRIDAY (APRIL 7, 2010)

KEEP UP WITH THE TRIP VIA MY BLACKBERRY PHOTO UPLOADS TO THIS ALBUM …

ALSO … Check the Kansas City Youth Jazz “official” Trip Blog for more cool content at … http://kcyj.tumblr.com/

Official KCYJ Trip Blog | http://kcyj.tumblr.com

Peace, Cb
http://BurnettMusic.com
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MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL:
http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2010/NGF/index10.php

KANSAS CITY YOUTH JAZZ:
http://KCYouthJazz.org

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