Free jazz class starts Wednesday

A free seminar in jazz history — for everyone!

Veteran saxophonist and local educator Bennett Friedman will teach a free four-part course that demystifies jazz, offering an historical overview and musical insight into compositional forms, improvisation and the nature of jazz’s essential pulse, swing.

The classes will outline the history and introduce ways of listening to the music and the great artists that shaped the art form. By using recordings and live demonstrations this class will be an enjoyable journey into the world of jazz.

These four classes are the perfect introduction for casual listeners looking to understand how jazz works and how the music evolved throughout the 20th century.

They will be four 2-hour classes, on consecutive Wednesdays from 6 - 8 pm. They will be held at the Healdsburg High School Band Room, on the HHS campus (1024 Prince St. at Powell Ave). Admission is FREE. If you plan on attending please RSVP to info@healdsburgjazzfestival.org

There are four classes, one weekly until July 12. The first one (Wednesday, June 22) is about the foundations of jazz.

June 22: Foundations of Jazz

This class starts at the beginning, exploring jazz’s origins in the blues, funeral marches, and popular songs of the early 20th century. Friedman explores early jazz styles that develop in New Orleans and Chicago, and the emergence of the music’s most influential star, Louis Armstrong, who radically shifted jazz’s focus from group improvisation to a soloist’s art form. By close listening to classic recordings, Friedman illustrates what sets jazz apart, and how to follow an improvised solo.

Other classes will include:

• June 29: Swing to Bop
• July 6: The 1950s
• July 13: Coltrane and Beyond