2024 Detroit Jazz Workshop

The DJW, created in 2008, is a week-long day workshop in July designed to teach jazz to anyone interested, no matter the age, background, experience, or instrument. Through classes and clinics in jazz theory, composition, improvisation to master-classes from guest-clinicians, students receive a well-rounded, fun, education in jazz. Besides classroom learning, students play and rehearse in combos, designed to teach teamwork. As performers and educators, the faculty and staff strongly believe in passing along the tradition of jazz, while at the same time, encouraging creativity and free expression, helping students move forward to a point where they can achieve the goals that they set for themselves. Whether these goals are modest or if they want to push themselves to the highest level of instrumental or vocal mastery in jazz, or anywhere in between, the faculty and students pursue and explore possibilities, and enjoying the process.

Our 14th annual workshop, the second in-person workshop since COVID, was a tremendous success. Students of all ages came together for a week to learn with Detroit Jazz masters, obtaining useful skills in music. Great masterclasses from MSU guitar instructor Randy Napoleon, Toledo multi-instrumentalist Gene Parker, and University of Toledo percussionist, Olman Piedra.

Students performed on the Monday and Tuesday at Aretha's Jazz Cafe, demonstrating all of the wisdom that they learned throughout the week.