Kuumbwa Jazz Camp
Kuumbwa’s Jazz Camp is back in 2025 – in partnership with Cabrillo College’s Summer Youth Program – and registration is now open!
For over 25 years Kuumbwa’s Jazz Camp has been a destination for dedicated student musicians, grades 8-12, to learn about the thrilling creativity and limitless possibilities of jazz. Featuring nine days of collaboration, learning, and listening, this camp covers all aspects of jazz theory and appreciation, and will help students grow as musicians. Students will receive one-on-one and group instruction by professional music educators. The camp will focus on developing musicianship skills for live performance, basic improvisation, soloing, phrasing, collaboration, and music theory. Jazz Camp will culminate with a performance at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on June 27th.
All students should know at least three major scales and have experience with their instrument. In addition, guitarists and pianists should have the ability to read standard chord symbols and know their triads. Drummers should be familiar with standard jazz rhythms.
Scholarships/financial aid is available! Questions about Jazz Camp or scholarship opportunities? Contact Brian Fitzgerald.
Dates: June 16th – June 27th, 2024
Session Options: 9 AM – 12 PM (Grades 8-9), 11 AM – 2 PM (Grades 10-12)
Location: Cabrillo College VAPA room 5156
Cost: $380 through May 31, $395 beginning June 1 *scholarship opportunities available
Registration: Grades 8-9
Registration: Grades 10-12
Questions about Jazz Camp or scholarship opportunities? Contact Brian Fitzgerald.
Books Required:
8–9 Grades: Real Easy Book volume 1, Sher Music Co.
10–12 Grades: Preferred book: Real Book, 6th Edition, Hal Leonard (any Real Book edition is acceptable, if already owned, for 10th–12th grades)
Recommended: iReal Book Pro
Optional Books:
Drummers in grades 8 – 9: Musical Time by Ed Soph
Drummers in grades 10 – 12: The Art of Bop Drumming by John Riley
Guitarists in grades 8 – 9: Complete Jazz Guitar Method: Beginning by Jody Fisher
Guitarists in grades 10 – 12: Complete Jazz Guitar Method: Intermediate Jazz Guitar by Jody Fisher
The Jazz Camp Scholarship Fund is made possible by donations from our local business community and our year round education programs are made possible by generous donations from our many contributors, both individuals and businesses, ands well as Foundations and Agencies: David & Lucile Packard Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Brian and Patti Herman Donor Advised Fund at CFSCC, David and Abigail Kaun Donor Advised Fund at CFSCC, Kathy Ferraro, Judy Boemer, and the Bill Graham Memorial Fund. Thank you – your support made it possible for us to grant all scholarship requests for the 2019 Jazz Camp.