Hancock Institute Fellows Are Teaching A Virtual Jazz Summer Camp

SANTA MONICA, CA — Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA fellows are offering high school students the unique chance to study jazz music and its deep connection to the black experience in the U.S.

"I think music plays a significant role in comforting people and informing them as well," Malachi Whitson, Herbie Hancock Institute fellow and faculty member, told Patch. Whitson started playing drums at 7 years old and hasn't stopped since.

As protests against racism and calls for change against police brutality continue across the country, music and education can serve as a method for expression. Exploring history can be valuable, he said.

"I see this as an opportunity for students to learn and also to breathe and take it all in," Whitson told Patch. "We’ll have open discussions. I think music is really important to help people process everything that’s going on."

Students will get 1-1 time on Zoom led by the Class of 2020 students and jazz musicians from the Herbie Hancock Institute fellows, who perform together in a band.

"It's an excellent opportunity for people to continue learning and expanding their knowledge on jazz music. It provides music in a lot of different settings," Whitson told Patch. "We’re gonna be offering courses that get to the heart of improvisation and what’s going on in today’s world."

Talking about today's world is important for high school students, he said.

"I know they have a hard time just understanding everything that’s going on and how they can help and support it," Whitson said. "Expressing their grievances through art, they not only support the cause but allow you to process the way you need."

Music and expression might be something students need right now, he added.

"I feel like music gives them a voice," Whitson told Patch. "Music just gives you a voice. A lot of people have a way of expressing how they’re feeling, especially when they’re feeling powerless in moments like this. For me personally, that’s how it’s always been. "

Students can feel empowered, instead of powerless, he said.

"I think this program is an essential need, something that allows them the chance to express exactly how they feel, exactly how they want to without any kind of interference," Whitson told Patch. "Because art is a very personal form of expression and in this program, all the faculty is going to be here to express any feelings and ideas towards what is going on and I feel like they can use this as a chance to get their voice heard, how they need it to be heard."

Lenard Simpson, Herbie Hancock Institute fellow and faculty member, started playing saxophone at age 11. The alto saxophone player told Patch that the online camp is something that can help uplift students who might have had plans change this summer with the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home orders.

"That was sort of the bummer with COVID, you know, all these camps were getting canceled," Simpson told Patch. "Faculty members, we love teaching and we love giving back to the students but this is a unique opportunity to keep learning with music."

The idea for the camp started when a group wanted to start a jazz camp with the Herbie Hancock institute and include the fellows as teachers, he told Patch.

"I’m a student and each one of us is teaching and I think we’re going to do the first online jazz camp," Simpson said.

Although the camp is about music, there's much more to it, he added.

"It’s about music, but it’s about history, too, and the role that music plays," Simpson said. "Some people want to talk about it and some people don’t want to talk about it. I think the fact of the matter is this music has a history to it, like what we’re doing today."

Music tells a story, especially jazz, he said. And, it's important for people to share their diverse stories.

"It’s an opportunity that we have, that’s not like most people, this music has a beautiful different part of bridging different gaps, whether it’s race or gender," Simpson told Patch. "It’s a beautiful way to share music through the lens of history."

Music is healing, Simpson told Patch. And students need that, he added.

"This camp is going to be great, first, music is very healing and musicians we have a powerful voice throughout all this and just the world in general with the music that we bring," Simpson told Patch. "I think this camp will be good because it will allow us to touch other young kids' hearts, and get them inspired by music, and hopefully they take their identity and take it into the music and inspire other people and bring joy to their life."

"It’s going to be really cool to teach with my colleagues, who are my best friends," Simpson told Patch. "It’s been nothing but laughs, going on different trips, and we’ve grown so much together and this is how it starts."

Simpson has taught at several music camps around the world.

"Yes, I go for the students, but whenever I get to go back to teach I get to see all the colleagues that I taught with and we’re a family," he said. "We get to be a family for a week or two, but every time we come back it’s like nothing has changed."

The time spent learning is moment to step back, he added.

"It would be nice to just have a little four or five days of some joy and some peace," Simpson told Patch. "There's a lot going on right now and it can really bring you down but I think this is an opportunity to spread some love because love is powerful and music is very powerful."

It's really about inspiring students to set goals and go for it, he said.

"Everybody in this band we have put hours and hours and hours," Simpson said. "But I think that’s inspiring for young kids because it’s attainable. It’s always attainable. I’m sure all of us have a story of sitting in our rooms from sun up to sundown."

As a kid, Simpson preferred practicing music.

"I remember sitting in my room until 4 or 5 in the morning," Simpson told Patch. "I was not the normal kid."

"Because I wanted to be great, I wanted to play my instrument at a high craft," Simpson said. "At first when you’re younger some people think that’s weird or that’s not normal, but when you grow up you realize that’s inspiring. I think that’s inspiring for young kids because we’re not that much older than them."

"We all come in here bringing our own experiences at such a high level," Simpson said. "I respect and love everybody in the band. We’ve all been able to lift someone up."

Music is what helps connect them. He's hopeful students will be inspired beyond the music.

"If we get them into jazz music, great, if we help influence them as human beings, even better," Simpson said. "It’s a bonus if they say, ‘I want to play jazz music,' but it’s a bonus when I can help someone be the best person they can be."

Part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, the UCLA Summer Global Jazz Intensive Online program will be led by UCLA Global Jazz Studies faculty such as Arturo O'Farrill and taught by the fellows. It is designed for students ages 14-18.

Students can apply by June 5. The program is offered on June 22 -27. Students can learn more and sign up to join on the website.

Watch Hancock Institute Fellow band members perform at Sydney Opera House on Jazz Day in April 2019.

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