The 20th Workshop Jazzguitar Provence is organized and conducted by Uli Hoffmeier (Berlin), with special guest Jonathan Stout (USA), and guitarist Jacky Bastek (Cologne) from October 27 to November 3, 2024 (6 days, 7 nights) in Maussane-Les-Alpilles (Provence, France).
Jonathan Stout is an American bandleader and guitarist specializing in pre-bebop jazz guitar. He draws on a wide variety of styles of “pre-war” jazz guitar, including the rhythm guitar of Freddie Green, the electric single-note style of Charlie Christian, the acoustic block-chord solos of Allan Reuss, and the gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt. He is also the author of a well-known blog about swing guitar (can be found on his website). Jonathan not only plays in his own bands, but is also a member of the Bonebrake Syncopators (led by DJ Bonebrake of the band X) and has played guitar for Michael Gamble and his Rhythm Serenaders, Josh Collazo's Candy Jacket Jazz Band, Casey MacGill and Dean Mora (Mora's Modern Rhythmists, et. al), as well as for the Boilermaker Jazz Band, the Lucky Stars, Jim Ziegler's Swingsations, Josh Collazo and his Feetwarmers, Bill Elliott and Johnny Crawford. He can be heard on Jeremy Wakefield's 2005 album “Steel Guitar Caviar” (Ecco-Fonic), as well as on the debut album by Michael Gamble and his Rhythm Serenaders.
Jacky Bastek studied jazz guitar in Cologne (with Prof. Frank Haunschild, among others) and is a “shooting star” of the modern fingerpicking scene. In addition to the guitar, she is a virtuoso on the mandolin and violin, as well as traditional Thai instruments. She is passionate about Brazilian choros (one of her teachers was Mike Marshall) as well as bluegrass, and at the age of 25, she is at the beginning of what is sure to be a great career. Her band “Humblo” is currently producing a new CD. Jacky will lead the “guided session” from 5:00-6:30 pm and provide a few new perspectives.
I don't need to introduce myself to some of you: I'm Uli Hoffmeier, and I've been a member of the Palastorchestra with its singer Max Raabe for over 20 years, where I play not only guitar, banjo, balalaika, ukulele and mandolin, but also violin and musical saw. I have appeared on countless CDs and film recordings and also found time to help out in theaters and orchestras, coach bands and launch my own projects such as the “Premier Swingtett” or the guitar duo “Gitarresque”. My experience in playing and teaching over the years has led me to focus on the following: the playful, the communal, and the communicative aspects of (jazz) music.
The hotel The Originals Val Baussenc, where we are now staying for the 11th time, is located on the eastern outskirts of Maussane-Les-Alpilles, a typical Provençal town on the edge of the Alpilles. It is only a few minutes' walk from the village center, is a three-star hotel and is surrounded by olive trees and poplars, in a quiet location set back from the road. The 25 cozy rooms (two are designated as handicapped accessible) offer a view of the greenery. The outdoor area is characterized by park-like greenery, and hotel guests are welcome to use the pool, sauna and hammam. Upon entering the hotel, you will find yourself in a lobby with a fireplace, where spontaneous sessions often take place in the evenings.
The restaurant offers a beautiful view of the park and the four-course evening menu (starter, main course, cheese, dessert, including wine and coffee) impresses with typical Provençal delicacies. A pretty terrace, densely entwined with vines, invites you to jam, chat and talk shop over an afternoon Pastis. The lobby and restaurant provide space for daily classes.
The hotel has a bar that provides us with sufficient drinks at moderate prices, keeps accurate records of these and presents each participant with a bill at the end of the week for these additionally consumed drinks, which of course are not included in the price of the workshop and have to be paid for individually.
The Alpilles are a mountain range located 12 kilometers south of Avignon, which separates the northern small Crau from the actual southern Crau, which merges into the Carmargue. Maussane has an idyllic market square with a weekly market and an olive oil mill that produces one of the best oils in France. There are numerous vineyards nearby, some of which produce very high-quality (and sometimes also very expensive) wines. The small town of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is located on the Mediterranean coast, 50 km away, where Django Reinhardt stayed several times for the annual gypsy festival. Arles, located on the Rhone River, with its Roman Arena, is a few kilometers west of Maussane. The 2000-year-old Pont-du-Gard is an hour's drive away. The world-famous medieval ruin of Les Baux looks down on Maussane from the north. On the way to Avignon (famous for its papal palace and city wall, among other things), you will pass St. Rémy, where Nostradamus lived and Van Gogh painted some of his most famous pictures.
On the day of arrival (Sunday, October 27, 2024), we will meet at 7:00 p.m. to get to know each other and exchange any necessary information before dinner together. The first lesson will take place on Monday, October 28; the last day of class is Saturday, November 2; departure is on Sunday, November 3, 2024 after breakfast.
The course is limited to 20 participants to provide optimal conditions for relaxed learning, but can be increased to 22 in an emergency.
As in previous years, it may be possible to check into the hotel at very reasonable rates before the course begins. Please arrange and pay for this yourself at the given address.
Classes take place daily from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The session led by Jacky Bastek takes place daily from about 5:00-6:30 p.m. At the final concert, this group will give the audience an insight into how a session works and why it is less about finished results and more about interaction and spontaneity, despite joint agreements on the piece, key and style, second voices or riffs, different possibilities of accompaniment or length and order of solos.
As before, there will be two (approximately) equal-sized teaching groups, which, however, will not be put together exclusively according to “ability” or “knowledge” but rather based on my experience and assessment. Of course, each participant can change their group for personal reasons before the course begins, provided that the imbalance in numbers is not too great! The groups will change teachers at halftime so that each participant has the same amount of instruction with Jonathan as with me.
Jonathan teaches in English, I teach in “Fradenglish” (French-German-English).
As every year, there will be plenty of opportunities for spontaneous sessions, which usually take place in the early afternoon and in the evening after dinner.
The traditional final concert – still supported by the city of Maussane and our hotel – will take place on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. Participation is voluntary; the results of the workshop will be presented and music will be played together. The popularity of the event with the local population has increased steadily over the years. The concert is open to the public and free of charge.
Please bring a music stand, guitar amplifier, cables, secondary instruments, etc. if required.
Registration deadline: July 20, 2024
Cost:
The participation fee includes the course fee and hotel costs with half board (breakfast and a four-course dinner including wine and coffee) for 7 nights from October 27, 2024 (arrival day) to November 3, 2024 (departure day).
Participants expressly agree that their registration data, such as email, telephone and address, may be shared and exchanged among themselves, for example, to organize a joint journey or to clarify who will bring which additional instruments. The recording and publication of photos, videos or audio recordings, as well as the use and distribution of personal media data provided to the group, is also expressly permitted.
Please complete and submit the registration form first.
Then wait until about the end of February to see if you receive confirmation from me!
Once the confirmation has been received, please transfer the money within two weeks, via Papal (for friends and family to avoid incurring further costs) or via the account provided:
uli_hoffmeier@yahoo.de,
Please transfer the participation fee via Paypal or to the account of:
Ulrich Hoffmeier, Postbank Berlin
IBAN: DE24 1001 0010 0189 5451 04
BIC: PBNKDEFF
Entitlement to participate arises only after confirmation by me and receipt of the transfer. I reserve the right to refuse participants. There is no binding entitlement to the course contents described here or to the selection of lecturers. By transferring the participation fee, the conditions of participation are accepted.
In case of withdrawal up to July 20, 2024, the full course fee will be refunded minus a €30 processing fee. In case of withdrawal after July 20, 2023, the full course fee will be charged – unless a substitute participant is named and accepted by me to take over the course place. Should the course be canceled, the registration fee will be refunded in full. The maximum number of participants is set at 20, but may be increased under certain circumstances. By making the bank transfer, you agree to the terms and conditions.
Uli Hoffmeier · Musician, Lecturer, Author
uli_hoffmeier@yahoo.de
Tel.: +49 173 207 85 63
