• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

JazzMF

Jazz research on the Internet: a continuing saga

  • Art Blakey Chronology
  • DC Jazz Encyclopedia
    • DC Jazz People
    • DC Jazz Places
  • Lenox School of Jazz
  • Jazz Magazine
    • Jazz Magazine (1976-1980)
    • Jazz Magazine – Volume 1
    • Jazz Magazine – Volume 2
    • Jazz Magazine – Volume 3
    • Jazz Magazine – Volume 4
  • Label Listings
  • More
    • Biography
    • Jazz Musician Pseudonyms
    • Muslim Names in Jazz
  • Who is Michael Fitzgerald?
    • My Citations
    • Interesting Links

School of Jazz Photo Scrapbook

November 1, 1993 By Michael Fitzgerald

1957 group photo: taken on the steps of Wheatleigh Hall, the school dormitory
Standing (L-R): Oscar Peterson, Marshall Stearns, Bill Russo, John Lewis, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Giuffre, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, Max Roach Third row (L-R): George Schutz, Ran Blake, Colin Cooke, Bob Dorough, John Harmon, Tupper Saussy, Henry Ettman, John Thorpe, John Mason, Julie Lomoe Second row (L-R): Fran Thorne, Peter Denny, Fred Stare, Jim Miltenberger, José de Mello, Pat Haggerty, Dexter Morrill, James Zarvis, Kent McGarity, John Conway Front row (L-R): Bob Flanik, Dave Blume, Margot Pennell, Bob Wigton, Ron Riddle, John McLean, Paul Mowatt, Tom Scannell, E.F. Alleyne, Neil Hope …and Percy Heath, Jr. Missing from picture: Dizzy Gillespie, Percy Heath, Connie Kay, Jim Hall, Ralph Peña, Willis James (faculty); Lucille Butterman, Terry Hawkeye, Verne Elkins, Cevira Rose, Dale Hillary, Esther Siegel (students)
1957 Trumpet Section
L-R: Dexter Morrill, Dizzy Gillespie, Tom Scannell, John Mason (partially obscured)
1957 Drum lesson
L-R: Colin Cooke, Max Roach
1957 Trumpet lesson
L-R: Dizzy Gillespie, John Mason
1957 Giuffre ensemble performance
L-R: Tupper Saussy, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Giuffre, José de Mello, John Thorpe, Tom Scannell, Peter Denny. Not visible: Colin Cooke
1957 Roach ensemble performance
L-R: John McLean, Jim Hall, Pat Haggerty, Chuck Israels, Max Roach, John Conway
1958 SOJ Newsletter
This "Vol. 1, No. 1" was perhaps the only issue ever published.
1959 Schaefer Scholarship Winners holding sterling silver mugs outside the Music Barn
L-R: R.J. Schaefer III of the F. and M. Schaefer Brewery with John Keyser, Paul Cohen, Steve Kuhn, Dave Mackay, Ian Underwood, Tony Greenwald, Herb Gardner
1959 David Baker
1959 Dizzy Sal
1959 Mona Neves
1959 Brookmeyer ensemble rehearsal
L-R: Bob Brookmeyer, David Baker, John Eckert, Perry Robinson (partially obscured); foreground (L-R): Don Stewart, unknown - possibly Gunther Schuller
1959 Giuffre ensemble rehearsal
L-R: Jimmy Giuffre, Herb Gardner, Tony Greenwald, Ian Underwood, Lenny Popkin, John Keyser, Dave Mackay
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

School of Jazz, Inc. – Detailed Brochure

November 1, 1993 By From the Archives

August 10-September 1, 1958
Lenox, Massachusetts


The School of Jazz

offers the serious student of jazz…

  • close association with outstanding musicians of our time
  • a workshop in composition and improvisation
  • experience in jazz ensemble playing
  • a jazz approach in individual instruction
  • experience in public performance
  • a conception of the history of jazz, the development of its styles and idioms, and its relationship to music as a whole
  • a point of view toward jazz as a significant and vital art form of our time.

History

The idea of the School of Jazz grew out of the desire of jazz musicians, critics, and auditors who have attended the Folk and Jazz Roundtables at Music Inn to give the discussions and conclusions of the Roundtable some permanence. In the sixth Roundtable, 1956, traditionalist jazz musicians and your musicians of the new school talked and played together for the first time and discovered in these sessions that though their styles were totally unlike, their roots were the same…that jazz has not been a set of unrelated episodes under the generalization, JAZZ, but, instead, a steady and, in its later development, an extremely disciplined art form.

In an effort to insure the continuing development of jazz within its own traditions and conceptions, the School of Jazz was organized and held its first session on the grounds of Music Inn in August, 1957. It is the purpose of the School of Jazz to give the student a solid foundation in the jazz tradition, a greater technical facility in the jazz approach to his instrument, and a background in the indigenous nature and development of jazz improvisation and composition.

Location

The School of Jazz is located on the 105 acre grounds of Music Inn adjacent to the Berkshire Music Barn and Tanglewood. There are pine woods, a lake for swimming, boats, fishing, tennis, most other summer sports, and a relaxed atmosphere in which to work

Living Accommodations

Students and faculty members are housed at Music Inn within close walking distance of classes, concerts, and recreation. Music Inn is one of the most famous summer resorts in New England and is noted for its food. All students may enjoy the facilities of the Inn, including the extraordinary 108 speaker high-fidelity sound panel and a large collection of records.

Activities

In addition to the intensive schedule of classes, there are many extra-curricular opportunities open to students of the School of Jazz free of charge. Sunday evenings, there are jazz concerts in the Berkshire Music Barn, and most other evenings, lectures, panel discussions, and demonstrations by authorities in jazz and related fields. Frequently, jam sessions develop in the Potting Shed, an intimate restaurant-bar on the grounds of Music Inn, in which students have a chance to play informally with faculty members and visiting musicians.

Transportation

The School station wagon will meet the following train, plane, and bus connections without charge, if notified in advance.

At Pittsfield –

  • Boston and Albany Railroad from Albany, NY (connecting with New York Central trains from the West)
  • Boston and Albany Railroad from Boston
  • Mohawk Airlines from Albany and Boston
  • Northeast Airlines from New York City

At Stockbridge –

  • New Haven Railroad from New York City (be sure to get off at Stockbridge; we do not meet New Haven trains at any other station)

At Lenox –

  • Greyhound Bus from Albany and the West, or from Providence, Hartford, or New York City.

The Faculty

The faculty of the School of Jazz is a group of playing musicians who are the accepted leaders in jazz playing, improvisation, and concept. Their closeness to the field best affords the student an immediate feeling for jazz as a profession and the basic problems of the modern jazz approach to music. Faculty appointments for the 1958 session will be announced during Spring, 1958. For current faculty, see page 7.

The Program

Students are accepted by the School of Jazz either as:

1) Musicians, or 2) Auditors

The course for Musicians is an intensive one designed especially for those who expect to make jazz their career and includes in addition to courses in Composition and History of Jazz, specific assignments to ensemble groups and private instruction in one or more instruments.

The course for Auditors is designed for amateur jazz musicians and enthusiasts with a serious interest in jazz. Auditors are invited to attend ensemble rehearsals on a listening basis and may participate at the discretion of the instructor. Auditors are expected to attend lectures in History of Jazz and Composition and may take private lessons if they wish.

Course Requirements

Musicians

Small Ensemble
Large Ensemble
Composition (Sec. 1 or Sec. 2)
History of Jazz (Sec. 1 or Sec. 2)
Two private instrumental lessons per week

Auditors

Small Ensemble (non-participating)
Large Ensemble (non-participating)
Composition (Sec. 1 or Sec. 2)
History of Jazz (Sec. 1 or Sec. 2)

Admission

Musicians are required to pass auditions or to submit attested tapes or records and are accepted in the following instrumental classifications:

Piano Drums Clarinet and Saxophone
Guitar Trombone Vibraharp
Bass Trumpet Composition

Students playing instruments other than the above may be accepted upon special application.

Audition tapes or records should be submitted with application blanks.

Auditors are not required to submit tapes or pass audition.

Applications should be filled out in full and accompanied by:

  1. Audition tapes or records (Musician classification only)
  2. The registration fee of $5.00.

Letters of reference should be mailed directly to the Dean, School of Jazz. Letters of reference are confidential and under no circumstance should be included with the application.

Applications received after June 1, 958, will be honored only if the capacity of the School permits.

Address all applications to:

Jule Foster, Dean
School of Jazz
Room 510
270 Madison Ave.
New York 17, New York

(after June 1, Lenox, Massachusetts)

Fees and Expenses

Musicians $385.00 *
(including two private instrumental lessons per week, room and board)
Auditors $310.00 *
(including room and board)
Non-resident Musician $245.00
(including two private instrumental lessons per week)
Non-resident Auditor $170.00

* (Resident Musicians and Auditors are required to pay Massachusetts State Meal Tax at $6.30 in addition to above fees.)

The above tuition fees include admission to all lectures, seminars, rehearsals, and concerts at the Berkshire Music Barn, and with the exception of necessary books, music supplies, etc., there are no other expenses of any kind.

Extra private instrumental lessons may be arranged at a fee of $12.50 per lessons.

Fees are due as follows:

Registration fee $5.00
(a service charge which is not credited against other fees. It is non-refundable and must accompany application)
Tuition deposit $100.00
(Due not later than June 15, 1958. Balance of tuition is due upon registration. Refunds of the deposit can be made only for reasons of ill health, which must be certified by a physician.)

Calendar

Sunday, August 10, 1958

Arrival (Students should not plan to arrive before this date.)

3:00 PM Student Room Assignment
5:00 PM Faculty Meeting
8:40 PM Concert, Berkshire Music Barn

Monday, August 11, 1958

8:00 AM Registration for all students
(There are no provisions for late registration except in unavoidable circumstances.)
2:00 PM Classes begin

Saturday, August 30, 1958

12:00 Noon Classes end
8:40 PM Student Benefit Concert, Berkshire Music Barn

Sunday, August 31, 1958

10:30 AM Student-Faculty Evaluation
8:40 PM Final Concert, Berkshire Music Barn

Monday, September 1, 1958

Departure

Daily Schedule

9:00-10:45

Composition and Arranging

Section 1, alternate days beginning Tuesday.
Section 2, alternate days beginning Wednesday.

11:00-12:00

History of Jazz, alternate days beginning Tuesday.
Jazz Styles and Idioms, alternate days beginning Wednesday.

(Students may elect either of these courses in order to satisfy the History of Jazz requirement.)

12:00-2:00

Lunch and Free Time (practice, individual lessons.)

2:00-5:00

Ensemble Rehearsal (Large and small ensembles meet alternate days…schedule to be arranged.)

Private lessons in instruments and composition are arranged individually by student with instructor.

There is no scheduled work on Sunday.

Lectures

Several evenings each week at 8:30 PM, the School of Jazz will present lectures, panel discussions, or demonstrations by outstanding authorities in the many aspects of the jazz field, including recording, management, criticism, and the relationship between jazz and other fields. These lectures are primarily for students of the School, but are open to the public at a nominal fee.

Scholarships

Several partial tuition scholarships are available to students (primarily students registered in instruments other than piano) who, otherwise, would not be able to attend the School of Jazz. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of talent, and individual need.

Special Awards

Louis Armstrong Scholarships, made available through a grant of $1,000.00 by the Newport Jazz Festival, 1957.

Great South Bay Festival Scholarship. Scholarship grants to qualified students will be made available from time to time as funds are available for this purpose. The first award by the Friends of American Jazz, sponsors of the Great South Bay Jazz Festival, was presented to Dale Hillary, Alberta, Canada during the 1957 session of the School of Jazz.

Herman Lubinsky Scholarship. One full scholarship to an instrumental student, made available by a grant of $385.00 by Herman Lubinsky.

Several work scholarships are available to students who will be able to spend the summer at Music Inn. For further information contact the Dean.

Practice Facilities

Practice rooms are available to students without additional fee. Practice space is assigned the day after registration.

General Regulations

The School of Jazz, Inc., reserves the right to change classes, instructors or schedules. All students are expected to accept and observe the academic policies and rules for general student conduct in effect at the School. The Administration reserves the right to deny admission to, or to request the withdrawal at any time of any student, whenever such action seems advisable in the opinion of the Administration.


The School of Jazz, Inc., is a non-profit organization chartered under the laws of the State of Massachusetts.

“The purpose of the School of Jazz, Inc., is to teach and to foster the study of jazz in all its aspects, including its techniques of expression, its improvisation and its composition; also its history, origin, its international development and its relationship to other arts; to provide for individual instruction as well as rehearsal in both large ensemble and in small groups, and to develop for its students the experience of playing for public audiences.”

…from the Charter of the School of Jazz, Inc.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

Lenox School of Jazz – 1959 Evening Event Schedule

November 1, 1993 By From the Archives


Monday, August 10 – THE RELATIONSHIP OF JAZZ TO THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS – John Garvey, Faculty, University of Illinois, Moderator. Panelists: Marshall Stearns, Herb Pomeroy. Wheatleigh Lounge, 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 11 – CONCERT – Bobby Hackett. Music Barn, 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 12 – NON-JAZZ IMPROVISATION FOR THE SMALL ENSEMBLE – Lukas Foss. Music Barn Stage, 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 13 – TO BE ANNOUNCED

Friday, August 14 – PRIMITIVE BEGINNINGS OF JAZZ IN AMERICA – Willis James, Folklorist and Head, Music Department, Spelman-Morehouse Colleges, Atlanta, Georgia. Wheatleigh Lounge, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 15 –

Sunday, August 16 – CONCERT – Ernestine Anderson and The Jimmy Giuffre 3. Music Barn, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, August 17 – PROBLEMS OF ACOUSTICS – Wen Shih, Publisher of THE JAZZ REVIEW

Tuesday, August 18 –

Wednesday, August 19 – INTERNATIONAL JAZZ AUDIENCE – Dave Brubeck.

Thursday, August 20 –

Friday, August 21 – STYLISTIC ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC – Oliver Daniel, Broadcast Music, Inc. and Henry Cowell.

Saturday, August 22 –

Sunday, August 23 – CONCERT – Ray Charles. Music Barn, 8:30 p.m.

Monday, August 24 – THE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ MARKET – Nesuhi Ertegun, Vice President, Atlantic Records.

Tuesday, August 25 –

Wednesday, August 26 – A FOREIGN STUDENT’S POINT OF VIEW TOWARD AMERICAN JAZZ STYLES – Dizzy Sal, Student, India.

Thursday, August 27 – THE STATUS OF JAZZ STUDY AND PERFORMANCE IN EUROPE – John Lewis, Musical Director, The Modern Jazz Quartet.

Friday, August 28 – THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC – Gunther Schuller, Composer.

Saturday, August 29 – THIRD ANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERT. Music Barn, 8:30 p.m.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

Lenox School of Jazz – 1957 Evening Event Schedule

November 1, 1993 By From the Archives


Wednesday, August 14, 8:30 PM – PRIMITIVE BEGINNINGS OF JAZZ – Willis James

Thursday, August 15, 8:40 PM – CONCERT, Music Barn: Mahalia Jackson

Friday, August 16, 8:30 PM – IMPACT OF PERSONALITIES ON JAZZ – Rex Stewart

Saturday, August 17, 8:30 PM – JAZZ IN TELEVISION – Frank Nichols

Sunday, August 18, 8:40 PM – CONCERT, Music Barn: Wilbur De Paris and his New Orleans Jazz Band

Monday, August 19, 8:30 PM – THE MUSIC OF AFRICA – Fela Sowande

Tuesday, August 20, 8:30 PM – JAZZ AND ITS CORRELATION TO THE ARTS – Rudi Blesh and Barry Ulanov

Wednesday, August 21, 8:30 PM – TECHNIQUES IN JAZZ COMPOSITION – George Russell, assisted by School Faculty

Thursday, August 22, 8:30 PM – MANAGEMENT AND BOOKING OF JAZZ – Monte Kay, Rudy Viola, Pete Kameron, and Jack Whittemore

Friday, August 23 – JAZZ FRONTIERS – Lennie Tristano and Bill Russo

Saturday, August 24, 8:30 PM – PROBLEMS IN JAZZ RECORDING – Nesuhi Ertegun and Jack Tracy
NEW DIRECTIONS IN JAZZ – Teo Macero

Sunday, August 25, 8:40 PM – CONCERT, Music Barn – Oscar Peterson Trio, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach

Monday, August 26, 8:30 PM – JAZZ AND ITS PLACE IN AMERICAN CULTURE – Eric Larrabee

Tuesday, August 27, 8:30 PM – FUNCTION OF THE CRITIC IN JAZZ – John Wilson (The New York Times), Nat Hentoff (Saturday Review of Literature), Bill Coss (Metronome)

Wednesday, August 28, 8:30 PM – PANEL DISCUSSION – Evaluation of the School of Jazz by panel of Faculty and Students

Thursday, August 29, 8:40 PM – CONCERT, Music Barn – SCHOOL OF JAZZ ON PARADE… A jam session concert by the entire student and faculty groups now participating in the School of Jazz.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

Student-Faculty Evaulation of the first session of the School of Jazz (1957)

November 1, 1993 By From the Archives

Wednesday Evening, August 28, 8:30 PM Wheatleigh

Panel:

Marshall Stearns: moderator

John Lewis: “Original purposes and objectives of the School of Jazz”

Oscar Peterson: “Faculty and Student accomplishments during three weeks”

Jule Foster: “The School of Jazz as a Non-Profit Organization”

Francis Thorne: “Student reply to the statement of original purposes and objectives of the School of Jazz”

Dave Blume: “Student’s view to the future…

a. Organization
b. Administration”

Tupper Saussy: “Student’s view to the future…

c. Faculty-Student relations
d. Musical objectives”

Kent McGarity: “What I have learned as a student at the School of Jazz”

A general discussion will follow panel in which all faculty and students are invited to participate.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

Lenox School of Jazz – Lectures and Lecturers

November 1, 1993 By Michael Fitzgerald


Primitive Beginnings of Jazz Willis James, 1958

Problems in Jazz Recording Nesuhi Ertegun, George Avakian and Jack Tracy, 1957, Nesuhi Ertegun, 1958

The Relationship of Jazz to Classical Music Gunther Schuller, 1958

Problems of Jazz Festival Organization, panel, 1958

The Purpose of Jazz Criticism, panel, 1958

Jazz In England Harold Pendleton, 1958

Modern Music and Jazz Gunther Schuller 1958

Leslie Katz – on the effect of sociological events on the creativity of the artist in Jazz, 1958

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Lenox School of Jazz

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 25
  • Page 26
  • Page 27
  • Page 28
  • Page 29
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 31
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Jazz Radio in DC
    July 26, 2022
  • New discography of Frank Wess
    July 13, 2022
  • Lloyd McNeill
    August 25, 2021
  • JATP in DC
    January 24, 2021
  • Left Bank Jazz Society
    October 16, 2020

Categories

  • Art Blakey
  • Biography
  • Digital Humanities
  • Label Listing
  • Lenox School of Jazz
  • Miscellanea
  • Review
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Writing About Jazz

Archives

  • July 2022 (2)
  • August 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • October 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • July 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (2)
  • April 2020 (3)
  • March 2020 (2)
  • February 2020 (2)
  • January 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (2)
  • September 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (1)
  • March 2016 (1)
  • October 2010 (1)
  • July 2008 (11)
  • February 2007 (1)
  • May 2006 (1)
  • November 2005 (2)
  • May 2005 (2)
  • April 2005 (14)
  • February 2005 (1)
  • May 2004 (1)
  • February 2004 (1)
  • April 2002 (1)
  • July 2001 (1)
  • January 2001 (1)
  • December 2000 (1)
  • October 2000 (1)
  • August 2000 (2)
  • July 2000 (2)
  • June 2000 (1)
  • May 2000 (4)
  • April 2000 (6)
  • March 2000 (3)
  • January 2000 (5)
  • December 1999 (1)
  • November 1999 (2)
  • October 1999 (1)
  • September 1999 (2)
  • August 1999 (9)
  • July 1999 (1)
  • June 1999 (6)
  • May 1999 (3)
  • March 1999 (1)
  • December 1998 (3)
  • November 1998 (2)
  • October 1998 (1)
  • August 1998 (1)
  • July 1998 (6)
  • June 1998 (2)
  • May 1998 (3)
  • April 1998 (2)
  • March 1998 (3)
  • January 1998 (1)
  • December 1997 (2)
  • October 1997 (3)
  • September 1997 (7)
  • November 1993 (16)
  • January 1987 (1)
  • January 1984 (1)
  • August 1983 (1)
  • November 1979 (1)
  • April 1979 (1)
  • January 1969 (1)
  • July 1965 (1)
  • February 1965 (1)
  • December 1963 (1)
  • January 1962 (1)
  • February 1961 (1)
  • December 1958 (1)
  • August 1958 (1)

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2026 · Michael Fitzgerald