SUMMER 2023 INTENSIVES
Guitar Mastery Workshop: A Summer Intensive Program, is led by TWO of the world’s leading jazz guitar voices.
Kenny Wessel & Nate Radley
Join us for an unforgettable experience at our Guitar Mastery Summer Intensive Workshop, where you will have the opportunity to learn from two world-renowned guitar masters: Kenny Wessel and Nate Radley.
Kenny Wessel, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, has performed and recorded with a wide range of musicians, including Ornette Coleman and Donald Fagen. His teaching style emphasizes creative exploration and expression through the guitar, and he has been a beloved faculty member at the New York Jazz Workshop for many years.
Nate Radley, an accomplished guitarist and composer, has performed with a variety of notable jazz artists such as Donny McCaslin and Greg Osby. As an educator, Nate is known for his innovative approach to teaching harmony, ear training, and improvisation, and his lessons are tailored to each individual student’s needs.
Together, Kenny and Nate will guide you through a 4-day intensive program that is designed to help you fine-tune your improvisational skills, expand your knowledge of harmony, and improve your technique. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn from special guest, Marc Mommaas, a saxophonist and educator who has taught at prestigious institutions around the world.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced guitarist, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to take your skills to the next level and learn from some of the best in the business. Don’t miss out on this incredible experience!
Dates:
July 25-28 (4 days)
August 31-Sept 1 (2 days)
Topics:
-Chord Voicings
-Comping rhythms
-Modal Positions
-7th Chord voicings
-Melodic Minor Modal Positions
-Scalar Exercises
-Voice leading Chord Tones
-Communication
-Duo playing
Prerequisites:
-Previous experience playing guitar and a willingness to learn
-Instructors may ask for a recorded sample before admission
-At least 17 years of age
-The Guitar Summer Intensive is better suited to intermediate and advanced musicians with a minimum of a few years on their instrument. More details can be discussed during registration.
About Kenny Wessel & Nate Radley.
Kenny Wessel, a versatile, sensitive and soulful guitarist and composer, has performed in 27 countries. He toured with revolutionary jazz artist Ornette Coleman for over 12 years as a member of Prime Time, Ornette’s groundbreaking ensemble. Kenny can be heard on Coleman’s CD, Tone Dialing. Performing Ornette’s “Skies of America,” Wessel has appeared with Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. A vital and personal voice on the jazz guitar, he has also worked with Donald Fagen (featured guitar soloist on Fagen’s Morph the Cat), David Liebman, John Abercrombie, Karl Berger, Debbie Harry, Gloria Lynne, Adam Rudolph and others from the jazz, pop and world music spectrum. A dedicated jazz educator, Wessel currently teaches at LIU, CCNY, and Western Connecticut State University, in addition to leading ensembles at the New York Jazz Workshop. Kenny Wessel´s Bio
Nate Radley is a guitarist and composer who as been described as “an emerging player to watch” and a “brilliant… player on the New York scene.” He can be heard with a variety of collaborative projects and as a sideman in numerous bands both in the New York area and around the world. He currently is a faculty member of the Berklee Conservatory.
Current projects that Nate is working with include the bands Bad Touch, Akiko Pavolka’s House of Illusion, Marc Mommaas’ Landmarc, the Alan Ferber Nonet, and many others. He can be heard most recently on “Like a Magic Kiss” by Bad Touch, “Winter Fruits” with the Loren Stillman Quartet on Pirouette Records, “Landmarc” with Marc Mommaas on Sunnyside Records, and “Evolution” by Jon Gordon on the Artistshare label.
Nate has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe and played at jazz festivals such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Matt Wilson, Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, Greg Osby, Cuong Vu, Seamus Blake, John McNeil, Maria Schneider, and others.
Nate studied jazz guitar and composition at New England Conservatory in Boston, MA where he received a Master’s in Music. He studied with John Abercrombie, Bob Brookmeyer, Jerry Bergonzi, and George Russell. He also has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Chicago.
Nate has over ten years teaching experience, and in addition to teaching at the New York Jazz Workshop he currently teaches jazz guitar, music theory, and jazz ensembles at the Center for Preparatory studies in Music at Queens College, the Berklee Conservatory and private guitar lessons at the Bloomingdale School of Music. Nate has also taught clinics at high schools and universities throughout the United States.
GUEST: Marc Mommaas – Marc made his debut as a leader in his 1999 recording Global Motion Trio with Nikolaj Hess (piano) and John Hebert (bass). In 2001 the acclaimed drummer Tony Moreno joined the group which became Global Motion. In 2003 after an extensive tour in Europe including a 5 day hit at the Pompoen in Amsterdam, the band returned to NYC and recorded Global Motion, released by Sunnyside Records. This release earned critical acclaim in Downbeat, Jazztimes, Jazzimprov, All About Jazz and numerous online platforms. This record was followed by another well received Sunnyside release titled Balance (2006), a long anticipated duo recording with pianist and longtime friend Nikolaj Hess. In 2010 he jumped into a new project born out of his extensive collaboration with drummer Tony Moreno. It became “Landmarc” the guitar project, a band with three guitars, sax, drums and no bass. The touring band included two guitarists, Vic Juris and Nate Radley. In 2013 Marc finished his solo Saxophone project “Irreversible Momentum” which started in 2009, this will be released in the fall of 2013 and in the fall Marc will record as co-leader a Ballads record with Nikolaj Hess. Marc Mommaas´ Bio
Tuition and Registration
Tuition:
Four days:
$515 Early Bird – for registrations and payments received before April 30th
$560 for registrations received after May 1st
Two days:
$252 Early Bird – for registrations and payments received before April 30th
$280 for registrations received after May 1st
11:00am – 1:00pm: Morning Sessions
2:00pm – 5:00pm: Afternoon Sessions
Registration:
To sign up for this Summer Intensive, fill out this brief registration form.
General Information
For more info regarding our summer program, housing, travel, and more, visit our Summer Workshop General Information page. For a more in-depth experience, inquire about adding a private lesson with someone from the NYJW Faculty during your visit. Learn more about how you can combine Summer Intensives to create a customized Summer Jazz Packages. Feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] with any additional questions.
KENNY WESSEL:
NATE RADLEY: