Hi Everyone,

We have a few slots left for this workshop in June, so the deadline has been extended to May 15th.  Here's the info one more time...

For those of you who play music and want to participate in a one week workshop lead by Kneebody, we will be doing a residency at SIM (The School for Improvisation Music) in June. The program will be open to all instruments and all skill levels - preformed groups are welcome. In past residencies, the school has seen everything from highschool and college players up to adult hobbyists and retired pros. 

DATE/TIME: 

June 15th to the 19th, 2009 11am to 5pm each day 

TUITION: 

$550 for the week  (includes two lessons with any member during week) 

LOCATION:

Brooklyn, NY

WEBSITES:

www.SchoolForImprov.org 

(Click on 'SIM Workshops', then 'Kneebody Intensive Faculty and Schedule')

www.Kneebody.com

www.myspace.com/Kneebody

REGISTRATION/QUESTIONS:

Contact Ralph or Areni at: info@schoolforimprov.org

DEADLINE: May 1st, 2009  

ABOUT SIM:

Founded by Trumpeter Ralph Alessi, the School for Improvisational Music (SIM) is the instructional facet of CIM for aspiring students of creative music. SIM has held 12 intensive workshops since 2001, attended by 500 students from over 10 countries. The SIM faculty consists of a cross-section of the most creative improvisers from the jazz and contemporary music fields. 

TEACHERS:

-Adam Benjamin - Piano, Rhodes, Effects

A native New Yorker, Adam was educated at the Eastman School of Music in New York and the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. In addition to his contributions to Kneebody, which include his unique compositions as well as his acoustic and electric improvisation. Adam’s schedule includes tours with jazz luminary Dave Douglas, rock legend Jimmy Chamberlin, and eighty-piece hip-hop orchestra Dakah.  Additionally, Adam maintains a Solo Piano Multi-Media Mega-Event concert series and runs a small experimental music education studio in Los Angeles. Current projects include a book about television watching, and an all-MIDI jazz standards album.

-Shane Endsley - Trumpet, Drums, Effects

A Denver native, Shane is a graduate of the Eastman School where he studied trumpet, drums/percussion and composition. He has toured and recorded extensively with Ani DiFranco and Steve Coleman and has been doing work around NY with Josh Roseman, Dave Binney, Ravi Coltrane, John Hollenbeck and others. He is currently playing drums and trumpet in a trio with Ralph Alessi and Tim Berne, and rotary flugelhorn (truba) with Slavic Soul Party.

-Ben Wendel - Saxophone, Effects

Born in Vancouver and raised in Los Angeles, Ben was educated at the Eastman School of Music in New York. Since graduating he has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, composer and producer. Recent highlights include multiple domestic and international tours with such artists as Cuban drumming legend Ignacio Berroa, Thelonius Monk Piano Competition Winner Tigran Hamasyan, Electronica artist Daedelus and Hip Hop artist Snoop Dogg. Ben is a founding member of the genre-bending group Kneebody. In addition to playing saxophone, Ben also doubles on the bassoon and piano.

As a composer he has scored multiple films, received an ASCAP Jazz Composer Award , was a winner in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition and recently received the Chamber Music America “New Works Grant.” In the summer of 2007, Ben was honored to work with conductor Kent Nagano in producing a series of concerts for the Festpeil Plus in Munich, Germany. One of the performances (a collaboration between Theo Bleckmann and Kneebody featuring the songs of Charles Ives) was recently signed to Winter & Winter. Ben currently produces a new performing arts series at The Edye in Santa Monica, California. Ben's first solo album "Simple Song" will be released on Sunnyside Records in March 2009. Ben is currently an Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at USC. Artists and/or Groups Ben currently plays with: Kneebody - Ignacio Berroa - Dakah - Todd Sickafoose - Otmaro Ruiz - Tigran Hamasyan - Daedelus - Taylor Eigsti

-Kaveh Rastegar - Bass, Effects

Kaveh plays bass and writes music too. In the years since moving from Rochester, New York by way of Denver, Colorado by way of Montreal, Canada, Kaveh has enjoyed success playing music in the greater Los Angeles area! Kaveh is a member of the new music quintet Kneebody. Kneebody released their debut cd "Kneebody" on Trumpet player Dave Douglas' Greenleaf Music label in 2005 and in 2007 have followed with "Low Electrical Worker" on the Colortone Media label. They completed an album of arrangements of Charles Ives compositions with singer Theo Bleckmann and released the recording "12 Songs of Charles Ives" on the Munich based record label Winter and Winter. Kaveh is also a member of the Seattle based power trio THRUSTER! featuring Timothy Young and Matt Chamberlain. A founding member of 70 piece hip hop orchestra Dakah, Kaveh has also been heard playing with Chewy Puma, Small Medium and Large, The Ditty Bops, Colin Hay, Luciano Ligabue, Jesca Hoop, Nels Cline, Antibalas Afro Beat Orchestra, Joshua Radin, Melissa Ferrick, guitarist Arik Marshall!!!, Keaton Simons, Greg Kurstin's Action Figure Party, The Calling, Dave Fiuczynski, Carla Bozulich and Wayne Horvitz. He is also endorsed by Aguilar Amplification.

-Nate Wood - Drums, Engineering

Nate graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with Jazz luminaries Charlie Haden and Joe Labarbara. After graduating Nate toured the world many times over with pop/rock band The Calling. When he came home he made his first solo album, Reliving. The record is truly self-made, featuring Nate’s compositions, singing, engineering/producing, and him playing all the instruments. Lately Nate has been using his talents on guitar, drums, and bass with Maverick recording artist, Keaton Simons