Welcome to Hudson Jazzworks
We offer the Hudson Jazz Workshop, a weekend immersion in Jazz improvisation and composition in a supportive and focused atmosphere conducive to intensive study and mutual encouragement, through individual and group instruction, jam sessions and a faculty/student concert, with two of today's leading practitioners of duo playing, Armen Donelian and Marc Mommaas.
Armen Donelian
An experienced educator and artist of distinction. Pianist, producer of 12 recordings featuring dozens of penetrating originals with world-class musicians, author of Training the Ear Vol. 1 & 2 and Whole Notes: A Piano Masterclass, Fulbright Scholar in 5 countries, 6-time NEA Fellow, faculty of New School and Wm. Paterson University for over 2 decades. Performed or taught in 23 countries with Sonny Rollins and others. Graduate Westchester Conservatory of Music, Columbia University, private studies with Michael Pollon, Ludmila Ulehla, Carl Bamberger, Richie Beirach and Harold Seletsky.
Marc Mommaas
A gifted communicator and strong presence in today’s global Jazz scene. Saxophonist, Cum Laude graduate Manhattan School of Music, William Borden Award recipient, international guest lecturer at MSM , NYU, William Paterson University, Rhythmic Music Conservatory/Denmark and the Conservatory of Amsterdam, co-director of the New York Jazz Workshop, bandleader of his celebrated formation Global Motion and composer of innovative works featured on Global Motion, Balance and Landmarc (Sunnyside Records). As a side-man he can be heard with the quintet and duo of Armen Donelian, the sextet of Amina Figarova and the octet and quintet of Tim Horner.
Hudson Jazz Workshop is in collaboration with:
Special guest Sheila Jordan
2012 NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan was born in 1928 in Detroit and raised in Pennsylvania's coal-mining country. She began singing as a child and working semi-professionally in Detroit clubs in her early teens. Her first great influence was Charlie Parker, singing versions of his solos in a vocal trio. After moving to New York in the early 50s, Sheila married Duke Jordan and studied with Lennie Tristano, but it was not until the early 60s that she made her first recordings. One of these was under her name; the other was “The Outer View” with George Russell. In the mid-60s her music encompassed Jazz liturgies and extensive club work, yet her appeal was narrow even within the Jazz world. By the late 70s Jazz audiences began to understand her uncompromising style and her popularity increased - as did her recodings, including albums as a member of the quartet of Steve Kuhn, and another of a selection of Robert Creeley's poems composed and arranged by Steve Swallow called “Home.” A 1983 duo album with Harvie Swartz, “Old Time Feeling”, includes several standards she regularly features in her live repertoire, while 1990's “Lost And Found” pays tribute to her bebop roots. Both display her unique musical trademarks, such as the frequent and unexpected sweeping changes of pitch. Her preference for bass/voice duets led to another remarkable collaboration for over ten years with Cameron Brown, with whom she performs globally, releasing the live albums “I’ve Grown Accustomed to the Bass” and “Celebration.” Entirely non-derivative, Jordan is a unique Jazz singer who fully deserves the appellation and for whom no other term will do.