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2013

March
The Camarillo High Jazz Band “A” is a performing ensemble that regularly performs in public venues such as the Camarillo Fiesta and the Camarillo Jazz Festival. They have been invited to play on stages honoring many organizations such as the Optimists, Lions and Kiwanis.
On the school competition circuit, they garnered first place finishes in such places as the Dos Pueblos Jazz Festival, the Royal High School Jazz Festival, Westlake Festival and Newbury Park High School. They have appeared at the Reno International Jazz Festival and several performances at the Fullerton Jazz Festival.  Come early and enjoy this great high school group.
Be sure to welcome them and their parents as they are our future jammers.

June
Focus on Youth
The Younger Generation of Jazz Musicians How about those kids! For the months of February,  March & April we had the pleasure of having jazz bands from three different local schools come to entertain our Channel Cities Jazz Club at the PCYC, and they ranged from excellent to outstanding.  In February it was an eight-piece jazz combo from Oxnard High plus our own Jim Wade "sitting, (standing) in" on bass. Their student couldn't make it. Also, their fearless leader, Mr. Fundi Legohn played with them on the French horn of all things, and it worked great.
In March the eighteen-piece big band from Camarillo High, under the direction of Mr. John Stava performed for us, and what a performance it was. Just terrific.  Then in April we had a really big band from Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura. Mr. Mario Boccali brought his very swinging twenty-piece group of seventh and eighth graders to play for us, and they wowed everyone. A very smooth and polished sound.
All of these groups have been invited back, and Mr. Fundi Legohn, Oxnard Hi Music Director has agreed to bring his group back to entertain us again in June.
Only this time it will be his swinging 18-piece big band.  With this kind of talent coming along, it appears that the music we love is going to be around for quite a while.
~Jim Holbrook

The Oxnard High Jazz Ensemble
This Month’s Youth Group
The Oxnard High School music has been under the direction of Mr. Fundi Legohn since 1992. He has attempted to maintain a high standard of music education in his programs.  Over the years, his Jazz ensembles have entertained thousands of people and have performed both locally
and abroad; in Mexico, the Bahamas, Vancouver Canada and Hawaii. The current group has performed at numerous venues in and around Oxnard with high compliments of their musicianship, repertoire, and energy.
We are very pleased and happy to be able to bring our music once again to the Sunday performance of the Channel Cities Jazz Club at the PCYC.
The band uses the better musicians in the high school Band program; where they are taught the skills to interpret, perform and improvise in different Jazz styles.
Mr. Legohn plays Jazz French horn and is not afraid to use other instruments that are not regularly used in a standard Jazz ensemble.
The OHS Jazz ensemble is available and looking for other opportunities to perform before the current seniors depart for their college work duties after high school. Please be encouraged to hire this band for your upcoming event before the end of July. We're "keepin' the music alive" here at OHS Music.
~Fundi Legohn
Music Director Nideo Productions Instructor
Oxnard High School Performing Arts

October
Focus on Youth
ln the past 10 years, beginning in 2004 our Channel Cities Jazz Club has sponsored a total of 27 young musicians to the Sacramento Summer Youth Trad Jazz Camp. One of those years we were able to send 7 students to the camp and 4 of those years, including the last 2, we could only send just 1.
How many we send each year depends on how fat our bank account is, and it's been a little thin lately. Our sponsorship consists of the weeks tuition plus some money to the family for travel expenses. In 2013 that total was $750.00 per student.  Thanks to all of you who have donated to our jazz Camp Scholarship Fund. Please continue doing so and help us "Keep Jazz Alive".
Jim Holbrook

Following is a letter addressed to our Jazz Club from Bill Dendle, Youth Trad Jazz Camp Director in Sacramento, in response to the thank you note he received from Brittney Ellinger, our 2013 Jazz Camp student.

Dear Channel Cities Jazz Club,
I've enclosed the thank you note from the camper you sponsored to the STJS Youth Trad Jazz Camp, and I want to add my sincere thanks to you for supporting our efforts to help young musicians learn to appreciate and play the music we love. We know that not all of our campers will go on to become proficient players, but we know for certain that they will always cherish the time they spent at camp, and will be an enthusiastic audience for those who do continue to play.
Our campers are the future of Traditional Jazz, both as players and listeners, and you are to be commended for your very important role in supporting Traditional Jazz education.
Sincerely,
Bill Dendle
Jazz Camp Director

April
Our 2013 Jazz Camp Candidate
Music is my passion. For the past three years I have been taking weekly private lessons. I have studied many genres of music during that time, including Jazz. This style of music has become one of my favorites. Etta James has been inspirational to me. One of my very ?rst public performances was singing “At Last”. I have a basic knowledge of Jazz and I believe a week at your camp would be a great way to enhance my understanding of it.
I am a 17-year-old Junior at El Camino High School in Ventura, California.
My musical experience includes singing live for audiences, including performing with live bands. I competed in and won the singing portion of 805's Got Talent in Ventura County. For the past two years, I auditioned for and was selected to perform in The Festival of Talent for the Ventura County School District. Recently, I auditioned for and made it through the ?rst three rounds of the singing competition X Factor. I will know in July if I have advanced to the next round.
There are several reasons why I believe I would be an exceptional student for Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp. In addition to being a skilled singer, some of my other qualities includes; being able to handle pressure, being a hard worker, and being responsible. For example, I currently have been working at my local skating rink for about nine months now. Within that period, there has been countless times where the rink gets overcrowded with people. Dealing with a colorful group of people, all different characters, brings a lot of pressure. How I deal with it is by remaining positive and making sure everything goes smoothly, helping every costumer the best ways I can. Being under pressure and succeeding with a task also shows that I am a hard worker. Having a job has also put me to the test with responsibility. I am responsible by showing up to work on time, making sure I do my job correctly going above and beyond expectations, and making sure work doesn’t affect my education and to remain with good grades.
Another reason I believe I should be chosen is my love for being put up to a challenge and overcoming it. I am always excited to get a new task to perform, whether that is learning an opera song in Italian or tackling a book report in school. I am willing to try and learn new things. I like to expand my mind and get as much information as I can. I feel that this camp can give me more insight to one of my favorite genres of music helping me grow as a musical performer. The saying “Knowledge is power” by Sir Francis Bacon is a quote that motivates me to learn as much as possible. Thank-you for considering me as a candidate for your Jazz program.
~Brittney Ellinger

September
Jazz Camp Thank You Letter
I never studied Jazz music before, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to attend the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp for an entire week, from August 5 - 11, 2013.  Each day we woke early, and started our classes. I was with all the singers. My vocal coach Shelly was very helpful in picking out songs that fit my voice. I also learned new vocal techniques that I can use to protect my vocal cords from damage. We had group sessions and individual lessons as well. Later in the day we would work with our assigned bands.
My group was called "Catch of the Day". We were a beginner band, so I had to sing in a key that would be easy for the band to play. Each day we learned a new song, which we would perform for the camp that evening. Practicing and performing with a live band was a new experience for me.
In addition to the new knowledge that I have of Jazz, we had a lot of other fun activities to participate in. We took a long hike, had a really fun dance, and had nightly jam sessions. Our camp experience ended with a big performance with all the bands, as well as local jazz musicians at a club in Sacramento.
I had a wonderful time learning and working with professional jazz players, and made great new friendships with other musicians attending the program. I would like to thank everyone at the Channel Cities Jazz Club for your generous support of the scholarship program.
~Brittney Ellinger

December
Rachel Flowers was our Jazz Club's 2009 Jazz Camp student. Blind since birth, she has been playing the piano since she was 2 and the flute since she was 10. She reads music by braille. Her
mother Jeanie says she also likes to play drums, guitar and sax. A very accomplished musician, Rachel will be joining the other jammers on Dec. 15th.



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