Kenny is available for clinics and workshops on a variety of topics including:
• The Music of Ornette Coleman
As the guitarist with Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time for 12 years, I will demonstrate and explain techniques Ornette employs in his compositions, improvisations and bandleading. This workshop will help musicians develop, open up and expand their personal musical language. It is also a great opportunity to get an in-depth look into Prime Time’s music. In addition, I work with ensembles, sharing rehearsal techniques and concepts to get the band playing together in an open context.
• Motific Development
This clinic focuses on using motives, cells and small bits of musical information to develop lines, build and organize solos. Techniques to develop motives will be presented, explained and demonstrated – for use in open playing, and applications for playing over changes.
• Practicing Effectively
Probably the most important thing that we can learn as musicians, is to practice creatively, effectively and intelligently. If we can turn time in the practice room into musical growth, discovery and enrichment, we’re on our way! Lots of tips and strategies learned the hard way, picked up along the way or forged in the practice mill.
• Odd Meter Workshop
Playing over odd time signatures can be challenging. This clinic works on strategies for practicing and internalizing odd meters, and building confidence and rhythmic freedom. The goal is to play relaxed, musically and freely in whatever time signature you are in.
• Jazz Guitar
Clinics and workshops on improvisation, line building, chord construction, chord solos, comping in a rhythm section, and other related topics.
• Repertoire Development
How to learn tunes so you won’t forget them.
• Free Playing
I work with ensembles providing some ‘structured’ or guided free and open musical exercises in order to get them playing together by ear and connecting in a deeper fashion. Often music students are dealing with so much technical information (“correct” notes, scale choices, chords, reading music, finding the notes, fingering the notes, etc.) that other important musical considerations take a back seat — listening, interacting, ear training, tone production, expression, texture, density, contrast, fun… Playing in this way often brings a group together and has an immediate effect on musicianship (blending, time feel, communication, etc.) I have given clinics and workshops around the world including: Norwegian Academy of Music, Olso, Norway; ISCMS Festival, Istanbul, Turkey; CCNY University, NY, NY; Jazz Education Network Convention, Atlanta, GA; Rutgers University, Newark, NJ; Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; NYU Jazz Guitar Intensive, NY, NY;
• Private Instruction
Available for lessons in guitar, theory, semiotics and various worldly and other worldly endeavors (can only attest to the quality of my contributions to the first two listings above).
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