NickD

OK, I had one heck of a weekend! I had to be in Door County for a Friday night concert to hear my son plan in the combos and big band. Then I had to drive back Saturday AM to that I could be in Chicago to hear my daughter play in hre first Latin Jazz concert under the leadership of our own Mike McLaughlin. Then it was off to a gig and the a drive from 1 AM to 5 AM BACK to door county for more quality time with the family. I just got back. I had to post this. I have it bottled in for several days.

I loved the Birch Creek concert with my son. They always do a fine job up there and I am well familiar with the program. What I wanted to post about was the Merit Music School program. That was new to me, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement!

First, my 11 year old daughter has never played jazz before, let alone the tricky idiom of Latin jazz. At Mike's encouragement, I enrolled her in the program on alto sax (she's been playing for two years - 7 years on piano). Mike assured me she would fit in. He more than lived up to his word as an expert caring teacher - something a parent just loves (especially when the parent is also a musician).

He had these kids of all ages and backgrounds playing some very tricky Latin music (including Cubanissimo charts!!!) and sounding just terrific. EVERY KID got to play at least one solo many had more. His guidance was caring and sweet as well as obviouly based in extreme skill n HIS part (playing along on trumpet Mike demonstred considarable talent for the kids - another big asset). I could not have been happier with the experience my daughter had under Mike's tutelage!

However there were two other groups performing. One was a piano trio (piano, violin and cello). These three teenagers gave on of the best performances I've ever heard! They did a Shostakovich sonata with a panache and sense of soul I have never heard from kids before. It was much mnore than just getting thins notes perfect. They were playing with heart and sould not ususally developed without many more years of experience.

Next was a summer camp group specializing in Broadway style show training. Now, I am pretty jaded when it comes to hearing teenagers do this sort of thing. Even the best often seem to be just going through the motions. Not so here. These young people did a professional caliber delivery I was utterly unprepared for. They were invested in the performance and sold it like pros. I was brought to tears with some of this.

Mike McLaughin, in additon to being one of the lead teachers at the Merit School, is also the registrar. He helps keep the place running.

I was so impressed as to be sputtering and speechless.

Mike, you've got a wonderful program. I am indebted to you! I look forward to more experiences like this.

Chicago area TM'ers, youve got to find out more and go hear these programs. You'll be pleasantly stunned. This was a very heartening experience - beautiful

FWIIW coming from me!

Peace!

Nick

trpt2345

Thanks for your kind words, we had fun. It was a good concert to cap a good summer program. It's amazing what you can accomplish with a bunch of three hour rehearsals.

Michael McLaughlin

Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.
Ambrose Bierce

ilikethetrumpet

Like I said in my PM, I'm a Lawrence grad and just read about Merit, and think it sounds terrific. I'd love to check you guys out next time I'm in the city (I'm from up in Antioch.)

Birch Creek is a heck of a place. Two of my friends up there were counselors in years past, both of them phenomenal jazz trumpet players. I think it's just great how, in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin--just as in the heart of Chicago--if you can play, there's a place for you to play. Anyway, I get all psyched up to get out of school and get teaching when I read about stuff like this.

trpt2345

Come by anytime. We're at 38 S. Peoria, a block west of Halsted at Madison. Come on a Saturday which is when it's the most busy.

Michael McLaughlin

cornetguy

I attended from 1982-1986 when it was still in the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Ave. The program did a really good job preparing us for college, particularly theory and ear training. I was also a member of the brass choir that went to Germany in 1985 from the MERIT program.

trpt2345

You're kidding! That trip was famous. We still have a poster from it hanging in the halls. We have a beautiful new building at 38 S. Peoria that would blow you away. Did you know Sean Edmonds? He's with Basie now. Chip Gdalman is still there. Please come see us if you ever come to town, say hi to Duffie. Unfortunately Emma and Alice and Ann Monaco are all gone now, but we're still going. www.meritmusic.org.
A week from today I'm taking a jazz group to play at the jazz fest in Savannah GA. Including Nick's son Colin.

Michael McLaughlin