Jazz on the Square teams up with Jamey Aebersold for third year to bring jazz education resources to McHenry County schools

Jazz on the Square, a McHenry County nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting jazz education and live jazz performances in McHenry and its neighboring counties, has teamed up for a third year with Jamey Aebersold's "Jazz Books" (www.jazzbooks.com ) to provide every middle school and high school music educator in McHenry County copies of Aebersold's internationally recognized "Jazz Handbook and his Volume 2: Nothing But the Blues."

In anticipation of their 12th annual Jazz on the Square Woodstock Jazz Festival Aug. 23-24, the members of Jazz on the Square distributed over 150 copies of the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Handbook to jazz students of McHenry County and one copy of Aebersold's "Volume 2: Nothin' But the Blues" to each middle school and high school music educator.

Bryan Kyrouac, president of Jazz on the Square and an elementary school band director at Northbrook District 28, stated, "These little red Jazz Handbooks are an incredible resource. The books have all the information a student needs to begin learning about all styles of jazz. Volume 2: Nothing But The Blues has been used by hundreds of thousands of jazz musicians all over the world to learn to play the blues."

Bruce Lane, secretary and education committee chair of Jazz on the Square, adds, "The CDs that come with any of Jamey Aebersold's books, including Nothin' But The Blues the book gives the student an opportunity to play along with a professional blues ensemble. This book is one of the hundreds of Aebersold books and CDs that revolutionized jazz education! "

Lane continued, "It is an honor to partner with National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award winner and internationally known Jazz Education icon, Jamey Aebersold, to bring these books to our McHenry County kids and music educators. Our county has some incrediblly talented young musicians. With just a little bit of help they can become great jazz musicians."

This year, Jazz on the Square is also expanded their educational outreach by providing a free "Jazz Improvisation for Musicians of All Ages" workshop by outstanding Chicago area tenor sax player, band leader, and composer John Wojciechowski. Wojciechowski assisted a small, diverse crowd of jazz students in understanding some of the basics of jazz improvisation.

Jazz on the Square is currently expanding its jazz education outreach efforts by providing to select middle school music educators a complete set of "The Real Easy Book" by Sher Music. The set includes an Bb, Eb, C, and Bass Clef versions of the book. Each book contains educational materials which help students understand how to play jazz harmony and backgrounds during solos. They also provide help on how to create an improvised solo over the song. "The Real Easy Books" are specifically designed to help introduce middle school students to playing jazz combo music.

Jazz on the Square sponsors educational, user-friendly jam sessions each first and third Friday of the month from 8 to 11 p.m. at Stage Left Café on the Square in Woodstock. Musicians, young and old, of all skill levels are welcome to come and experience the joy of playing live jazz.

Visit www.jazzonthesquare.com or www.facebook.com/jazzonthesquare/.