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Five and a half years ago, Jeff Antoniuk felt it was time to expand. The Annapolis-based saxophonist, already teaching at Towson University and jazz master classes, decided to put together a camp with all the best features of the ones he had attended as a youth in Edmonton, Alberta.
"The fun part is the teaching and the playing," the 43-year-old says. "That's why I do it at all. To me, they're practically the same thing. That's what makes our camp a little bit special from some of the others."
"Nothing against people who just teach. That's a calling," Antoniuk explains. "But for the art form, I think it's important to have someone who teaches, but also still does it professionally."
Aside from giving students an inclusive experience, it provides would-be Charlie Parkers a venue to show off what they've learned. Before a professional concert at the end of each three-day session, they have the opportunity to play for an audience.
"Jeff is such an amazing teacher," Eckerson says. "There are a lot of great jazz musicians, but very few that can teach the skills of improv."
Like many Maryland Summer Jazz students, Eckerson has branched out on his own. On the weekends, he hits clubs and restaurants with The Jazz Stimulus Project.
"I love that," Antoniuk says. "They're essentially graduating to that semi-pro level. There's no better compliment or reward to let us know that we're doing our job right."
Without an experienced faculty, the camp would be pretty pedestrian. In past years, pros like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones saxophonist Jeff Coffin helped students along. This year, Antoniuk and Phillips have invited former Us3 vocalist Alison Crockett, trumpter Ingrid Jensen and guitar player Tim Miller. The latter is an associate professor at Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music.
"His name is popping up more and more in critics' circles," Antoniuk says. "He's sort of one of those guys on the cusp of being discovered."
What makes Maryland Summer Jazz a festival and not just a camp is a series of four concerts spread out over two weeks. It's a chance for the program to reach out to the community and show off its world-class faculty.
So if the program is based in Annapolis, why do most of the concerts take place in Rockville? Phillips says it was a simple matter of supply and demand.
"We wanted to move to Annapolis because that's where Jeff and his family live," she explains. "But we found that people in Montgomery County really, really wanted it."
The names might be flashy and the concerts might attract a large audience, but the focus remains on teaching.
"It's very satisfying to see adults get up onstage and try to do this new thing that they're working on," Antoniuk says. "I think most people find that inspirational. But the bottom line is that they sound good."
The Maryland Summer Jazz Festival kicks off on July 21 with a concert featuring Ingrid Jensen with Jeff Antoniuk and the Jazz Update at Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, in the District. Show times are at 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. Three more concerts will take place in Rockville on July 23, 24 and 31. Admission ranges from free to $20. For more information, call 410-295-6691 or visit www.marylandsummerjazz.com.
