NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — This summer, pack up your instrument, open your mind, and enter the boundary-breaking world of Medeski Martin & Wood.
Camp MMW is an opportunity for musicians of varying levels and ages, to live and study with MMW in the Catskill Mountains. Campers will gather together for five days of intensive workshops and seminars, deep listening, musical exploration, and improvisation.
"Our camp environment should be the perfect setting for self discovery, improvisation and interplay," says drummer Billy Martin. "Hopefully, we'll get students to focus and develop their own vocabulary and sound on their instruments."
No matter what instrument an attendee plays, they will expand their approach to music, improve listening skills, and interact with other musicians in a completely fresh, innovative way.
"Being a part of MMW for the past 17 years has taught me things you can't learn in school," says bassist Chris Wood. "I hope to pass some of that experience on to the students who come to our camp."
Break with convention, bust out of safety zone, and dare to try new things. Think of Camp MMW as musical cross training. For example, a guitarist can study melody with keyboardist, John Medeski. Or a horn player can work on mastering rhythm with drummer, Billy Martin. A pianist may develop their groove with bassist, Chris Wood. There will be special guests, group collaborations, and, of course, exclusive performances by MMW. In the anything-goes, non-traditional atmosphere of Camp MMW, experimentation will be encouraged, limits tested, risks taken, and newfound freedom in the process.
Adds keyboardist John Medeski, "It's been a dream of mine to get many musicians together to share creative ideas and that's exactly what I hope happens at Camp MMW."
80,000 acres of New York State’s Catskill Mountain wilderness is the backdrop to the collective creative energy of Camp MMW.
A typical day at Camp MMW begins with a buffet breakfast with the band, from 8AM to 9AM, followed by a Master Class/Seminar with MMW at 9:30AM. At Noon, camp will break for a buffet lunch, from 12:15 to 1:15PM, followed by some free time until 2:45, when everyone will breaks into workshops groups with individual band members and special guests. At 6:00, everyone gathers for a seated dinner, followed by the evening's event, which might be a performance and jam sessions, or a film and discussion, a bonfire, a dance party, or who knows what! Campers will share most meals with John, Billy, and Chris, and participate in fun and exciting activities together throughout the week.–by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
