On the Road with Mike Vax

December 21, 2011
A Wonderful Trip to Michigan

Stan Kenton (Born 1911- Died August 25, 1979 Age 67)

Well, I am back home from my exciting trip to Interlochen to celebrate Stan Kenton’s Centennial.   Sometimes the weather is “stranger than fiction.”  I left the  mountains of Arizona and went to upper Michigan to get warm?  Yep! They are having an unseasonably warm early winter and we have had some early cold weather.  It did finally snow a little my last day in Michigan.

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Interlochen is an amazing – almost magical – place. It certainly is one of the most prestigious arts schools in the world.  It is a real accomplishment for a young person to be accepted there.  They have a total of 460 students and that number includes music, art, drama, dance, and communications.  The students are obviously exceptional talents, but they are also very down to earth, nice young people.  The students and faculty made me feel truly at home right from the start.  Interlochen also has an even bigger summer arts camp that has about 600 students who take part each year.

I stayed in the “Conductor’s Suite” in the Hotel right on campus.  I can only imagine the people that have stayed in that room over the past few decades. Two names that come to mind are Fredrick Fennell and William D. Revelli.   It was an honor to be allowed to stay in
that room.

The surroundings at Interlochen are beautiful. It is in the middle of a forest and is a combination of old historic buildings and brand new modern ones.  The Concert Hall (Corson Auditorium)

Corson Auditorium

is a work of art in itself, and the acoustics are great in there.   I walked the grounds a little (it was raining much of the time) and I also saw Kresge Auditorium

Kresge Auditorium

where we played with Stan Kenton’s band in 1972.  It is covered but the sides are open to the air.  Sure brought back some wonderful memories.  Peter Erskine, the wonderful drummer who has played with literally everybody, was a student at Inerlochen
and also played his first gig with the Kenton Orchestra – aptly enough – at Interlochen in 1972.

I worked with both the Jazz Ensemble and the Brass Ensemble while there, and also
did a brass clinic.

Trumpet Clinic

I can tell you that the Jazz Ensemble at Interlochen is better than many college bands that I have performed with.  They have excellent section work, and the soloists sound like seasoned professionals.  Playing Stan Kenton music is quite a different challenge than most other big band music and Bill Sears

Bill Sears and Mike Vax (left to right) before the concert

had these students not only well prepared, but really interested in the Kenton legacy.  Thanks Bill, for all your wonderful work in Jazz Education.

I must also thank Derek Kwan for taking such good care of me during my visit.

Derek Kwan (director of concert productions at Interlochen) Mike Vax, and Bill Sears (director of Jazz Studies at Interlochen)(from left to right)

Derek is in charge of the programs in Corson and Kresge Auditoriums and does an amazing job of booking just about every kind of musical entertainment that is imaginable.  They have an on-going concert series all year.

After the concert we went to Giovonni’s Roadhouse.

Giovanni's Sign

The restaurant part was closed, but that didn’t make too much difference because we were there to toast Stan Kenton’s 100^thbirthday!

Toast to Stan Kenton at Giovanni's restaurant

And that we did – with vodka and pretzels.  (Stan would have overlooked the pretzels……)  I would say that the whole day was a very emotional one for me, and I think we “did Stan proud” on his centennial birthday.  One of the things I thought about was how much more he could have done for music and for jazz education, had he lived a long full life, instead of passing away when he was only 68 years old.

On Friday I did clinics at Traverse City Central High School.  Again – wonderful kids and a very young and very enthusiastic band director – David Hester. I wish you well David, and know that you will have many years of inspiring young people to love music!

Trips like this make me so thankful that I chose to be a clinician, to work with young people, and to hopefully help keep music and jazz education alive in our country.

Additional pictures from my trip.

Dinning Hall

Rehersal

Mike's Dressing Room - a star no less?

Mike and the Trumpet section

Mike and the Trombone section

Mike waiting to go on stage

Mike Soloing

In the Trumpet section

signing CD's - a madhouse

What a great trip.

Mike Vax
vaxtrpts@aol.com
www.mikevax.net
www.bigbandjazz.net
www.prescottjazz.com
www.getzen.com