From the NY Hot Jazz Camp & Gotham Jazz Fest

I spent the week of April 22-28 in New York volunteering at the New York Hot Jazz Camp at the Greenwich House Music School, which culminated in the Gotham Jazz Festival. I missed these two events last year due to having houseguests (at least, they were musicians), but I have been participating every year since the first camp in 2016. All available slots were filled, although there were a couple of late dropouts. This year there were several students from Europe, more than in any year I can remember. The camp has always followed pretty much the same format: sectional instruction by instrument, jams, and bands comprising one member from each section that all play at the festival. There is also a faculty band. This year’s faculty was: Mike Davis, trumpet; Dan Levinson, reeds; Tal Ronen, bass; Ron Wilkins, trombone; Cynthia Sayer, guitar and banjo; Kevin Dorn, drums; Rossano Sportiello, piano; and Catherine Russell, vocals. Only Wilkins was new to me. This camp has always had a top-notch roster of instructors. Augmenting the practice sessions was a lecture most afternoons by an authority in his/her subject. One lecture by the noted jazz critic and author of numerous books and liner notes Will Friedwald featured women composers—mainly Dorothy Fields, who was unquestionably the best known but by far not the only one. Another by vocalist Queen Esther (who has been a faculty member in t