Blues in the Schools Workshop with Legend Lil’ Jimmy Reed
by Charlie Apicella
The final week of February offered New Jersey a blues summit unlike any in recent memory.
The collaboration between Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation and North Jersey Blues Society brought living legend Lil’ Jimmy Reed to the area for a student workshop and recital, and then a headlining slot at Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival in PA.
Charlie Apicella, vice president of education for NJBSN and board member Jay Sweet of the JSJBF, partnered over several weeks to teach the students of Sweet Music Academy the music and techniques of classic recordings by B.B. King and Jimmy Reed.
Organist Brad Whiteley and New Jersey drum legend Steve Johns, both members of Charlie Apicella & Iron City, joined Charlie and Jay as faculty accompanists for a rehearsal workshop and student recital attended by 10 young musicians.
Lil’ Jimmy Reed worked one on one with each student to convey the true meaning of African-American Classical Music as taught through the oral tradition, call and response, and true mentor/apprentice methods.
Lil’ Jimmy told me this was the first time in his long career he had worked with a student ensemble, and my idea was to curate his intuitive teaching style. In other words, Brad, Jay, and myself relied on our jazz pedagogy backgrounds to help the students access, interpret, and absorb Lil’ Jimmy’s teaching style.
As a roots blues musician, he relies on the oral tradition, demonstration, and verbal instructions. Brad and I spent several weeks transcribing classic recordings and generating clear sheet music which the students used in their rehearsals leading up to Lil’ Jimmy’s visit.
It was heartwarming to spend time with Lil’ Jimmy for the week. He mentioned several of the students by name during the day Friday, following our rehearsal the night before. It was great to see how their young enthusiastic energy ignited a spark in his already cheerful, playful personality.
VIDEO: Lil’ Jimmy Reed’s Blues In The Schools Workshop Gen Blues
The 88-year-old treasure of American music enjoyed his first visit to New York City and told me the trip brought for him new meaning to the Jimmy Reed classic “Goin’ to New York.”
To finish off the collaboration, the band then traveled to PA for our third appearance at the Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival. It was an explosive and compelling experiment to apply our skills as contemporary Hard Bop messengers as the backing band for Lil’ Jimmy’s classic blues sound.
I’m grateful for this opportunity to have joined different sounds, different generations, and people from different parts of the country. It was a great testament to the power and community impact of real music presented under the right conditions.
For more information on the Sweet Music Academy, go to sweetmusicacedemy.com
Charlie Apicella and his band can be reached at ironcityjazz@comcast.net