CBC veteran to teach jazz appreciation

In 30 years as a CBC music producer, Neil Ritchie has had his share of moments fraught with fear.

Like the time a host had a panic attack and fainted, just as Off the Record, the weekday jazz show Ritchie produced, was about to go on air.

“I faded down the theme, played the first bit of music without an announcement and hauled an announcer in out of the hallway to finish the show,” he recalls. The fainting host was taken to hospital.

Ritchie isn’t likely to encounter that anxiety when he steps in front of a class of jazz enthusiasts at Monterey Recreation Centre next month, where he will teach a five-day jazz appreciation workshop.

Using documentaries, videos, quotes, his own opinions and just plain listening to music, Ritchie will outline how jazz became America’s homegrown music. With its southern U.S. roots, jazz followed, but also created economic trends, as it moved from the south to the north, he says.

“Chicago became the hub of jazz because for one thing there were all these wealthy gangsters there that liked good music and didn’t care if a club made money or not.”

Now retired from CBC, Ritchie also teaches at Simon Fraser University in downtown Vancouver. His approach with his students at Monterey will be much the same as at SFU.

“I don’t like to talk too much because I’d prefer people listen (to the music) and form their own opinions. I like to set things up so maybe they understand what to listen to and where these people came from and understand where the music comes from.”

Colleen Payne will be one of those attending. The Saanich resident already loves jazz, but wants to learn more.

“I don’t have a huge knowledge, but do have a collection of CDs. I’m just interested in learning about the history and the evolution from someone who has a vast experience that I don’t have,” she says.

Victoria resident Karen Robinson has also signed up for the course, which runs for five mornings. Aside from the fact the hours of the course work for her, Neil Ritchie was a draw, she says.

“I’m hoping to take away more knowledge of other great artists and the evolution, the changes over time.”

Ritchie shouldn’t have problems fulfilling that request.

“It’s so compelling, so definitive, that’s not usually one of my worries,” he said. “The musicianship is always there and to me that’s timeless.”

“Jazz in a Nutshell” runs Aug. 10 to 14, 9:30 a.m. to noon at Monterey Recreation Centre, 1442 Monterey Ave. in Oak Bay. For more information, call the centre at 250-370-7300 or visit www.recreation.oakbaybc.org/monterey.html and click on brochures.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com