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Saturday, August 15, 2020 | 2 p.m.

At Home with
Dee Spencer
An Online Jazz Piano Workshop

In this workshop, Dee led musicians in the basics of blues and jazz, with some great tips on improvisation.

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Event Video

About the Event

Dee Spencer has been a guiding light of the San Francisco jazz scene for decades, from founding the SFJazz Education Program and leading the Grammy High School All Star Band, to performing with top artists as well as for her signature open mic cabarets. Dee inspires musicians to sing, play, and love music. In this workshop, Dee led musicians in the basics of blues and jazz, with some great tips on improvisation.

Looking forward to working with you! I hope you’ll enjoy playing these tunes of mine and working on the basics of the blues.

 

– Dee Spencer

About the Mentor

Dee Spencer is a Professor of Jazz and Musical Theatre in the School of Theatre & Dance at San Francisco State University (SFSU).

Dee’s musical director/sound designer credits include “Androcles and the Lion,” “Raisin,” “Purlie Victorious,” “The Me Nobody Knows,” “No Place to Be Somebody,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Sassy Divas,” “One Mo’ Time,” “Twelfth Night,” “Spring Awakening,” “Lysistrata,” “Chicago,” “Hair,” and “Dreamgirls in Concert”.

She has performed/recorded/toured/judged with Wynton Marsalis for Jazz at Lincoln Center; Grammy Award-winning vocalist Ledisi; Tower of Power’s Lenny Williams; John Handy, Jimmy Scott, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Regina Carter, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Bernard Purdie, X-Factor star Jason Brock; and the legendary Glide Ensemble. Her latest recording, “Tranquility,” was released in 2018. She serves as an annual screener for the Grammy Awards.

Her former students include recording artists/producers Braxton Brothers; Beyonce’s music director, saxophonist Tia Fuller; and Lauren Hill’s music director, saxophonist Howard Wiley.

As an active contributor to the San Francisco community, she founded the San Francisco Jazz Organization (SFJAZZ) education program. She also served as program director for the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.

She has served on the following boards: International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE), National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), San Francisco Jazz Organization (SFJAZZ), Stanford Jazz Workshop, Community Music Center and the Women’s Audio Mission.  Dee is currently serving on the People in Plaza and the Amateur Music Network boards.

Workshop Materials

WORKSHOP MUSIC - TRACKS

WORKSHOP MUSIC - SCORES

    Beauty Box Boogie

    Quarantine Cakewalk