Camp Staff Members

Paul Carr | Camp Director

Improvisation and Reed Instructor

Director and JAM founder Paul Carr, is one of the top jazz saxophonist and jazz educators in the country today. Paul is passionately committed to the education of children and particularly as it relates to the preservation of jazz. There are very few in the industry who can claim the success that Paul has achieved as an educator. In 2002, he founded the Jazz Academy of Music. Paul has changed the lives of hundreds of his students by selflessly sharing his knowledge of music and life. Several of his students have been admitted and even received full scholarships to some of the top music schools and conservatories in the country.

Pepe Gonzalez | Assistant Camp Director

Jazz Idiom, Bass and Guitar Instructor

Mr. Gonzalez, an outstanding bassist, born in Spain, has performed largely within the Jazz, Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian idioms. Pepe has had the pleasure of performing with Chris Vadala, Maria Rodríguez and her Latin Jazz Orchestra, Buck Hill, Pepper Adams, Dorothy Donegan, Clifford Jordan, Delfeayo Marsalis and Giacomo Gates. Pepe has played the Caribbean, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and the Soviet Union Festivals including the San Remo Jazz Festival, East Coast Jazz Festivals, Syracuse Jazz Festival, and the Cape May Jazz Festivals.

Eric Byrd

Vocal and Piano Instructor

Mr. Byrd has been playing and singing professionally for over 20 years. Along with the principles of swing and be-bop, rousing gospel-tinged chords and trilling blues lines are fundamental elements of his performance style. He is currently a half-time Music Lecturer at McDaniel College, formerly Western Maryland College, where he completed his undergraduate degree. He received his Master’s in Music in 2001 from Morgan State.

Griff Kaz

Trumpet and Violin Instructor

Griffith Kazmierczak is a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland. Griff has been recognized for his skills in the genres of Jazz, Funk, R&B, Classical/Contemporary Music and virtually anything else he can read or hear a recording of.

Aaron Seeber

Drum and Combo Instructor

Aaron is a graduate of SUNY Purchase, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree. At SUNY Purchase he studied under the renowned instructors John Riley and Kenny Washington and had the opportunity to perform with great musicians Eric Reed, Jon Faddis, Cyrille Aimée, Jeremy Pelt, Paul Bollenback, Tim Green,  Bruce Harris, Gary Smulyan, Paul Carr, Mike Ledonne, Freddie Redd, Butch Warren, Grant Stewart, Chuck Redd, and many others.