This interactive workshop introduces participants to jazz rhythms through fun games and hands-on activities. Led by saxophone legend Walter Blanding, attendees will explore jazz improvisation, rhythm exercises, and melody games suitable for families, teenagers, and beginners.

About the Workshop

“Who is Louis Armstrong?” is a family-friendly, interactive jazz workshop that combines play and learning. The workshop uses a gamified approach to break down jazz rhythms and techniques, making it engaging for participants of all ages.

Interactive exercises include rhythm imitation, melody relay, and jazz-style adaptations, fostering teamwork and sparking interest in jazz music. The workshop aims to make jazz accessible, fun, and inspiring, while dispelling the stereotype of jazz as "highbrow" or intimidating.

Workshop Leader

Walter Blanding – Saxophone & Workshop Leader

An internationally acclaimed saxophonist with over 34 years of global performance experience, Blanding first gained recognition with his 1991 album Tough Young Tenors, acclaimed as one of the year’s best jazz recordings.

He has performed and recorded with jazz and pop legends including Cab Calloway, Billy Eckstine, Roy Hargrove, Branford Marsalis, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, and Joshua Bell. A 25-year member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, he has shared stages with Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Willie Nelson, Tony Bennett, and Elton John.

Blanding has collaborated with top orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra. He has received a Pulitzer Prize for his contribution to Wynton Marsalis’s album From Billie Holiday to Edith Piaf, participated in Grammy-winning projects, and performed at U.S. presidential inaugurations.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in New York, he lived in Israel for four years, founding a music school there. From 2018 to 2020, he served as Jazz Ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai. He is currently Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone at Michigan State University, continuing to educate and inspire new generations of musicians.

Why Go

This workshop is ideal for families, teenagers, and anyone interested in experiencing jazz in a playful, interactive way. With Walter Blanding’s decades of global performance experience and approachable teaching style, participants will gain hands-on insight into jazz rhythm, improvisation, and musical collaboration. It’s a rare opportunity to learn directly from a world-class jazz musician in Shanghai.