Watch The Medeski Martin & Wood Replay To See What's Coming @ CMS Live:
Are You A Musician Looking To Explore New Realms Of Musical Creation Through The Sounds, Minds, And Experiences Of Some Of The World’s Most Innovative Musicians?
15 Visionary Guiding Artists Share The Breakthroughs That Defined Their Own Creative Music Journey For You To Use, Model, And Make Your Own
Welcome To CMS Live: A 5-Week Virtual Event
MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD
Inside The Sounds - Shut The F@#K Up
Five Sunday Sessions:
May 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd at @ 1:00 PM EST & 30th @ 2PM
MMW will discuss and demonstrate how their instruments inspired their ideas, their songs and more. Special guests DJ Logic and Scotty Hard (recording engineer, producer) Optional description concepts:
VERNON REID
on “What Does It Mean To Be Yourself?”
May 2nd & 29th @ 11:00 - 12:30 PM EST
Exploring the roads to being ourselves no matter the situation. Vernon will discuss his path, his sound, his pedals and more. With co-host Billy Martin
KARL BERGER & INGRID SERTSO
On “Deeper Inside The Music Mind”
Five Saturday Sessions:
May 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th @ 4 - 5:30 PM EST
WILL CALHOUN
On “Frequency Rhythmic Assimilation”
One Sunday Session:
May 9th @ 11:00AM EST and May 23rd @ 11:00 AM EST
Demonstrating Indigenous rhythms with electronic music improvisation and its role in acoustic music settings, Jazz, Rock, Funk, Pop, and alternative music forms. Acoustic sound waves and electronic frequencies merge.
LEYLA MCCALLA
On “Creative Arranging of Traditional Music”
One Saturday Session:
May 15th @ 11:00 AM EST
This class will explore the process of arranging traditional music for modern listeners. Led by Haitian-American multi-instrumentalist, Leyla McCalla, together the class will listen to recordings that have inspired some of Leyla’s compositions and arrangements of traditional songs and discuss how to build interpretations that both honor tradition and push it forward.
GABBY FLUKE MOGUL
On “The Improvising Body”
Two Saturday Sessions:
May 15th @ 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST & 22nd @ 11:00 AM EST
An intimate workshop of improvisation, Deep Listening, and guided process-based scores.
SHELLEY HIRSCH
On “The Body Remembers”
Two Sunday Sessions:
May 16th & May 23rd @ 3:00 PM EST
The body is the biggest storage house of sound and memory. Shelley will guide us to use our own physical gestures to invoke our own reactions with our voice and with our instruments.
JAMAALADEEN TACUMA
On “Music and the Human Experience”
One Saturday Session:
May 1st @ 1:00 PM EST
A comprehensive workshop based on the concept of the business of music and the human experience, Improvisation as a means of musical expression and the global appreciation of today’s world musical language.
GRANT CALVIN WESTON
On “Creative Rhythm Interplay”
One Sunday Session:
May 30th @ 12:00 PM EST
My creative flow with Ornette Coleman’s Prime-Time band, James Blood Ulmer, The Lounge Lizards and more.
Ra Kalam BOB MOSES
On “Living Music”
Two Sunday Sessions:
May 8th & 29th @ 1:30 PM EST
Internal hearing, Groove canon, resolution Points (The 8/8 concept, The eight points, Combining points), Movable two, Playing off of the 8/8 flow, The non-independent method, Ying/Yang triplets, Organic Drumming. Movement and dancing and Singing.
CHARMAINE LEE
On “Possibilities and Palettes in Vocal Music”
One Saturday Session:
May 8th @ 11:00 AM EST
Charmaine will perform and discuss her process and techniques in building an improvisational language.
What Will It Be?
Choose How Deep You'll Go:
MMW ACCESS PASS
MMW’s Inside The Sounds - Shut The F@#K Up * 5 Live Workshops + Special Pre-Sale Bonus Package
Here’s What You’ll Get:
- Peek behind the curtain and discover their signature process
- Hear the untold stories behind their industry-changing sound
- Learn how apply their wisdom to your own creative process
- Interact, ask questions, and unravel their approach to music & life
- Get tools, techniques, & strategies to build your personal legacy sound
PLUS:
- Get a recording of the event (lifetime access)
- Your impact: Proceeds go to Creative Music Foundation's 50-year mission to champion and support creative musicians
- Your Guarantee: You have up until the last day event to request a full refund if you're not satisfied with what you learned.
$100
CMS GUIDING COLLECTIVE PASS
11 Legendary Artists * 19 Live Workshops + Special Pre-Sale Bonus Package
Here’s What You’ll Get:
- Access To 10 Workshops Featuring 11 Of The World’s Most Innovative, Legendary & Exciting Avant Garde Musicians
- VERNON REID - “What Does It Mean To Be Yourself?”
- KARL BERGER & INGRID SERTSO - “Deeper Inside The Music Mind”
- WILL CALHOUN - “Frequency Rhythmic Assimilation”
- LEYLA MCCALLA - “Creative Arranging of Traditional Music”
- GABBY FLUKE MOGUL - "Improvising Body"
- Ra Kalam BOB MOSES - “Living Music”
- SHELLEY HIRSCH - ”The Body Remembers”
- JAMAALADEEN TACUMA - ”Music and the Human Experience”
- GRANT CALVIN WESTON - “Creative Rhythm Interplay”
- CHARMAINE LEE - “Possibilities and Palettes in Vocal Music”
PLUS:
- Get a recording of the event (lifetime access)
- Your impact: Proceeds go to Creative Music Foundation's 50-year mission to champion and support creative musicians
- Your Guarantee: You have up until the last day event to request a full refund if you're not satisfied with what you learned.
$150
OR GET AN ALL ACCESS PASS TO MMW + CMS GUIDING COLLECTIVE
Can’t make it live? We got you. Click here to get lifetime access to all the event recordings for only $75.
Meet Your Host
Creative Music Studio
Creative Music Studio (CMS) is the public face of Creative Music Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1971 by musicians Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso and Ornette Coleman.
Our initial advisory board was eclectic. Composer John Cage, conductor/musician Gil Evans, philosopher/ educator Buckminster Fuller, composer George Russell, and composer/conductor Gunther Schuller.
Our focus: Improvisation and musical cross-pollination.
We allow musicians and music lovers to explore and expand their fluency with the universal language that is music. Our belief is that when musicians are both rooted in the universal fundamentals of music and empowered to champion their own unique voice, the world benefits: creative music thrives.
50 years later, we’re still doing it. The same workshops adapted for these times. Alongside new experiments, like these live events featuring eclectic and pioneering artists, we are still deeply connected to the simple but bold mission that opened our doors for the first time.
That’s why your investment in your own musical education is also a gift to the future of creative music: proceeds for each of these events go directly towards helping CMS carry out its mission; meaning every dollar you put into one of these events goes back into championing creative music and the musicians making it.
What Others Say About CMS Live
“Creative Music Workshop was a fantastic way to communicate and be inspired by the artist. MMW were so connected, thoughtful and inspiring with their presentation of ideas, answers and insights. It was worth every minute”
“Medeski Martin & Wood’s workshop was a real treat. It brought me inside some of their sessions and confirmed many of my beliefs (as engineer/producer) on how great records are made. I wish my band-mates would have attended. I’m going to apply what I learned in this session to my everyday life as well as my music. Thanks CMW!”
“The classes and teachers were great. I enjoyed the interaction and I certainly benefited from the concepts and wisdom shared by the generous faculty. Thanks CMW! I’ll definitely take more classes in the future and recommend CMW to friends.”
“Dear John, Billy, Chris and all the guys at CMW. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. This five week experience was life-changing for me. Thank you for your open heart, kindness and the most important that you shared your weaknesses with all of us. It was great to hear that even successful musicians as you have had or still have the same problems, issues and things I am dealing with throughout my life as a musician. I am glad that you gave me the opportunity to know you closer. Thank you for all the brilliant ideas, thoughts and experiences you shared. So many things you talked about really touched me on a deep personal level and also changed the way I am thinking about music, improvisation and what it really means to develop language between musicians in my own band. It was also a lot of fun to hear your stories behind the albums. It taught me a lot. Thank you again for being so humble and open with answering all the questions! Thank you for your time! I feel really blessed! Greetings from Brno, Czech Republic. With love, Erik :)”
“Hearing from some of my favorite musicians in the world discuss their process is not just a musical lesson, but a life lesson.”
“These guys provided great discussions and insightful perspectives on a broad range of topics every single week. We got to see some cool archival material and we were provided with a ton of context as the guys were all sharing tons of memories and reflections. I came away feeling inspired and motivated to create after every session.”
“Great life experience, not just music!”
“In the midst of these challenging times, the CMS virtual workshops offered a profound reminder that musical improvisation can serve as a source of deep communication and connection, and that everyone is capable of contributing to its creation. In addition to sharing wisdom, enthusiasm, and encouragement, the guiding artists provided simple-yet-profound tools and techniques for practice and performance that have already made me a better listener, player, and collaborator.”
“The CMS workshop with MMW was a delightful inside look into how they approach music. I understand much better how the band developed and evolved. They made it an enjoyable conversation that stayed focused on the theme while also being attentive to questions from the viewers. I will be on the next one. Thanks MMW!”
“The CMW does an excellent job of connecting artists with fans, leaving breadcrumbs of personal growth along the way.”
“It was a much needed light in a year filled with so much chaos and change. This helped me remember the talent and inspiration MMW’s music offers the world.”
“Ever a unique experience, through the opportunity to interact and absorb from creative musical artists who are farther down the path of creating one’s own unique musical art and sensibility. Creative Music Studio/Creative Music Workshop – it’s mission for nearly 50 years. There remains nothing quite like it, to grow from.”
“The Creative Music Studio approach is welcoming, inspiring, freeing, enlightening, just entirely positive for musicians at any level. It’s a community I’ve imagined could exist, but never found until recently. I feel met within it, and at home. Thank you CMS for nourishing and bringing forth the music in the moment.”
“The instructors are brilliant but down-to-earth, and the approaches they bring to improvisation are alive and freeing. These classes gave a shot in the arm to my approach to practice and reanimated my studies. Once we’re allowed back on the bandstand I know what I learned during this program is coming up there with me.”
“The Creative Music Workshop is both great for beginner musicians and lifers.”
“I’ve grown up listening to – and learning from – MMW. They led us through this course with open minds, open hearts and sincere honesty. After five ninety-minute sessions I feel a much stronger connection to their work and their creative approach. Thanks to Billy, Chris and John for the ride! I look forward to more courses.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t attend the live VIP presale event with MMW?
When you sign up, you’ll have the option to order a video and audio copy of the event for a small fee.
I’m not a musician — is the 5-week MMW workshop still for me?
Yes, of course! If you’re a fan of MMW, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how they approach crafting the sounds the world fell in love with. And while some of it might get technical, the process of creating music contains lessons and insights that you can apply to creative act of simply living life.
Why should I upgrade to the full event?
If you’re a musician that wants to explore the far reaches of your own creativity, Creative Music Studio has a 50-year history of doing just that. For 50 years, CMS has produced groundbreaking immersive workshops that brought in legendary creative musicians to share what you won’t learn in a music school.
It doesn’t matter how “good” you are, how serious you play music, what genre you play, or what your goals are – the lessons CMS champions are universally valuable to both the professional musician and the absolute beginner.
How do I access the event?
All workshops that happen during CMS Live (including the VIP event) happen over Zoom. While we don’t love the technology and we’re all sick of it, it’s currently the best option we’ve found that allows for the small, intimate workshops CMS is known for. When you register, you will receive an email with your private link to access the entire series.
Where do I submit my question?
Once you register, you can either fill out the form we provide on our website or you can email your question to [email protected]
Will I get a chance to speak with MMW?
Last time, John, Billy, and Chris were able to speak with some attendees who had questions. But there is no guarantee that will happen.
Will I get a chance to speak with the guiding artists?
Most of the other workshops will be smaller and more intimate, with everyone on the screen at the same time. During those workshops, yes, you will get a chance to ask questions and interact with the guiding artists
What if I’m unable to attend one of the sessions?
Except for the VIP event on April 25th, every session will be recorded and available as quickly as we can get it processed and up to view.
Who created the artwork on this page?
All the art on this page is from the creative mind and hand of multi-disciplinary artist, Andrea Pierri.
Will the event be recorded? If yes, do I get access to the recordings? When will they be made available?
Yes, everything will be recorded. We will also do our best to get the videos processed and uploaded ASAP after the event. As soon as that’s done, we will send an email to all attendees with a link to the recording.
Where does my investment go?
First, your investment goes towards supporting the mission and work of Creative Music Studio, a nonprofit organization. Our mission is to champion creative music, train the next generation of creative musicians, and promote a future where all music does not sound the same.
At the same time, CMS is a strong believer in supporting creative musicians and artists. That’s why, on top of a generous fee for their time, the guiding artists receive 60% of all revenue that originates from their own promotions.
Who is organizing this event?
MMW ACCESS PASS
MMW’s Inside The Sounds - Shut The F@#K Up * 5 Live Workshops + Special Pre-Sale Bonus Package
Here’s What You’ll Get:
- Peek behind the curtain and discover their signature process
- Hear the untold stories behind their industry-changing sound
- Learn how apply their wisdom to your own creative process
- Interact, ask questions, and unravel their approach to music & life
- Get tools, techniques, & strategies to build your personal legacy sound
PLUS:
- Get a recording of the event (lifetime access)
- Your impact: Proceeds go to Creative Music Foundation's 50-year mission to champion and support creative musicians
- Your Guarantee: You have up until the last day event to request a full refund if you're not satisfied with what you learned.
$100
CMS GUIDING COLLECTIVE PASS
11 Legendary Artists * 19 Live Workshops + Special Pre-Sale Bonus Package
Here’s What You’ll Get:
- Access To 10 Workshops Featuring 11 Of The World’s Most Innovative, Legendary & Exciting Avant Garde Musicians
- VERNON REID - “What Does It Mean To Be Yourself?”
- KARL BERGER & INGRID SERTSO - “Deeper Inside The Music Mind”
- WILL CALHOUN - “Frequency Rhythmic Assimilation”
- LEYLA MCCALLA - “Creative Arranging of Traditional Music”
- GABBY FLUKE MOGUL - "Improvising Body"
- Ra Kalam BOB MOSES - “Living Music”
- SHELLEY HIRSCH - ”The Body Remembers”
- JAMAALADEEN TACUMA - ”Music and the Human Experience”
- GRANT CALVIN WESTON - “Creative Rhythm Interplay”
- CHARMAINE LEE - “Possibilities and Palettes in Vocal Music”
PLUS:
- Get a recording of the event (lifetime access)
- Your impact: Proceeds go to Creative Music Foundation's 50-year mission to champion and support creative musicians
- Your Guarantee: You have up until the last day event to request a full refund if you're not satisfied with what you learned.
$150
OR GET AN ALL ACCESS PASS TO MMW + CMS GUIDING COLLECTIVE
Can’t make it live? We got you. Click here to get lifetime access to all the event recordings for only $75.
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