Orrin Evans, Artist in Residence

Allison Miller, Artistic Director

Rockwell is a pianist, composer, and activist based in Baltimore, Maryland, who draws on global sounds — from Brazilian rhythms to hip hop, jazz to classical — creating music that’s as powerful as it is boundary-breaking.

His work has been performed by legends like Kris Funn and Tim Green, and he’s shared stages from New York to Paris with jazz giants like David Sánchez and Charenee Wade. He’s also an award-winning composer, earning an Honorable Mention in the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards.Now he studies under the guidance of pianists Alex Brown and Marc Cary.

Alongside his studies at the Peabody Conservatory, he simultaneously studies Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. When he is not playing piano, he commits his time to community organizing around police reform and economic justice. He is also the recipient of the Hugh Hawkins Research Fellowship, studying how jazz and other Black musical styles gained recognition in primarily white classical conservatories.

We're thrilled to have him join Jazz Camp West. Welcome, Rockwell!

Linda May Han Oh, Artist in Residence

Allison Miller, Artistic Director

Currently at Michigan State, Laura-Simone is a driven emerging artist: in her junior year of high school, she combined her passions for music and activism by founding the Queen Amina Music Program to help push the “women in jazz” music movement. This program is for 4th-8th grade instrumentalists at the Lawrence Intermediate School and Lawrence Middle School, where she teaches songs, the history of women in jazz, improvisational skills, and how to navigate modal progressions.

At just 18 years old, Laura Simone has performed at nationally acclaimed venues like the BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall, Blue Note at Sea, the Kennedy Center, Monterey Jazz Festival, and more. This past summer, she was a part of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where she toured Europe with Sean Jones and 2x Grammy winning vocalist, Dee Dee Bridgewater.

This year’s Fellowship is made possible by The Bob Griffith Memorial Fund, in memory of beloved Living Jazz ancestor who emphasized making education accessible and affordable and deeply valued the arts.

Ulysses Owens Jr., Artist in Residence

Allison Miller, Artistic Director

Guilhem Fourty is a French drummer, composer, educator, and award winner. After  studying at the Toulouse Music Conservatory for 7 years, he received a scholarship to  attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2019 to study Drums performance  and music production.  

At the age of 21, Guilhem had already played with great musicians such as multiple  Grammy Award nominee saxophonist Miguel Zenón. The same year, he joins the  Berklee Jazz and Gender Institute under the mentorship of NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington.

In 2022, Guilhem received an award from the French Foundation “Marcel Bleustein  Blanchet pour la Vocation”, and he more recently got selected as recipient for the 1st  Annual Jazz Camp West Fellowship.  

Emerging musician of the Boston scene, Guilhem has worked and played with great  musicians such as Miguel Zenon, Peter Eldridge, Bill Pierce, Audrey Bussanich, Ian  Coury, Greg Hopkins, Pedro Couto Silva, Devon Gates, among others, and has also  been working extensively as a studio drummer.  

He has performed in many venues around the world (France, United States, Brazil), and  played in festivals such as J.E.N, Reno Jazz Fest, Jazz in Marciac, Jazz à Vienne. 

Guilhem his masters degree studies in Fall 2023 at the prestigious Berklee  Global Jazz At the age of 21, Guilhem had already played with great musicians such as multiple  Grammy Award nominee saxophonist Miguel Zenón. The same year, he joins the  Berklee Jazz and Gender Institute under the mentorship of NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington.