With Jazz in July's day-to-day events now just a collage of fond memories, it's time to rap poetic about the highlights of our 20th anniversary season. The seemingly ageless and timeless Billy Taylor turned 80 years old just days after Jazz in July concluded its 2001 series, and we celebrated his birthday with a spectacular concert in his honor in Bowker Auditorium.

Throughout his two weeks in residence, Professor Taylor graciously made himself available for many interviews with local press, even if it meant skipping lunch to talk about the music he has dedicated his life to preserving. Billy could often be found practicing at the piano in the Fine Arts Center when his faculty colleagues, some who were less than half his age, were on a break and playfully commenting about our "grueling schedule."

At Billy Taylor's Birthday Tribute, our participants were made well aware that they were in the presence of a legend, someone who lived and is still living the jazz history they are in the process of learning about second-hand from textbooks, recordings and their teachers.

Although 26 of our 74 participants this year were under the age of 18, our staff will remember the class of 2001 for their collective maturity both in musical and non-musical terms. Jazz in July's head of residence Foad Rasekh set the tone in Chadbourne Residence Hall by fostering an air of joyful camaraderie, and it spilled over to the meticulously maintained classrooms of the music department and to performances at the Lord Jeffery Inn and in Bezanson Recital Hall. Janice Webster, our office coordinator and Charlie Apicella, our workshop coordinator, went out of their way to assist faculty and students alike, and they made "putting together a music camp" look easy.

One younger violin student sent a mega-email to fellow participants after programs ended asking, "Anyone else going through J 'n J withdrawal?" I suspect lifetime friendships were formed last summer, and also saw evidence of it at a pizza party we hosted for minors during the weekend between scheduled activities. Jazz in July is about the music, but take a closer look and you'll see that so much more is going on.