Harmony among the redwoods: 50 years later, Cazadero camp is still serving up summer musical magic.

Byline: Jackie Burrell

Jul. 15--LONG BEFORE the 50-year-old camp comes into sight, music wafts through the redwoods and across Austin Creek -- the strains of a brass quartet, string trios and jazz ensembles meld into a single, indescribable melody that surges and ebbs on the breeze.

"It's almost like music overtakes you amongst the magnificent trees," says Cazadero Performing Arts Camp founder Bob Lutt. "You hear music all through the grove."

Some 100,000 young musicians have crossed Cazadero's signature suspension bridge over the years. They gazed down at the babbling stream, traipsed their way across the swaying bridge and burst into excited laughter at the prospect of another summer session at Caz, sleeping under the stars and making music under the towering old-growth redwoods.

On this particular morning, a string group rehearses in "Cello Grove." Trumpets and saxes hone their improvisation skills at the lodge, while the orchestra works on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" in the bandshell under a soaring, sail-like awning.

Jazz, the camp dog, bounds across the campgrounds, and the smell of Sloppy Joes wafts from the cafeteria, where the kitchen crew -- all musicians too -- are whipping up lunch.

And young musicians, such as Danville sixth-grader and repeat camper Kelii Kahawaii, revel in the whole experience.

"I thought I was going to have lots of fun, definitely, but it was thrilling," he says. "Me and (my friend) Nick really liked it, of course, because how couldn't you? We told everyone at school."

Tepees and redwoods

It was 1955 when Lutt, Berkeley High's just-hired band…