Teaching Philosophy

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in a nutshell:

Teaching Jazz requires a rare mix of playing experience and pedagogical expertise.  Very few Jazz instructors have experience in both, but without balance between the practical and pedagogical, the chances of students making progress in their studies is not so likely.   

Teaching Jazz is not easy, nor is learning it, and don't fall into those methods promising to teach you play almost anything in 10 days are less.   There actually is a lot that you can learn with streamlined shortcuts approaches, but no, regardless of the approach you're still going to need to put lot's and lot's of practice time in, and you better enjoy practicing.  (*Perhaps you've heard that old joke, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"  If you haven't I'll answer it shortly.)

Anyway, there are only a small number of Jazz educators fall into the teacher/player category.   Each one will have his or her method of teaching.  Due to the required level of experience, knowledge and teaching skill, you'll usually pay for it, but in the end, finding the right teacher can be the difference between years and years no-progress lessons, or getting on to a path of profound artistic and emotional change. 

This said, one of the first questions that my students ask me is, "How long will it take me to get good."   Realistically speaking, there is only one honest answer to this question:   A lifetime, but like life in general we set goals, live in the moment and work on things ones step at a time, and we do experience progress in the moment.

My initial goals for most students; therefore, are as follows:  1) Get them to the point that Jazz becomes a native language and fundamental part of themselves. 2) Get them to the point that they become more at ease presenting and sharing their creative message with others (meaning that they can start sitting in and playing with other people ASAP.) 3) Get them to the point that they can become self sufficient learners and no longer need me. 

The process required to reach these goals is definitely "the road less travelled":  A tough part of it is that it involves embracing certain traditions and approaches at certain levels, and abandoning them at others.  (Progress often occurs in those pivotal moments that we are forced to redefine ourselves.). As my students follow these paths they will undoubtedly experience profound personal change as inevitably they grapple with the timeless question of the best way to chase after unattainable perfection, become seasoned, and come up with their own answer to the question as to what authenticity and excellence are to be defined as in a virtually undefinable field.  

It all begins with the first lesson. Please come join me for this journey today!  Go here to get started.  I can't promise to make you a master in 10 days or less, but I can set you off on a path that may very well change your life forever.  To this extent, as. a teacher I am a guide who simply goes from leading you, to walking alongside, even following you, then sending you off on your own knowing that you will leave with the skills you need and the powers to make the best decisions as you continue to develop in your studies. 

Now, in answer to the question: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall,"  the answer is.. Maybe you already know it -->
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Practice, practice, practice.  ;-)