Jazz Education and Student Information

“This course is many times clearer than any J.C. or University class I have ever taken, and I have taken a great many.”

“I think the course is very valuable because the material is organized and presented so that it relates to the real world, i.e. real playing situations in real life.”

“The course has really given me inspiration. I have found many new ways to look at a lot of concepts that I understood roughly before.”

“It’s the music course I’ve been looking for for years.”

“This course is clarifying what I need and giving it to me. TOOLS!”

“It amazes me how far I’ve come; all other music courses have left me feeling inferior as soon as it passed the rudimentary steps. This class however proves that I too can speak the language. Your class demystifies music.”

“stimulating, challenging and fun, a highlight of my week.”

“The course has taught me much more and benefited me much more than I though it ever could in such a short period of time.”

“Improved self confidence due to a more solid background to draw from.”

“I like the presentation of the material and the attitude that there are no set rules but some ways work better than others. I spent a year in college music theory and was so busy learning rules I didn’t learn anything else.”

“Tapes are extremely helpful, and make practicing enjoyable. I can see that I’ll be using them long after class is over.”

“It’s the first time any of this has made any kind of sense to me.”

“The class is geared very well for the different levels of musicianship.”

“This series of classes in jazz theory is unquestionably one of the most, if not the most, important courses in offering practical and comprehensive information for the contemporary musician.”

“more confident and creative with melody and enjoy playing with friends a lot more!”

“Overall, a fantastic approach to jazz theory.”

“Harmonic rhythm and the idea of ‘activating weakness’ in chord choices is so useful to composition, and is never discussed in composition classes.”

“I feel my hearing has been helped much, especially hearing chord changes and modes.”

“I can much more easily write my own charts and understand what is going on in the tunes I sing. The tapes have improved my scatting and improvising immensely.”

“I like your emphasis on each individual finding her/his own way of playing.”

“I really have drastically improved my hearing ability.”

“I can feel my ears developing. I’m beginning to be able to play more of what’s in my head without trying so hard.”

“stimulating discussions about improvisational ideas.”

“Ample practice material for years to come. I really appreciate being given so much information and practical tools in one class.”

“The practice method outlined in the back of the book is the most ingenious, practical, and worthwhile method of music learning I have ever encountered.”

“I gained a very valuable understanding of mainstream harmony … a method for relating scales to chords, and understanding the relationships of chords to keys in their most common usages.”

“I feel that I am learning, not just memorizing formulas.”

“The central value of the class seems to be in the organization of daily practicing. The course makes it possible to integrate the big pile of method books everyone keeps collecting.”

“For the first time in history, it’s beginning to look as if there MAY BE SOME HOPE!”

“the practice method is one of the most valuable aspects of the course for me. In particular the emphasis on the key of the week. Also the different exercises relating to chord progressions—all of them—very helpful—e.g., melodic chord studies, up and down scales with tonal alterations, all the exercises playing around with the guide tone lines, etc.”

“Tune writing has been challenging and fun, tune analysis very valuable as a way of bringing it all together.”

“[The CDs] help with ‘hearing’ the sound of each mode and ‘rhythmic timing’, much more fun than a metronome.”

“The method is clean, and uncluttered with things that will not be used.”

“It is fascinating, satisfies my need to know ‘why’. Everything is tied together, not just isolated facts.”

“This course helps me to pull together a lot of information I’ve read about elsewhere—really enjoyed the fact there are no grades, no attendance, etc. I come because I can’t bear to miss anything.”

“When I enrolled in this course, I was looking for two things. The first was a way in which I could practice my instrument in an organized way that works, and the tapes are a perfect method for this. The second was a deeper understanding of musical theory—once again, perfect.”

“The best class I have ever taken! My family and friends were really impressed with the final project.”

“Among the Great Revelations are the key of the week and guide tone lines. Absolutely shocking in their simplicity and usefulness.”

“The scale and arpeggio studies are a direct means to grasping the concept of functional harmony, i.e. how they relate to the tonal center.”

“The course is an A+, the teacher an A++.”

“A lot more info that I couldn’t get elsewhere. The ear training centering on tonal centers has been the most valuable aspect of the course. The way the class is structured—simple to more complicated—is like building a strong foundation”

“Workbook is very well thought out and laid out.”

“class structure is easy—teaching manner is open and receptive to individuals.”

“Everything’s great, the singing, theory, and playing.”

“This has been an excellent class! You are always very patient with our questions.”

“The information is very coherently organized and understandably presented. I like your consistency about learning theory in a way applicable, immediately to using it on my instrument.”

“Playing along with the tapes has given me many melodic ideas to experiment with—also given me a better sense of timing.”

“I understand now that music theory isn’t a dark mystery.”

“Course is very well organized and all of the time is instructional. Nice relaxed atmosphere.”

“I like being around and working with other musicians who care to learn about different things in music.”

“The tapes are the key to practicing the method, keeps things focused and makes the practicing fun.”

“This was the best musical training I’ve ever had!”

“I feel like I’m building from the bottom up, and that feels good!”

“I seem to learn more here than anywhere else.”

“My ear has improved, had to do some ear stuff for an audition and was pleasantly surprised; I feel it coming week by week.”

“overall course had been fantastic! Much more than I hoped for when I first heard of it.”

“I feel like I have stumbled on the most comfortable, practical, and efficient class I could be taking. You’ve got a great sense of humor, which lightens the class and relieves tension and makes it actually fun to come to class. There’s not any feeling of competition.”

“I like the openness and friendliness of the course.”

“The most valuable part of the course is the SINGING!”

“The material covered has helped me tremendously, especially the melody writing and the concept of guide tones.”

“I wish music had been presented to me in this fashion years ago.”

“This gives me the tools for my own music for self expression.”

“I’m taking a classical theory & composition class at my school right now—your class is superior in every aspect: theory, ear training, concepts, etc.”

“feel increasingly more confident on my instrument.”

“The major benefit I’m getting from the class is the disciplined, systematic approach and in particular, the ear-training practice.”