Jazz
Berkeley Parents Network >
Reviews >
Classes & Lessons >
Music Classes > Jazz
|
Questions on This Page
|
Related Pages
|
May 2010
My 13-year-old son plays piano and over the last year has been
studying jazz improvisation. He plays in a weekly jazz ensemble
workshop but would like to get together with other teen jazz musicians
to play informally. Anybody interested?
Jennifer
Try the Jazz School
in downtown Berkeley for classes, workshops, and
bands. It's terrific. High school jazz programs (in Berkeley, Albany
and El Cerrito) exist but may be hard to get into.
Good luck
Young Performers International has a wonderful group of young
musicians that play all over the Bay Area in fantastic venues like
Cafe Royale, Justin Herman Plaza, Cafe Du Nord, etc. Your son might
want to give us a call and do a placement audition with John LoGuidici
at 415 239 3341. There is a $50 placement fee and a $25 enrollment
fee. If he joins one of our bands, which is a mix of students,
interns, who are YPI student graduates, and YPI teacher/musicans, the
fee for rehearsals is $25-$40/hr depending on the size of the band.
For more information go to www.youngperformersintl.org
April 2010
My son's piano teacher is moving away at the end of May.
She is a wonderful teacher who our son really enjoys and
has learned much from. He has a good foundation in all
piano and music fundamentals and we are now looking for
another piano teacher who can pick up where his current
teacher leaves off. We would like to find someone who is
able to continue stressing all piano fundamentals but who
also likes and incorporates ''contemporary'',''popular'' music
into the music repertoire, music that a music-loving ten-
year old would want to play.
MFW
Janet Somers, in Rockridge, is an incredible, brilliant,
and gifted teacher. My son had two previous piano teachers
who did not inspire or excite him, and he quit piano. Then
we found Janet. She met my son where he was at,
appreciated him as an individual (which included
incorporating his taste for Elton John music), and
inspired him to go with the music he wanted to play while
gently expanding his vistas into jazz and classical. This
led to my son being very self motivated to practice and he
progressed amazingly. Under her guidance, he performed an
Elton John song beautifully in one of Janet's student
recitals (this one at the Freight and Salvage), for which
she hired a bass player and drummer to perform with the
students playing jazz and pop. If we hadn't met Janet, I
think my son would not have continued with piano for the
six years he took lessons before going off to college. He
now studies with her during the summers when he comes
home. My son and I both feel very fortunate to have had
Janet in our lives and cannot speak highly enough of her.
She also has a degree in music from UC Berkeley and
occasionally performs in jazz groups around the Bay Area.
Her number is 510-653-6783, her email is
janetsomers21@gmail.com.
Gwynn
(editor note: for additional responses to this question see
Piano Lessons for Children)
April 2009
Hi-
I'm looking for a jazz piano teacher- either private
(preferred)or in a class- I have 10 years of serious classical
piano training from childhood so I read and play proficiently
but I'd like to learn more improvisational playing and jazz
chord progressions- any recommended teachers out there?
jazz me up
Ellen Hoffman is an outstanding jazz piano teacher. My husband has
been taking lessons from her for years, and has made amazing
progress. She is particularly good at matching the correct level of
music to your needs, and she pays a lot of attention to detail -
which really makes you get better. She is also an incredible
performer and composer, and a lot of fun! Her website is:
http://www.ellenhoffmanmusic.com/ Good luck.
Pat
For beginning jazz piano lessons I strongly recommend Sallie
Hanna-Rhyne in Berkeley, 510-843-1963. She has been teaching for many
years and is great working with kids and adults alike, especially
teenagers. She teaches blues, boogie-woogie, and jazz.
For the more advanced and committed jazz pianist, Debbie Poryes in
Piedmont, is a very experienced and dedicated teacher and performer.
510-655-6596 Laura Klein lauraanneklein@gmail.com
From taking voice lessons with him and experiencing him as a teacher
and pianist, I can recommend Rich Kalman.
Richard Kalman, a Berkeley music teacher, offers jazz piano lessons
at his home/studio to children and adults. Using some of the best
jazz piano texts available, he can help you gain mastery of jazz
chords, voicings, progressions, and how to develop improvisational
mastery. Kalman has been teaching piano and voice for over 15 years
in a convenient Berkeley location. He also teaches vocal jazz
workshops and a big band class at the Albany Adult School. Websites:
http://richardkalman.com, http://richkalman.musicpeeps.com You can
reach him at richkalman@att.net or at richkalman@aol.com
Fran
Have fun jazzing up!
I highly recommend Angie Spinelli at Musically Minded Studio. She is
classical trained and went on to study jazz. She is now a
professional jazz pianist. She has a unique way of articulating jazz
methods and theory. She also understands how to translate the
language used by classical players to help them understand jazz. She
is fantastic. Contact the director of the studio for more information
about taking lessons from Angie. anna@musicallyminded.com, 510 428
4094, www.musicallyminded.com anon
I would recommend Eli Sundelson (510-295-8998). His specialty is the
Hammond B-3 organ but he is a fabulous pianist as well--and a great
teacher!
Mary
Dec 2005
I'm looking for a piano teacher that can teach me how to play ragtime. As a
child I grew up in a musical family, and the music was always old style jazz.
Over the years I taught myself how to play the piano, but I never got far enough
with it where I could play jazz. It has always been a dream of mine to be
able to play old jazz, especially ragtime. I feel that I have an ear for this
kind of music, just not the broader knowledge of the structure of jazz to try
to figure it all out on the piano. Is there a piano teacher that can help me to
learn to play this kind of music? I have great difficulty reading music, but I am a
quick learner when it comes to watching and listening. I would need a teacher
who works well with someone like me.
Laurey
I've got the perfect guy for you: ''Hurricane'' Sam Rudin. He is a pleasure to work with, specializes in adults, and is very willing to focus on what you want. A great performer, too, playing ''boogie, blues, and jazz.''
his site is http://www.hurricanesam.com/index.php
Good luck!
anne
John Partridge is a fantastic ragtime player and composer and seems a very nice person if you're looking for a teacher. (He plays other styles too, but ragtime is one of his focus areas.) You can get a sense of his playing and personality on most Thursdays during lunchtime when he's at the Cheeseboard pizza place on Shattuck. More info if you google his name and ''ragtime''
You can reach him at partridj AT aol.com; I believe he lives in El Cerrito.
Hope you'll be happily playing soon!
Franziska
PS: John Partridge has a new website: www.jpartridge.com. Enjoy!
Franziska
Ellen Hoffman is a fabulous piano teacher, musician, arranger, etc. etc. She can teach anything. I take jazz lessons with her to learn chord structure and how to accompany myself singing.
(I'm trained classically). Ellen makes learning music REALLY fun and has unbelievable patience.
You can e-mail her at ellenlouisehoffman AT sbcglobal.net
She lives in Berkeley near Hopkins and Cornell.
Have fun,
June
Eric Glick Rieman would be good. He plays and teaches all sorts
of music, including Jazz. He's at 225-5269
love that ragtime too
Jan 2002
Any suggestions for after-school music classes for a teenager interested
in music, especially jazz?
Oaktown Jazz Workshop has classes Tues. and Weds. from 4-6. (I'm not
positive about Tues. -- Weds. is for more advanced students and that
class definitely meets, but there used to be a less advanced group on
Tues.) You can call Khalil, but most kids just go down, talk with him
there, and audition. Cost is $50/month. Group plays at various
community events in the east bay.
Oaktown Jazz Workshop Khalil Shaheed, director
1428 Alice St Alice Arts Center Oakland, CA 94612
510-233-6205 (Alice Arts?)
Website (very dated and phone no. incorrect): http://www.oaktown-jazz.org/
See also http://www.jazznow.com/khalil_shaheed.html.
Maryl
this page was last updated: Mar 1, 2013
The opinions and statements expressed on this website
are those of parents who subscribe to the
Berkeley Parents Network.
Please see
Disclaimer & Usage for
information about using content on this website.
Copyright © 1996-2013 Berkeley Parents Network