I love teaching.  It has always been an essential part of my musical life.  I  enjoy finding out about  my students’ needs and helping them find a way forward. I also find that the process of teaching  gives me  much insight into my own development.  Each student,  class or ensemble  is different.  Every lesson or rehearsal has it’s own dynamic. It’s about tapping into that dynamic and giving input accordingly.

I  have 30 years experience of teaching at  all ages and levels;   from schools to higher education and adult education.  Since 2005,  I have been  senior lecturer in jazz  at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance,  where, in addition to teaching jazz trombone and vocals,  lead the jazz history module,  and coach small groups as well as larger ensembles.  I have also taught on many jazz  summer schools,  and at present work with the Original UK Jazz Summer School,  and the National Youth Jazz Collective.

Here’s a little about what I can offer. I am always flexible, so  please contact me if you have any questions!

JAZZ TROMBONE

 I think it’s important to strive to maintain   a  healthy balance between  a strong foundation  of  technique, and     a   variety of jazz skills learned through an appreciation of the broad tradition of jazz trombone - from Jack Teagarden to J.J Johnson,   Ray Anderson and beyond.  Of course, it’s important to   tap into  the student’s personal musical interests too. Having identified areas of study, I give guidance to students in  organising their practice time efficiently - this is key to making good progress.  

SCAT SINGING

I started singing in my early 20s when I was already quite  experienced as a  jazz trombonist. It  felt like a natural extension to my trombone playing,  and I loved doing it!    I have always had an ‘instrumental’ approach to singing, inspired initially by Chet Baker and Jack Teagarden,  but many other jazz vocalists since then.    The art of scat singing has always fascinated me – not just for the excitement and freedom it can offer in a  jazz performance,   but for how it can strengthen all round  musicianship.     Whether  you are a singer,  horn player or rhythm section player:  scat is good for you!

My scat teaching approach  starts with the melody of the song being studied.  I encourage students to manipulate the melody both  rhythmically and melodically,  all the time focussing on getting a great  sound and feel.  As confidence grows in pitching,  time and phrasing,  other material can be introduced:  chordal shapes,   guide-tones,  licks etc. The important thing is that the main reference point (the thing to ‘hang on’ to) is always the melody.

IMPROVISING FROM MELODY

Improvising from the melody of a jazz standard or jazz original offers a different and complementary   perspective to improvising from chord changes. Its importance is  often   underplayed. Focusing on the melody  an excellent ‘way in’ to feeling confident with the form and character of a tune;  and melodies often have important harmonic references too.  All the great improvisers were great players of ‘the tune’, and,  as most  of my students have discovered,  this isn’t easy!     Through studying examples  and  practicing ways of embellishing and manipulating the melody,  much can be learned about improvisation,  timing and phrasing.

JAZZ HISTORY

Jazz history inspires  our growth and development  as  jazz performers.   Understanding the origins of the music and how it changed developed over time  throws much light on different jazz styles and  gives us food for thought regarding our own performance and practice. For me Jazz history  is first and foremost  about listening. The  biographical, cultural and political aspects of jazz history can be best appreciated against an aural backdrop.

Jazz history  can also be taught  through performance.  There is a lot to be learnt from getting to grips with a particular style or manner of playing.  Discovering the history of jazz in this way is very exciting,  and can illuminate  a whole range of  options relevant to our  own playing.  An appreciation of the history of jazz is not necessarily about liking everything,   but I feel   it’s important to give everything a chance;   and if you do or don’t like something -  know why.

SMALL ENSEMBLES

I have coached many small ensembles of different  standards  and styles  over the years, and I am always excited about what each new project will bring.   At  the start, the most important thing   is to get the group  swinging  and  for the members of the group to think about to how they can   make each other sound good.  With so much time spent by young players concentrating on developing their soloing skills,  it’s understandable that in a group setting  they  can become  preoccupied with  individual  performance. In rehearsals we talk  about what to listen for,  how best to communicate rather than playing in isolation,  how to let the music breathe.    It can be hard for young players to ‘let go and listen’ -  it requires practice like anything else.   But it’s  essential for really exciting improvising and ensemble playing.