WELCOME to Jazz School UK! We offer structured, streamed and personalised programmes of learning for keen players of every level (jazz beginner through to gigging standard). Wherever you are, and whatever level of jazz playing you are aiming for, we are planning to help you to improve!

The language of jazz improvisation consists mainly of the melodies and rhythms of its repertoire. That's why good jazz musicians, as a matter of course, learn repertoire by heart.

We need to learn by heart; we also need to learn to transfer what we hear directly onto the instrument without conscious calculation - these are among the essential skills that enable us to improvise with imagination and freedom in real time.

To this end we have put together some great collections of tunes for our different groups, pulled from all corners of jazz history, chosen not only for the specific improvising challenges they throw up, but also because they are now part of the jazz lexicon.

For our 2023-24 season, therefore, we proudly present the following, along with our top Spotify choices:

REPERTOIRE A

Little B’s Poem - Lady Bird - East of The Sun -Triste -One For Amos- Time On My Hands- Whisper Not - I Remember You
Willow Weep For Me - Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers - Silver’s Serenade - Anthropology

 

 

REPERTOIRE B

Question & Answer - There Is No Greater Love - Jeannine - Keep Me In Mind - Along Came Betty - Smatter - Song For Bilbao
You’re My Everything - Lemon Drop - The Dolphin - Fee Fi Fo Fum - Soon

 

REPERTOIRE C PATHWAY

Eastern Rebellion

Bolivia - Naima - 5/4 Thing - Bittersweet - Mode For Joe

 

REPERTOIRE D JAZZ SONG

Prelude To A Kiss - Falling Grace - I Mean You - Everybody's Song But My Own - The Masquerade Is Over - Man That Was A Dream The Peacocks - Whisper Not - For Jan - On A Clear Day - Ask Me Now - No More Blues + Guest Singer Repertoire

REPERTOIRE E standards

Alone Together - Up Jumped Spring - Yardbird Suite - My Foolish Heart - Nardis - Mr PC - Corcovado - I Fall In Love Too Easily

All Of Me - The Gentle Rain - Witchcraft - Some Day My Prince Will Come

 

As we go through the season with the various groups, we'll be learning the tunes, and using them to explore the fundamental principles of the music - the rhythmic foundations both of swing and latin pulse, how to play both on and through chords (two different things!), how best to use all the scales and modes in different situations, how to lock in with the rhythm section, how to practise, how to create dialogue, shape and atmosphere in solos, and much much more.

We offer several different study options to fit individual preference.

ENSEMBLE PROGRAMME (monthly meetings October-June with Theory Preparation Zooms + written tutor report and feedback)

ENSEMBLE+ PROGRAMME (as above with 4 hours 121 tuition)

PATHWAY PROGRAMME (as Ensemble but with one extra transcription/playing ensemble, 2 report/feedbacks, and 8 hours 121 tuition)

WORKSHOP PROGRAMME weekend playing days in the New Year, Spring and Summer (includes Theory Preparation Zooms)

ONLINE REPERTOIRE PROGRAMME Join our Theory Preparation Zooms for some great insight into tune analysis.

All can be supplemented with ONLINE THEORY classes and 121 TUITION (in-person and/or by Zoom).

ENSEMBLE INFORMATION is here.

WORKSHOP diary is here.

ONLINE OPTIONS are here.

Please browse the site using the MENU links to find out more about us. You'll find all sorts of useful information there! If you have any questions, email us here. We have a mailing list and a facebook page (links in the page footer) if you'd like to follow Jazz School UK news.

Thanks for reading!

Oh, and here's some live action from a workshop day at the Shoefactory (Levels 3-4). Enjoy!