Suffolk Jazz Course

Simonb

Wasn't sure where to post this, so admin please move it if necessary. Obviously this is mainly relevant to those living in the UK.

I attended the above course last week. It's the 4th year I've done the course and it was the best yet. The course started on Tuesday morning and finished on Friday afternoon. The location was the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook, not far from Ipswich. A vast (you need to look at Google maps to understand how big it is) private school, that enabled the course to be residential for the first time, as we used the student accomodation.

The basics of the course are:

Mornings - instrumental tuition and rehearse with your allocated band for the final concert on Friday pm. Each band has a professional tutor running it, who has chosen 3 tunes to work on. You most likely won't get a pro who plays the same instrument as you. I did this year, but that's because I've done 4 years. On the first morning there is a tutor concert playing some of these tunes.

Afternoon - specialist sessions on a variety of Jazz related topics. Playing on rhythm changes, working with a session band, talks on specific topics etc etc.

Evenings - jam sessions run by a guest MD. This year one of these was Derek Nash, who plays with Jools Holland and was incredible. At lunchtime you nominate a tune or song (if you're a singer) you want to play. You can choose who you want to play with you, or leave it open for volunteers. Generally you'll get to play on 3 tunes in a single jam session.

The standard of the tutors is very high. This year Alec Dankworth (son of Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Laine) was the bass tutor. I was lucky enough to get Chris Ingham as my band tutor, which was a blessing and a curse. He's a teriffic Jazz Pianist and singer. Amongst other tutors were Alan Barnes, Paul Higgs, Ned Bennett & Joanna Eden (vocalists).

Because the course was residential this year the social side (which involved some drinking!) of the course was so much better. By the end of the week I was shattered, but it was incredible.

Here is a link to the course. Next years dates and venue (hopefully the same) hasn't been announced yet.

https://suffolkjazzschool.co.uk/

I can't recommend it highly enough.

Cheers

Monviso

Simonb
Interesting….
Two questions if I may: would the course be suitable for a beginner in Jazz (approx Grade 8 classical)?
Would you mind sharing a ballpark figure of the cost? The website says tbc

Simonb

Hi Monviso

There are no auditions, and I'm not aware that they've ever turned anyone down. So I think if you applied you would be accepted. The first year I went in 2023 I had an older Lady Saxophone player in the band I was allocated to, who had been playing Sax less than 2 years, AND had no Jazz experience at all. She did struggle and slowed the band down as a whole.

However if you are already at grade 8 standard (what do you play btw?) and you have 11 months to prepare I think you'd be fine. I'd recommend you start working on chord tones, as that's the starting point of improvisation that will be taught.
I.e. if the chord on the lead sheet is Cmaj7, then the chord tones are C E G B. These can be used as the basis for improvising.

You are provided with the sheet music for the tunes you'll perform as a band in advance (a month or 2 before the course starts), so you get some time to prepare these. For Piano these are lead sheets (RH melody or RH Piano part and chord symbols).

The cost for next year hasn't been set yet, as they are waiting to find out what the school will charge them. This year it was about £700. That includes accomodation, tea, coffee, buscuits, breakfast, lunch & dinner and the tuition, but not alcolhol :-). And a lot of fun!

For your info places for Piano, Guitar and drums fill up very quickly, so if you play one of those you need to apply fairly quickly.

Hope that helps.

Monviso

Simonb
Many many thanks for this. I'm starting to look for opportunities to develop, to play with others, and this is incredibly helpful. It sounds great, and the price is very reasonable.
My job - and therefore income - is looking very shaky at the moment, so I might not be able to take part next year, but I hope that it will be something I can do in the future.

what do you play btw?

Tiddlywinks!
I'm a fickle magpie, collecting lots of things and not polishing anything. So I can't actually play anything. At the moment I would like 2026 to be the year I own a couple of the Bach's French Suites, lots of Scarlatti - currently K115 -, a couple of sonatas: Schubert D157 and Beethoven op 14/1, Chopin Nocturne 27/2, learning one of Tchaikovsky's Seasons most months, and ploughing through Salter's Romantic Pieces for ABRSM as quick studies. + the myriad other pieces that take my fancy... Oh dear!

Simonb

Hi Monviso

Ha ha - I forgot I was posting on a Piano forum!

Cheers

Monviso

😂