Inside JJJA: a teacher’s-eye peek at how we learn
Photographer: Phil Conrad
What makes the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy special
(4 minute read)
Alongside our students, parents, guest tutors and the team at HMDT Music, JJJA is a diverse, vibrant community. Each week we gather to celebrate this great music – and to practise the life skills it teaches: deep listening, sharing space, respecting every voice, and making meaningful connections. That spirit lives in the music and spills into how we treat each other.
Every student has a voice
From first-time improvisers to gigging young players, everyone is heard with real attention. You’ll see heads nodding, the rhythm section breathing with the soloist, and ideas moving round the room like conversation. Confidence grows because contribution is expected – and welcomed.
Camaraderie fuels progress
There’s a warmth between students, parents and staff that’s hard to put into words. We celebrate wins, support each other through wobbles, and learn to be generous bandmates. The music becomes the glue that strengthens relationships on and off the bandstand.
Hurdles become milestones
Each term I watch transformations. Someone nails a knotty rhythm; someone else takes their first chorus after weeks of shyness. Some students face profound challenges; seeing them persist, adapt and blossom is humbling.
Peer inspiration is rocket fuel
We’re lucky to have some exceptionally soulful, swinging young musicians. Their energy is contagious. When one student levels up, others suddenly think, ‘Maybe I can do that too.’ That momentum lifts the whole band.
Students teach students
A JJJA staple: we pass on a melody or riff by ear to a more experienced student; they teach the next; it keeps moving until the whole group has it. Ownership deepens, care for each other grows, and early instincts as teachers begin to shine.
The history that anchors us
I love connecting students to the lineage – who played in Miles Davis’s first and second quintets, how Count Basie’s punch differs from Duke Ellington’s colours, and why certain recordings still move us today. Once they catch that thread, they start digging for themselves and the learning compounds.
Milestones big and small
I’m endlessly proud of our students – whether it’s an offer from Berklee, a BBC Young Jazz Musician trophy, or simply getting through a first concert with shaking hands and a huge grin. Being part of those journeys is a privilege.
A faculty that feels like family
I couldn’t ask for a more generous, curious team. One minute I’m swapping thoughts with Tony Kofi about the warmth and breath in Ben Webster’s sound; the next we’re mapping the best pathway for a student who needs support. We listen to each other the way we listen to the music. A special thank-you to Julian Joseph for leading with such clarity and grace.
Parents are part of the band
At JJJA, parents are in the family, not on the sidelines. I love meeting families discovering the Academy for the first time – especially jazz fans who can’t hide their smiles. In a country with only a handful of places devoted to teaching straight-ahead jazz, that feeling of ‘We’ve found our people’ is real.
Showings, role models and our ‘village’
Each term we host informal showings where families see their children express themselves through music – succinctly, honestly, joyfully. Our student body is mainly teenagers, surrounded by solid role models a little older and a little younger. JJJA is a village of like-minded people, bound by the non-hierarchical nature of this music: we lift each other up, treat everyone with equal respect, and learn by doing it together.
New to JJJA? What to expect
Students & families: Authentic repertoire, a supportive band, and mentors who care about groove, sound, language and feel. Confidence, resilience and community grow alongside musical skill – the pastoral care matters as much as the music itself.
Curious visitors: If you’re exploring jazz education for the first time, expect student-led learning, collaboration across ages, plenty of learning by ear and real-world outcomes (from first solos to festival stages) in a safe, inclusive environment.
Practical info (official): Term dates, how to apply, fees and bursaries are on HMDT Music’s JJJA page.
If you’re curious, come along to a termly showing (check dates via HMDT Music), say hello, and feel the atmosphere for yourself.
JJJA has shaped so much of how I approach teaching. If you’d like to know more about that, take a look at my Jazz education page. Or, to learn more about me and my journey as a music educator, head to my About me page.
