I've been taking classes (playing in bands) here for four years. Gotten me back on track in terms of my playing. It's also becoming a good place to hear concerts, hard to find any creative music venues these days. read more

A wonderful place to improve your playing skills. Great teachers and fellow musicians.

All Girls Jazz Camp is a really special program which all students and teachers are female. The teachers are wonderful. I highly recommend any girls interested in Jazz to attend the summer camp. Camps were broken down in one week format last year. Each day students attend a variety of classes (singing, composing, jamming, etc) so the camp was really fun. On the last day of camp, the students would perform at a very nice theater - Freight and Salvage theater right across the street. Parking is a bit difficult and expensive. The parking structure on Addison Street right by Freight & Salvage name "Center Street Parking Garage" is the most convenient. read more

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Poor customer service. I tried to stop a class I was taking at night. The service I received was lacking . I was hung up on by a silly person who thought that laughing at me was okay. This person felt that I was being rude to them. Being direct is often heard as being rude. I asked direct questions. What is wrong with getting a direct response. If you don't understand the question then say. In conclusion the class I enrolled in was miss advertised as a vocal class. I did less than minimum singing. read more

The California Jazz Conservancy has opened a new performance venue, Rendon Hall, in the Jerry Fiddler Annex across the street. There have been a series of concerts this week to celebrate. This afternoon Alan and I attended a concert by the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra. I had purchased tickets online, which was a good thing because the concert was sold out. Tickets were $25 apiece, w/ a service charge of less than $1.50, a nice contrast to the exorbitant service charges applied elsewhere. Exterior signage could be better and probably eventually it will be. Even the address was easily missed. It's a small, intimate performance space, maybe a little larger than Hardymon Hall, the downstairs performance space across the street, which will continue to be used for concerts too. I always loved sitting in that space, listening to music and watching people passing by on the sidewalk above through the high windows. In Rendon Hall there are square tables and sturdy, comfortable wood chairs w/ padded seats. A snack bar in the lobby sells food and drinks. The bathrooms are down a very long hall and are new and very clean. Clear signage to the bathrooms would also be appreciated. The sound in the performance hall is excellent, as you would expect. I think I read somewhere that the sound is by Meyer Sound, but I'm not completely sure of that. As I sat there listening to the music I was reflecting on the wealth of music venues we have in downtown Berkeley, from Freight & Salvage to The Back Room to Zellerbach Hall to Rendon Hall to Hardymon Hall, all w/in a few block radius, not to mention Berkeley Rep and the Aurora Theatre across the street. We are extremely fortunate. read more

I'm walking down the street, en route to 24 Hour Fitness, when I hear what sounds like live music coming from a building. As I approach the sound, I walk down a flight of stairs and there, performing a small concert, is a jazz combo: piano, bass, sax, two percussionist, and no more than 15 people listening. World-class jazz. 15 people. How much, I ask the person at the door? $15. 2.5 hours of national and internationally known jazz musicians for $15. FRONT ROW. Are you serious?? I sat there and listened to Mark Levine's Kenny Garrett Project (led by Mark Levine -- I think he's a director there at the school). Watching these musicians make me think: music is the gateway to the soul (I'm getting way too poetic...). Places like this encapsulate the essence of Berkeley and the Bay Area: to embrace the creativity of the soul, no matter what. Pure dharma..... I felt so thankful and blessed to be able to sit here and listen to these musicians play for two hours. If I lived up here in NorCal, I'd be here at least once a week. Keep jammin Jazzschool........ read more

I have attended it for a few quarters and I've taken several classes with different teachers. I have previously attended other music schools too. For a start, it's a pretentious institution, not as innovative as they claim; it's expensive and not very well managed. There is not a study plan. You can enroll in the classes you want as long as you can afford them. There are many classes to choose from, but not all of them are worth. There are many teachers, changing continuously; they say the wages are low; some of them are well known local musicians but not all of them are good educators. Some are good teachers and will give you a lot of material to study, but others are not. They may be rude with the students, or have substitutes for 30% of their classes, or even have not a curriculum for the class at all. There is also a bookstore with overcharged prices and a cafeteria not very cheap either. There is no library. The best is the live sound during concerts. read more

Wow! Yet another place we "discovered" because there was no "room at the inn" at our intended destination. In this case it was Freight and Salvage to hear Kitka. As we were walking back to BART we saw a sign that said the magic words "Free Music." We've been meaning to go to hear music at Jazzschool for awhile. I am so glad we came. There were a couple of different sets of musicians and singers. The singers were comprised of women who were currently "students" of Jazzschool's singing classes. I put quotes around the word students because these women were not beginners or amateurs---they were all fabulous! The energy and enthusiasm of these singers was contagious. It was so easy to get caught up in this. The accompanying musicians were top-notch too! We'll definitely go back! read more

I have taken 3 courses there. The quality of the instruction is quite variable and includes both the best and the worst courses I have ever had. There is no quality control over the performance of their instructors. Jazz Piano I: (Bob Karty) Good, solid course. Jazz Piano II: (Debbie Poryes) The worse course I have ever had anywhere. The woman seems to be oriented towards teaching young kids. She certainly doesn't know how to communicate with adults. Poorly organized, sloppy material. I simply stopped attending halfway through the course. Arranging: (Frank Martin) The best course I have ever had. Frank has an outstanding professional background and is able to bring that experience to his teaching. Conversant with arranging in just about any music style. Provided a wealth of material on arranging techniques. I learned everything about arranging in this course that I should have learned when I took an arranging course earlier at Berklee Online (at 3 times the cost). read more

I agree... this is an excellent place to take music lessons. Good basics and theory available, along with advanced classes. Unfortunately it is also one of the most expensive... and not all the instructors are as good as the others... so you sort of have to be "in the know" to know which ones to avoid. I wish they would weed out some of the less helpful instructors - there are only a few - because there are so many other excellent teachers out there.... read more

I'M NOT WORTHY: With a teaching staff that includes numerous great sidemen of countless great artists, and many soloists in their own right, who am I to praise or criticize? AND YET IT'S LAID BACK: I first went to Danny Caron's Blues and Swing guitar class, and felt comfortable enough to dive right in--in spite of technique that was rusty-at-best and embarrassingly-unskilled-at-worst. He is enthusiastic, supportive, appropriately impatient and most importantly, a good communicator. You can see him play all around the Bay Area. He's a remarkable musician and pretty funny guy. GO FOR THE MUSIC, STAY FOR THE PANINI: So when class is over, you can sit in the large performance space and enjoy a pretty darn good cappuccino and/or lunchy thing, and continue to practice, or listen as others practice. Often, a few of us from class would get together and try the drills or just play. What a great scene. OR JUST GO FOR THE MUSIC: They have a full calendar of concerts. Want to get a taste of the local music scene? Here it is. BUT WAIT: They have a full-service sheet music store and a repair shop that's run by the Obi-Wan Kenobi of luthiers. Trust the force ... THERE'S MORE: Step outside, and find yourself in a great little corner of Berkeley. Theater, shops, restaurants. Sweet. read more

This place is nothing short of a miracle! Classes for every level- even if you don't know how to read music! Blues, jazz, reggae... and it has the best little cafe with incredible food! Concerts every weekend and in a great, hip spot! read more

California Jazz Conservatory - the jazz school logo - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Berkeley, California

I previously reviewed this under the "Aurora Theatre Company" and Shauna R. corrected me and directed me to review it here. Here is my previous review from 5/28/2006: I went here last night to watch a friend sing in her jazz band. This place is quaint and stylish. I agree with other reviewers: all the seats are fabulous because there are only about 15 tables surrounding the floor-level stage. The performance was top notch, and judging by the list of upcoming events, this place only books the best-of-the-best local stuff. Great place to relax with a latte or tea and hear some quality music. read more

Jazzschool is a wonderful place. Jazz classes, great and diverse performances from lots of upcoming musicians, and lots of opportunities for the local high school/UC Berkeley cats too. The house cast is solid and there are always fantastic guest faculty teaching here as well. The space is not amazing but the spirit and energy is fantastic. Staff is helpful everytime I'm there too. The thing about Jazzschool is that it's become increasingly expensive - lessons and performances. The cafe/food is also overpriced too... I wish they still ran weekly jam sessions too... as a performance venue, Jazzschool is kind of between a random open space (think what 33 Revolutions used to be) and a classy-esque restaurant venue (like what Anna's used to be). Funding-wise, I wonder how long this place can last... let's hope it does though! read more

I haven't taken any classes here (yet), but this review is for the ease of booking and all the practice rooms we've used to jam here. I play the drums, and I often judge a music place like this by the quality of the drums available to the patrons. The Jazz School provides good quality drums. You select your cymbals and get the clutch from the room behind the counter where you sign-in, and you're free to rearrange any of the percussion equipment however you see fit. The drums themselves are mostly tuned well, and the one time I had a bad snare, the person at the counter immediately swapped it out for a good one without any questions or issues. Fantastic. Each room has enough space for a full jazz ensemble to practice and is still $20 per hour, so definitely affordable and easy to split among the musicians. It comes with the aforementioned drums, a piano, and even a nice set of vibes. I love this place and will definitely be back soon! read more

Love the CJC & Jazzschool Community Music School. This place has improved the lives of thousands of people and created and incredible space for jazz music in the SF bay area! Thank you Susan! read more

Jon Arkin's Musical Drummer class is by far one of the best classes for drums I have taken. Anyone could benefit from this class, whether you play rock, funk, or especially if you are trying to break in to improvisational musics like Jazz. He is able to do what most teachers of Jazz drums can't, and that is explain the technical concepts while still giving attention to the original spontaneity of the music. He clearly leads you through the use of the logical voices of the drums to create accompaniment in both solos and in comping that meshes with any music you choose to jam on. He introduces lots of listening examples and cool new music to listen to.This class improved my drumming in a huge way. I give this place 5 stars! They even have a great coffee shop in there with good daily specials. I don't agree with the comment below that it is pretentious at all. Of course, just like any school, there are going to be classes that may be better for your needs than others. I think prestige can be mistaken for pretentiousness when you get into classes that are above your skill level. read more

Two of my friends performed here, and that's why I know this place. I was invited to see their performance and each time I really enjoyed their gigs. What a great pleasure to see the future Jazz stars blossoming right here in Berkeley. read more

Great place for jazz guitar lessons - the great Mimi Fox is an excellent teacher-- so is the amazing Brian Pardo. Cute cafe & performance space as well. read more

I've been interested in taking music lessons for quite a while, and I can't believe I didn't find this place until now! Don't let the name fool you; while their primary focus is jazz, they teach lots of other styles too. So far I've only taken one two-hour class there (beatboxing :) but the facilities look awesome and the course selection is extremely broad (check out their web site). They even have their own cafe, music bookstore, and gallery. read more

This place is great! If you're a musician trying to raise your chops, the place offers a crazy selection of classes, a lot of them ensemble classes with performing opportunities. ( If you catch Susan's eye, the Jazzschool has connections to Jupiter and you may find yourself jamming out on a Tuesday night in one of the hipper live music bars in Berkeley. ) Also the store there has quite a selection of books and videos; I don't know about all instruments, but most books for keyboard/piano that I want are available there, and a surprising number of the big authors teach there from time to time. All rhe teachers are established bay area pros who've been around the block. If you're looking for more people to jam with/form a band, I recommend hitting up the recitals that happen at the end of each quarter. It's really casual and easy to see everyone's abilities on display; if you like what you hear, just walk up and introduce yourself. If you're an appreciator of jazz, I really recommend going to hear their live concerts. Usually they are stalwarts of the bay-area-scene, which is amazing enough, but occasionally some big name guys will pass through ( like Art Lande ) and play there on a Sunday afternoon after selling out one of the major venues in the city on Sat night. I remember seeing Kid Beyond there and it was amazing how intimate it was; here was this beatbox guru who sells out stadiums now standing a few feet from you, spinning his craft. A definite hidden gem! read more

Small intimate spot where the cool musicans hang out and dump their bags while they drink coffee and have a bite to eat. Note I only had a drink so I can't judge the food yet. The service seemed friendly. Clean bathrooms close by and accessible to the public. read more

What a wonderful place! I know it's been around for years, but I just discovered it. Love at first listen. A friend, who takes classes there, invited us to his recital. We arrived early and listened to three wonderful blues singers perform as well as his 11 piece motown band. And it was all free. The downtown location is great, too. After music, there are dozens and dozens of eating and drinking options. We're looking forward to attending some of their concerts, too. read more

Nice place to watch your friend play jazz for a recital and tease him afterwards. They have a cute cafe and bookstore where you can buy music books. read more

Great music, great teachers, great food and wine. There aren't that many places where an amateur adult musician can get a chance to play / learn with actual professionals and make real music. I've been going to the concerts for years and can't say that I've ever been to a bad performance. Kudos to Susan Muscarella for a great job! Sometimes the kids are even better than the adult students! Awesome! Keep jazz alive and well! read more

Thanks to the Jazzschool for another great Downtown Berkeley Jazz Festival! Berkeley has changed a lot since I was young, and I am happy that you are here to help revive what was once a great and thriving place for live music! Keep up the great work. I will look forward to next year's events. read more

My son attended the summer youth session and loved it. His playing improved in 2 weeks due to the intensive (yet fun) atmosphere and teaching of the instructors. Highly recommend for budding musicians! read more

My husband took me here to celebrate our anniversary and we had a great time! The students are very talented, the show was worth the money, the set up was casual, the salad we got from the cafe was good - I just wish they had a larger wine selection. Will definitely go back though. read more

If you love jazz, here's a wonderful, low-priced spot to hear it. Both instrumental and vocal performances, mostly on weekends The concerts are varied, straight-on & experimental jazz, Big Band, Latin, punk, zydeco,middle eastern, r & b, you name it. and often include combos of top professionals who want to showcase their own original compositions. Some of them teach at the school, others are highly talented students and others are in town from New York, Latin America, Europe who want to play there because this is such a sympatico environment. Informal atmosphere, small cafe for snacks. Check it out. read more

Berkeley Jazz school is a great place to take lessons which are tailored to your needs. There is a wide variety of courses from harmony, ensembles and individual instruments. I am a bass player and took 3 classes so far, one in funk bass, one in creating bass lines and one in harmony, all of which were very helpful. They have semester system, and the classes run typically 8 weeks. Compared to what you would pay for a private lesson, the cost of the courses are pretty cheap too. The teachers are very knowledgeable and they are from the finest musicians in the bay area. The Jazz school has occasional concerts also... and they have a good cafeteria where you can grab good food while waiting for your class! read more

A great space to take classes and to practice. Small and very nice rooms with basic equipment, drums, pianos that you can use being a student for free read more

Aside from the actual school, in the evenings, they have concerts from various artists. You can be entertained from musicians, instructors, and alumni from the school. Inexpensive and nice atmosphere. read more

It doesn't get much better with incredible teachers, a warm and responsive staff and students of all ages working together for a common good. The weekly performances offers tremendous variety from professionals to students and music from all over the world. The concerts are priced so that they're affordable! That's unique in today's performance venues. read more

I have taken several classes at the Jazzschool - all good. Debbie Poryes is an especially fine instructor of piano jazz. She has the ability and patience to make very complex musical issues understandable to musicians of all levels. I have taken two classes from her and learned so very much that I recently registered for a third. read more

Best kept secret in town for live music by both accomplished and rising musicians from near and far. read more

Have some friends who used to play here all the time. It's a great, laid-back place to enjoy some good jazz. Nice little cafe too. Can't comment on the lessons, as I've never been able to afford them myself. But from what I hear, it's also a great jazz school. Well, this is a thoroughly useless review. Just wanted to give them some stars because they deserve it. read more

We are so proud and pleased that the Jazzschool is almost in our immediate neighborhood. What a delight. We have gone to hear concerts at the Jazzschool twice in the last two weeks, and both times we have come away exhilarated. To be able to hear live music -- with such high-quality -- practically in our own back yard. What a luxury. Go Jazzschool, Go. read more

What an awesome little place for jazz. I felt like I was in a house concert with friends. Great sound, great jazz group we saw, great price. Will be back for sure. read more

Paid $15 for a mediocre performance one evening. It seemed like the kind of place for people who will listen to any jazz music for the sake of saying they listen to jazz music, and the audience was older, nodding along awkwardly, offbeat. The quality of the performance was just sub-par. The energy from the musicians and the atmosphere of the venue/space was really lackluster. "Intimate" would be a very nice way of putting it, but the seating was more reminiscent of a closed hole in the wall Chinese restaurant with dimmed lights. My bum was sore from sitting on the rickety wooden chairs, trying to stay awake during the performance as they butchered a cover of one of my all time favorite Mancini songs, "Moon River." At the end of the evening, one of my friends asked everyone what they thought of it, to which we all kind of cringed and said, "Eh..." The consensus seemed to be that the only mildly entertaining thing about the performance was that one of the musicians seemed to be flirting with someone in the audience. read more

Where else can you take intensive jazz guitar lessons with one of the top three jazz guitarists in the country? I have studied with Mimi Fox for three classes and my playing has improved geometrically with each class. For years I struggled with both the technical aspects of soloing and anxiety when my turn to solo came around in the chart. Mimi addressed both problems and now I play out regularly without the mind numbing paralysis and fear. I am an intermediate player and Mimi understands that we cannot and probably will never play like her. But we can play better and incorporate the theory to make us more conversant with the instrument. I learned that there is no such thing as "I don't know anything about the lydian mode; I just play." She and the school are awesome. read more