create the music that inspires you
Josie Zocco
Piano Technique Specialist
She/Her
Dylan Hayes
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Tim Kennedy
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Marc Hagar
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Isabella Du Graf
Voice Instructor
She/Her
Mario Layne Fabrizio
Drum Instructor
He/Him
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Moe Weisner
Bass Instructor
He/Him
Alex Baird
Vocal/Piano Instructor
She/Her
Richard Rodseth
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Conner Helms
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Josh Rawlings
Piano Instructor
He/Him
Sam Jaeger
Guitar Instructor
He/Him
Terri Vlist
Student Coordinator
She/Her
Hans Teuber
Woodwinds/Piano Instructor
He/Him
Tony Lefaive
Bass/Guitar Instructor
He/Him
Jacqueline Tabor
Voice Instructor
She/Her
Demarcus Baysmore
Guitar Instructor
He/Him
Kristin Chambers
Voice Instructor
She/Her
Sutton Marley
Drum Instructor
He/Him
Mack Grout
Head Piano Instructor
Founder
Born in 1985 in Seattle Washington, USA, Mack started playing piano at the age of three. Studying classical piano seriously until age fourteen, he then became interested in jazz and blues music and started studying with Larry Key. Upon graduating from South Kitsap High School in 2004 Mack won the national Louis Armstrong award, and obtained scholarships to multiple schools including Berklee College of Music and Cornish College of the Arts. At Cornish he studied jazz piano performance and composition under his mentors Dave Peck, Denney Goodhew, Randy Halberstadt, Chuck Deardorf and Jim Knapp, graduating magna cum laude in 2008.
Since then, Mack has worked full time as a jazz composer, soloist and band leader, performed nationally and internationally in styles from jazz to pop and everything in between, and also worked abroad for several years as a musical director for international jazz clubs throughout Asia. As an instructor, Mack has taught at colleges in the pacific northwest and mentored a full studio of serious students, over a dozen of which have gone on to continue their music study at high level conservatories around the world. Mack continues to perform as a soloist and sideman in original projects, and in 2019 founded Seattle Jazz Academy, a school for serious pianists interested in jazz and improvisation.
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Monica Parshotam
Piano / Voice Instructor
Program Manager
Monica Parshotam is a performer, songwriter, vocalist, and pianist from Seattle, WA. She began studying music at age five with classical and contemporary piano before discovering passions for composition, songwriting, vocal performance, and theater. Monica has performed as a solo artist and in numerous bands for over ten years, playing a vast range of genres from jazz, soul, and R&B to folk, rock, and musical theater. She is currently a band leader, keyboardist, and lead vocalist for collaborative seven piece neo-soul band, Hard Maybe, performing and touring regularly across the west coast.
Monica graduated from Western Washington University with focuses in music, theater, audio technology, and education & social justice. She has coached at multiple youth arts programs such as Bellingham Girls Rock Camp, Bellingham Children’s Theater, and LaVenture Middle School’s Migrant Leaders Club, encouraging performance and music as tools for self-empowerment. Through teaching Monica hopes to instill a sense of curiosity and perseverance in her students while exploring musical possibilities, concepts, and skill building. She believes in a holistic approach to learning music, and seeks to establish within each of her students a strong musical intuition, grounded understanding of music theory, and cognitive flexibility when it comes to playing jazz.
Shai PermIlovsky
Piano Instructor
Pianist/keyboard player Shai Permilovsky is an up-and-coming musician and music instructor in the Seattle scene. Born and raised in Kefar Saba, Israel, Shai has attended the city’s prestigious conservatory since the age of nine. He trained with renowned classical and jazz faculty, and was a pioneer in the institution’s rock and contemporary music program. He later made it into the Katzenelson Music Program in his high school years, where he proceeded to work with influential musicians and instructors Sasha Kantzberg and Ronit Katz. The program is known for producing some of Israel’s most successful musicians, including pianist/composer Idan Raichel.
In 2016 Shai immigrated to Seattle with his family in pursuit of higher education. Shai studied jazz piano at the University of Washington, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies in 2024. In addition, Shai is a part of Seattle’s up and coming Jazz-pop band- Turtlnck.
Formerly a student of Mack, Shai was inspired to take on a teaching position at the Seattle Jazz Academy. As a teacher, he emphasizes the importance of creative outlet, and how each student should use their own passions and ideas in their playing. Shai’s students will experiment with a variety of genres in jazz, such as Funk, Soul, R&B, Fusion, and more.
Some of Shai’s biggest inspirations include: Jazz pianists Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans, to more contemporary artists such as Israeli composer Idan Raichel, Esperanza Spalding, the Modern R&B group Hiatus Kaiyote, and British guitar player/ songwriter Tom Misch.
Max holmberg
Head Drum Instructor
Max Holmberg is a Seattle based drummer, bandleader and educator. He first started getting to know the drum set at his grandpa's house at age two. Born into a family of actors and musicians, it's no surprise that the first music he remembers listening to is Count Basie. Max got his fist real taste of jazz playing in the jazz programs at Eckstein Middle School and Roosevelt High School in Seattle. Max then moved to Boston for four years where he completed his B.M. at Berklee College of Music. Upon completion, he returned to Seattle where he currently resides and can be found performing in person and on the radio with many diverse projects and bands including the Alex Dugdale Band, Danny Quintero Band, Jacqueline Tabor Jazz Band, 200 Trio, The Arsonists, the Eric Patterson Band, The Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and the Kareem Kandi Band. Max hosts the Sunday night jam session at the Angry Beaver in Greenwood, co-runs the (currently retired) podcast Jazztalk Seattle, and runs the Secret Jazz Club on Airbnb (on hiatus since covid). He can also be found occasionally performing with Broadway shows including the Grammy and Tony-winning Hadestown (North American Tour).
Throughout Max's musical journey, he has had the opportunity to perform in 7 different countries and gain personal experience and knowledge from many notable musicians. Some highlights include performances in India with Danae Greenfield and the 200 Trio, touring with Hadestown, touring internationally with the Arsonists featuring Patrick Bartley, Jr, the Jens Lindemann Big Band/Seattle Chamber Music Society Festival, performing at Berklee College of Music with NEA Jazz Master Joanne Brackeen, Eddie Gomez, and Wayne Krantz, a performance at Lincoln Center with the Roosevelt High School Jazz Band and Wynton Marsalis, workshops with Gerald Clayton, Joe Lovano, the late Rashied Ali, and the late James Moody. In addition to these artists, a special thanks goes out to Benny Green, Neal Smith, Katia Roberts, Ernesto Diaz, Tyler Richart, Joanne Brackeen, Stuart MacDonald, Moc Escobedo, Lisa Holmberg, Ed Mays and Scott Brown for going above and beyond in helping mentor Max as a musician, drummer and human spirit.
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DanIel Rainard
Head Guitar Instructor
A Seattle native, Dan Rainard is a musical reflection of his home city. Proud is he that he attended the same high school as Jimi Hendrix and Quincy Jones! A lifelong devotee of the guitar, he feels at home playing in many styles but was particularly drawn to study jazz for its ability to convey nuanced emotion through harmony. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in music from Central Washington University and after playing several years on board cruise ships he took a hiatus to earn his Master’s degree as a graduate assistant with Chuck Israels at Western Washington University. He returned to Seattle after playing on board for several more years and working on three world cruises, accompanying hundreds of guest entertainers including Mr. Show Business himself, Wayne Newton!
Since returning in 2012, he can be heard performing with such Seattle luminaries as Tim Kennedy, Birch Pereira, and Dave Peterson as well the orchestras of Seattle Repertory Theater (In The Heights, Shout Sister Shout) and Village Theater (Songs for a New World, Matilda, Hairspray, and more). He has studied with jazz legends Julian Lage, Russell Malone, Ulf Wakenius, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Tuck Andres and Earl Klugh. He has also made an independent study of the sound and technique of George Benson, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell and John Scofield and amassed numerous personal transcriptions of their work which he hopes to publish one day. He is eager to help aspiring guitarists unlock the doors that have been opened to him by learning to read and interpret sheet music and understand and improvise music in all kinds of musical styles. Dan believes that the guitar has a home in so many musical genres, you don’t have to pick just one, but learning jazz will give you a framework to understand most other genres in depth.
Hans teuber
Piano/Woodwinds Instructor
Hans Teuber has been a top-call saxophonist and woodwind doubler, composer, arranger, and keyboardist in the Pacific Northwest for over thirty years, with extensive experience recording and touring alongside many influential artists. He has traveled North America, Europe, Japan, and Brazil, performing with jazz luminaries such as George Cables, Julient Priester, Bill Frisell, Chano Domingues, Michael White, and Wayne Horvitz. Hans also toured and performed with folk singer Ani DiFranco and recorded with notable Seattle rock bands Brad and Mudhoney.
For almost ten years Hans instructed and accompanied at Cornish College of the Arts, and he has released four albums as a band leader under Jackson Street and Origin Records. Hans has been actively involved in the cirque world having spent eighteen years with Seattle’s Teatro Zinzanni and is currently working with Montreal’s comedy duo “Monseigneures Tim et Joe.”
As an instructor, Hans’ hope first and foremost is to convey his practical experience in a cultural context as applied to musical problems and exercises. His approach to teaching includes an emphasis on the value of music in all areas of the human experience, keeping in mind how history and our current local communities may inform and relate to our musical interests and skills. Hans instructs and collaborates with his students in developing a strong proficiency in music, whether focusing on the mastery of an instrument, composition, and/or songwriting.
Terri Torseth-Vlist
Student coordinator
Terri Torseth-Vlist is a life-long resident of the Pacific Northwest, born on the Kitsap Peninsula in Bremerton, WA and hails from Port Orchard, WA now for over 30 years.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington State University, she began her career in international shipping where she honed her management and administrative skills. After a brief hiatus to raise her children, she started a new path as an independent contractor in medical transcription. This new path led her back to the administrative field where her organizational and time management skills proved indispensable. She is a skilled professional with a passion for getting things done! Terri has a natural talent for organization and pays incredible attention to details, ensuring that everything runs like clockwork.
Away from the office, Terri enjoys time with her family, reading a good book, and is an avid sports fan. Her love languages are listening with a focused ear and cooking for her friends and family.
Alex Baird
Piano / Voice Instructor
Alex was born & raised in Seattle, Washington, singing and playing piano from age 7. She spent three years in the Onions, one of Seattle’s finest high school vocal jazz groups at Seattle Academy, and played saxophone and piano in jazz band. Her father is local dueling piano player, Robert Baird, and her maternal grandmother, Peggi Griffith, was a singer in the 1950s-1960s, performing with Overton Barry, among others. Alex’s career has been highlighted by her releasing her first album, Lemon Tree, in May 2022, under Next Records, which now has over 1M listens on Spotify, and her experience performing as a guest artist at the Kobe Jazz Festival in Kobe, Japan, 2018, accomplished by her winning the adult division of the Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association Jazz Competition at Jazz Alley. One of her personal favorite experiences is returning to perform holiday music at the West Seattle Thriftway grocery store every year.
Alex graduated with honors from the University of Northern Colorado 2020 with a B.M. in Jazz Studies, with a certificate in Music Technology and a minor in French. She was a member of two Downbeat-winning vocal jazz groups, NoCoVo and Vocal Lab in the esteemed jazz program at UNCo, and has studied with musicians including Kerry Marsh, Julia Dollison, Lauren Kinhan, Sara Gazarek, and more. She currently teaches piano and voice, occasionally adjudicates festivals, and works with high school groups, and she performs regularly in Seattle solo, duo, and with bands including the Blue Wave Band and Nearly Dan.
When teaching piano Alex prioritizes taking basic piano skills to the next level so that playing can be an outlet for any emotion or situation. She focuses on adding tools to students’ repertoire including chords, extensions, bass lines, and stylish playing so that students can play solo piano or accompany themselves comfortably.
Josie zocco
Piano Technique Specialist
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Josie began her musical journey with her first music lesson at age 3 and never looked back. She earned her first dollar playing piano at a New Orleans bar at age 7. In 2007 she graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ethnomusicology and Piano Performance. In 2008 she received her Associates Diploma in Piano Performance and Theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has been active as a teacher and collaborative pianist since 2001. In 2011, Josie followed her heart and moved to Seattle. Currently, Josie sits on the Board of the Seattle Music Teachers Association, is an active student of professional soloist Mark Salman, and maintains a full teaching studio. She enjoys working closely with students to develop their technique, with a special focus on addressing and overcoming specific individual challenges. Josie is an avid stride piano fan and an active member and instructor for the Seattle Jazz Academy community. Josie is the piano technique specialist for Seattle Jazz Academy, and teaches courses such as the three month intensive Technique for Jazz Pianists. When she is not teaching or playing music, Josie enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, watching hockey, and hanging out with her husband, son, and cats.
Moe Weisner
Head Bass Instructor
Born and raised just outside of Seattle, Moe was always interested in different art forms, but didn’t start playing music until age 15, and didn’t pick up his current primary instrument until age 17. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Cornish College of the Arts in 2017, with a concentration in Jazz Double Bass Performance. There, he studied under Chuck Deardorf for jazz bass and Joe Kaufman for classical bass. In 2022, he received a Master of Music degree from Central Washington University, where he studied Classical Double Bass Performance with Dr. Anna Jensen and Composition with Dr. Jiyoun Chung.
Moe also works as a music teacher in the greater Seattle area, teaching beginner lessons on piano, guitar, and cello, and beginning through advanced lessons on electric bass, double bass, and composition. As a composer, he has written and arranged works for a variety of ensembles, including chamber orchestra, jazz big band, SATB Choir, small jazz combos, and various chamber ensembles. While he does have an affinity for jazz, R&B, and western classical music, he is always looking to challenge himself as a bass player in different styles of music and hone his abilities to become a more versatile musician.
Dylan Hayes
Jazz Piano Instructor
Dylan Hayes is originally from San Francisco, and began playing piano at the age of seven. He attended an arts school in Novato, California, Marin School of the Arts, where he started playing in a rock band. As time progressed, he joined the school’s top jazz band and realized that jazz was the direction he wanted to take in his career as a musician. He continued his studies at Cornish College of the Arts from which he graduated summa cum laude from in 2019, and was able to study with Dawn Clement, Jim Knapp, Jovino Santos Neto, and Marina Albero.
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Dylan’s piano playing has brought him to share the stage with top tier musicians in both San Francisco and The Pacific Northwest such as Jay Thomas, Thomas Marrtiott, Matt Jorgensen, Evan Flory-Barnes, Christopher Brown and former member of Art Blakey’s jazz messengers, Chris Amberger.
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Dylan’s debut record “Songs For Rooms And People” was released on Blujazz Productions on March, 2020. His debut record is one of the top ten jazz albums of 2020 in The Seattle Times. Another Seattle based band that Dylan co-leads called “Meridian Odyssey” released a record titled "Second Wave" under Origin Records and was listed as one of the top fifteen best albums of 2021 in The Seattle Times. Meridian Odyssey’s sophomore release titled “Earthshine” was also listed as one of the top 20 albums of 2022 in The Seattle Times.
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Dylan has also taken over the big band book of renowned composer Jim Knapp and has been revitalizing the group in Seattle. Other bands that Dylan leads are the Dylan Hayes Electric Band, DX-Tet, Vela The Band and LeHayes.
Bass / Guitar Instructor
Tony lefaive
As someone who grew and developed as an artist in Seattle, Tony regularly participates in the area’s music scene. His creative upbringing began early, and at the age of ten his parents gave him a guitar and with it he taught himself to improvise and write songs. Around the age of sixteen Tony saw an opportunity after the bassist in his high school jazz ensemble quit. Every day before rehearsal he would step up to the upright bass and teach himself to play. Eventually he was asked to officially fill the role of a bass player, a request which set in motion his career as a professional.
In 2016 Tony graduated from Roosevelt High School and humbly received the Waldo King Inspirational Award as a result of his efforts to fill a job that no one else stepped up to do. He went on to study Jazz and Improvised music at the University of Washington with scholarships from the Brechemin Foundation and more. In 2020 he finished his undergraduate education and went on to complete his Masters in 2022 while also working as a Teacher Assistant. At this time he continued to perform and teach music of all genres in the greater Seattle area, solidifying his presence on the scene as a diversely experienced working professional.
Tony’s approach to art has always been to encourage himself and his peers to find their own voice and niche and use it as an escape and form of creative expression. In doing so he hopes to search out roles that need to be filled and do so with integrity and purpose.
Richard Rodseth
Piano Instructor
Richard is delighted to devote his days to music education (his own and others') after a lengthy career in technology. In 2019 he completed a Professional Certificate in Music Theory and Composition through Berklee Online, with additional study in orchestration and counterpoint.
The son of a piano and voice teacher, Richard took classical piano lessons as a child and studied jazz piano upon moving to Seattle. He has since gained experience teaching beginning piano to younger students, an experience he finds enriching and stimulating.
As an enthusiastic composer, Richard has completed short compositions for jazz trio, string quartet, and saxophone quartet formations, which were then performed at events organized by the Seattle Composers Alliance. He also loves exploring synthesis and electronic music.
Richard's musical heroes include fellow South African Abdullah Ibrahim and other piano greats like Brad Mehldau, Jessica Williams, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans, along with the many magnificent musicians based in Seattle!
demarcus baysmore
Guitar Instructor
Demarcus Baysmore is a skilled and engaging guitarist from Texas who is best known for his jazz, blues, and funk musical stylings. He began playing at age twelve and has since performed across the northwest in venues both large and small with a wide variety of talented musicians throughout his career.
Demarcus studied guitar at Oklahoma Baptist University and the Navy School of Music before joining Navy Band Northwest, where he played and toured as their guitarist for four years. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2019, Demarcus quickly became immersed in the Seattle music community and has collaborated with numerous musicians and groups as a performer, writer, and recording artist.
Influenced by musicians like Wes Montgomery, Mark Lettieri, and Tosin Abasi, Demarcus aims to inspire creativity in not only his listeners, but also fellow musicians and students through his music and teaching.
Jacqueline tabor
Voice Instructor
Jaqueline Tabor is a jazz, blues, and swing vocalist, band leader, and touring artist based in Seattle. Inspired by artists including Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Koko Taylor, Sarah Vaughn, and many more, Jaqueline's signature bluesy style and charismatic personality have earned her the nickname of the “Seattle Chanteuse.” She has collaborated with some of the most talented jazz musicians in Seattle, as well as local artists while on tour to create a community-centered experience that celebrates the beauty and diversity of music.
Jaqueline Tabor is a four-time winner of the Earshot Jazz Vocalist of the Year award, completed residencies in Seattle, WA and Oshkosh, Wisconsin where she created over eight productions, and has been a guest artist for Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra since 2019. In collaboration with award-winning musician Marina Albero, their production of “Don’t Explain: A Musical Conversation Between Billie Holiday and Nina Simone” won Concert of the Year in 2022 by Earshot Jazz. Jaqueline was also a winner of the Kobe Jazz Vocalist Queen Contest, an opportunity that led her to perform in Kobe, Japan through the Seattle-Kobe Jazz Exchange Program. Since then she has toured internationally in Hawaii, Osaka, Kobe, and Tokyo.
Jaqueline is eager to continue sharing her passion and joy for music. Through teaching, she aims to coach and inspire each student to find their unique, strong voice.
conner helms
Piano Instructor
Conner Helms began his musical career as a saxophonist at age twelve, but quickly fell in love with the harmonic possibilities of the piano, devoting much of his time during and after school to honing his skills as both a soloist and accompanist. In 2011 he began instructing under the mentorship of pianist Bill MacDounough and upon his graduation from Western Washington University, began teaching full time.
Now with over eighteen years of musical experience, Conner has performed in thousands of concerts ranging from solo piano, choral, small group jazz, big band, and with his own jazz/neo-soul group Triple Mood, which has toured both locally and internationally. Beyond his work in ensembles, Conner’s interest in photography/videography has led him to foster relationships with many PNW artists and musicians, as well as non-profit organizations such as the Jazz Center of Bellingham.
Conner’s teaching approach is focused on meeting the student where they are at. He strives to teach theory, technique and other skills in a way that is approachable and can be put to immediate use. He strongly believes in the concept of “learning through doing” which applies as much in the practice room as out.
Marc Hager is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator based in Seattle, Washington. A self taught pianist through high school, he was accepted into the University of Washington School of Music in 1992 where he studied privately with professor Marc Seales, majoring in Jazz Studies. Since leaving college Marc has appeared in a wide variety of jazz, funk, reggae and rock groups performing throughout the northwest in venues large and small. For the past two decades Marc has been teaching piano privately with a focus on providing individually tailored instruction in a positive learning environment where creativity and exploration are encouraged while also giving solid instruction in the fundamentals of music and piano technique. Many of Marc's students have enjoyed success playing playing in their school jazz bands with a few having been recognized for their playing at regional jazz festivals.
marc hagar
Piano Instructor
Isabella Du Graf
Voice Instructor
Singer Isabella Du Graf is a talent as rare as her record collection. A crate-digger and beatmaker with a degree in jazz performance for voice from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she studied with Dominique Eade, Cecil Mcbee, Dave Holland and Rebecca Parris. A Seattle native, Du Graf is “a spoonful of the outstanding talent coming out of the Pacific Northwest” raved Wynton Marsalis after presenting her with the Ella Fitzgerald award for her performance at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center. Later that year Isabella was recognized by Downbeat Magazine as Outstanding HS Jazz Vocalist of the year, an award she was able to duplicate twice more but at the college level. Isabella's dedication to her craft has allowed her the opportunity to share stages with musical giants like Bobby McFerrin and Ernestine Anderson. And in a performance that introduced her to an audience of over 40,000 Seattle football fans, Isabella was asked to perform the national anthem at Qwest Field for the NFL Seahawks-Raiders game. Since returning back home to Seattle, she’s been busy honing her chops as a songwriter and producer, releasing a full-length album (“Love, Love? Love”) in 2018 and traveling around the country to record and perform with the likes of Kassa Overall and Julius Rodriguez. Du Graf is currently at work on her fourth album that features both acoustic and production-heavy sounds with contributions from Rodriguez, Kassa, Mike King, Burniss Travis, and Joe Dyson.
Josh Rawlings
Piano Instructor
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Josh Rawlings is a GRAMMY-Nominated and Platinum Album Award winning composer, studio musician and performer in Seattle, WA. He is the pianist featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ multi-GRAMMY winning album ‘The Heist’. Josh’s signature sound can be heard on ‘Same Love’ and ‘Downtown’ along with many other major albums. Josh has worked with 100’s of artists and groups over his 2-decade long career. He has toured throughout the United States playing stadiums, major festivals and amphitheaters. Josh has performed in Germany with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and in Italy with his band Industrial Revelation. He currently makes his living as an active live performer, studio musician and composer living in Seattle, WA. Josh is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts where he studied under the tutelage of esteemed musicians including jazz pianist Randy Halberstadt, Brazilian pianist/composer Jovino Santos Neto, multi-instrumentalist/composer Denney Goodhew, and both jazz pioneers/legends - saxophonist Hadley Caliman & trombonist Julian Priester.
As a teacher, Josh strives to motivate each student to follow their passion and really PLAY music from the heart. Whether focusing on foundational piano technique, learning and playing Pop songs, or diving into deeper harmonic Jazz theory, Josh enjoys making music fun, accessible and explorative for his students. He often crafts a curriculum tailored to his students’ goals and growth areas. If Josh has a speciality, it's what he'd call the ‘Art of Jamming’ and the ability to play by ear. This ability can be taught just like learning any language by ear, and it’s an area he hopes to cultivate and turn into a major asset musicians can bring to any musical situation (stage, studio and beyond).
Josh is a proud father of 3 children. He’s an endurance racer, NW surfer, lover of Hayao Hiyazaki films, dark chocolate & a black coffee enthusiast.
Kristin Chambers is a singer, songwriter, performer, and vocal teacher based in Seattle. A classically trained singer, with years of professional performance experience, Kristin teaches a healthy singing technique tailored to each student’s current challenges and aspirations. With 15 years of teaching experience, she mentors both beginners and advanced singers of any age. Her warm and welcoming teaching style begins with the breath as the cornerstone and builds strength and confidence through her exercises and techniques. A lifelong artist and music professional, she began her career in Musical Theater both in Seattle and NYC, where she had the thrill of singing on RCA Records' “Infinite Joy” by William Finn (Falsettos), alongside Norm Lewis, Carolee Carmello, and Mary Testa. Some of her favorite theater roles include Bella in Rags, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Maria in West Side Story, Julie in Carousel, Marian in The Music Man, Biddy in Great Expectations, and many more.
In 2012, Kristin shifted career direction and began writing and performing her own music. She began studying piano with Jazz Academy founder Mack Grout and started accompanying herself on stage. She has since become a prominent piano-based female singer-songwriter — one of the few in the Seattle area.
As a songwriter and composer, her warm adult-contemporary style stems from a wide range of influences, from jazz to pop to blues. Kristin has a talent for crafting honest and relatable songs. She feels most at home sitting behind a piano surrounded by melody. Kristin has released four full-length studio albums and one EP. She has more than two hundred songwriting credits to her name.
In 2022, her song “Everything Woman” was featured on the television show Better Call Saul. Other collaborations working with producers and songwriters across the US and internationally have led to song placements on television. Her work can be heard on Lifetime, Hallmark, National Geographic, The Young and The Restless, and other networks.
“I always want people to feel hope when they listen to my music. I try to write from my authentic self, and I hope that comes through.” — Kristin Chambers
Kristin Chambers
Voice Instructor
Mario Layne Fabrizio
Drum Instructor
Mario Layne Fabrizio is a drummer, percussionist, composer, visual artist, filmmaker and writer. He graduated with a BA in Jazz Studies from Boston’s New England Conservatory in 2018, where he studied with an array of teachers like Jabali Billy Hart, Cecil McBee, Joe Morris, Vijay Iyer and Jason Moran.
Mario’s work as a musician has been presented around the world at places like the Salzburg Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Panama Jazz Festival, Birdland, Kunming’s International Drum Festival, and the Kennedy Center. Mario has performed with notable musicians such as Cecil Mcbee, Claudio Roditi, Nilson Matta, Santi DeBriano, Joe Morris, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko, Jason Palmer, Oran Etkin, Noah Preminger and Volker Goetze. Works he's performed for include Arturo O'Farrill’s Little Tiny Walls, The Black Clown at American Repertory Theatre, and Jason Moran’s STAGED exhibition. London Jazz News describes Mario pretty accurately as "ferocious but subtle," and Steve Smith of On The Record says that he presents with “assurance, charisma and infectious enthusiasm.” Mario’s compositions have been acknowledged by the New York Times, AllMusic, and France Musique. He was also featured in Seattle Refined and Komo News as artist of the week, as well as JazzTimes and Earshot Jazz.
As an educator, Mario cares about developing the individual voice, intuition, and musical personality of each student, first and foremost. He shows his students that improvisation is a way to weave through life, to gain wisdom and innovate the future. Mario has taught drum, percussion, rhythm and performance masterclasses at the Panama Jazz Festival, across China in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Kunming and Beijing, and at the Salzburg Jazz Festival. He was also a teaching artist for the Boston Cantata Singers Program where he taught songwriting to 4th and 5th graders. Because of his vast interests and artistic abilities, Mario blends philosophy, literature, and visual art in his teaching to enable a wide artistic perspective in each student, support individual growth, and develop a healthy, well-rounded relationship with music as a whole. Mario believes that “teaching music is very intertwined with each students’ inner being, and while teaching I want to encourage students to discover more about themselves." Lessons start as an empty cup to be filled with whatever interests and possibilities are found while learning
Sam Jaeger
Guitar Instructor
Sam Jaeger is a guitarist, music maker, and educator born and raised in Seattle, Washington. A versatile and tasteful player, he has performed as a freelance guitarist and as the leader of his own projects since 2010. He is the guitarist and co-arranger of Seattle Neo-Soul band Hard Maybe.
Sam graduated with distinction from Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts in 2015, earning his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Guitar Performance, studying under the late bassist Chuck Deardorf and pianist/composer Jovino Santos Neto. At this time, he also stayed busy playing in the DIY circuits of Seattle and Bellingham, further developing his musical voice and passion for live performance.
As an instructor, Sam emphasizes an individualized approach to his students and rejects a "one size fits all" mentality. Through examination of each students' natural skills and shortcomings, he curates a custom lesson plan each week that will challenge each student to expand their knowledge of the fretboard, from scalar single note improvising to the broad study of harmony. Sam also teaches the role of the guitar beyond technique, emphasizing its placement in bands and ensembles; this approach offers students pragmatic and marketable skills that will teach them how to "fit" into any given musical environment.
As a performer, Sam specializes in Fusion, Neo-Soul, Jazz, Blues, and free-form improvised music. You can usually catch Sam playing with Hard Maybe or with fellow guitarist and writer Eric Olson in their Jazz Guitar duo, Out of the Blue. He has also performed with Montana-based country singer Miller Campbell, trumpeter/bandleader Bobby Medina, Jovino Santos Neto, and under the leadership of the late composer and the late Jim Knapp. He lives in Seattle with his partner Kelsi Hooper and dog, Wendy.
Sutton Marley
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sutton Marley is a drummer now based in Seattle, WA with over 15 years of professional experience playing drums in a variety of musical settings. After developing a passion for jazz music in high school, Sutton went on to attend the University of North Texas as a Jazz Performance major and had the great fortune to study with master drummer & teacher, Ed Soph.
Upon returning to the Bay Area, Sutton spent many years performing as a sideman; playing in jazz, big band, and R&B settings at venues such as Black Cat, Yoshi’s, Club Deluxe, Cafe Stritch, and multiple appearances at the San Jose Jazz Festival. In 2021, Sutton released his first album as a band leader, Intention, on all major streaming platforms, which features the wonderful musicianship of Smith Dobson, Adam Shulman, and Jack Tone Riordan. In addition to performing, Sutton has taught privately with students of all ages and levels of experience, as well as taught small group/ensemble classes at the San Jose Jazz Summer Camp.
As a teacher, Sutton has a passion for working collaboratively with students on a personalized method of study that helps fuel their creative spark, develop their musicianship, and spread a love and appreciation for jazz music.
Drum Instructor
Tim Kennedy
Piano Instructor
Tim Kennedy is a Seattle-based musician, producer, teacher, and composer. He
can be found on any given night performing jazz, pop, country, and rock. A lifelong
student of jazz, Tim has toured all over the world performing music. Tim has a
passion for teaching music as well, and has taught and given clinics at the William
Paterson University, The Northwest School, and the Stanford Jazz Camp. He has a
degree in Jazz Performance from the the acclaimed William Paterson University
and has studied with such artists as John Hicks, Harold Mabern, Pete Malinverni,
and Bruce Barth. Having studied with such incredible musicians Tim has a vast
amount of knowledge about music and knows how to convey it to the student.
As well as performing in Jazz, he is also the front man for electro dance band
Richie Aldente, and the country rock sounds of Hot Rod, and Big Tooth. Tim is an
established producer working with artists all over the world in many genres of
music, and has performed and recorded with such diverse artists as Kassa Overall,
Jesse Sykes, Jason Mraz, Theo Crocker, Gavin Degraw, Randy Weston, Jonathon
Blake, Ari Hoening, Doc Backer, Zach Santos and many others.
Andrew Friedrich
Guitar Instructor
Born and raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts, Andrew Friedrich began performing weekly at church at the age of fourteen. Determined to develop his sound and vocabulary as an improviser, Andrew studied first at Berklee College of music under the guidance of Jon Damian and John Babaion. From Boston, he moved to Austin, Texas to finish his undergraduate degree in music at the University of Texas where he studied with guitarists Joseph Williams, Mitch Watkins and Bruce Saunders. While in Austin, he taught at Temple College and St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. After seven years of performing multiple shows a week in the Austin music scene, Andrew moved to Northern Colorado and began a guitar program at Colorado Academy. During this time, he also composed and released “Human Resource”, his first album as a leader with bassist Richard Mikel and drummer Daniel Dufour. Currently, Andrew is finishing his master’s degree in Jazz/Improvised Music studies at the University of Washington in Seattle. He also serves as a teaching assistant in the jazz Appreciation and American popular song courses.
Andrew’s teaching style is dynamic and empathic. He stresses the importance of musicianship skills - reading, ear training, theory, technique and rhythm, while also helping students cultivate their own voice through composition and improvisation. Through working with a diverse group of students, Andrew believes that all people are capable of being lifelong guitarists and musicians and knows that developing a long-term rapport with a teacher is critical to that goal.
Jon Butler
Bass Instructor
Bassist, pianist, vocalist, and composer Jon Butler is a lover and performer of many various styles of music. A graduate of Cornish College of the Arts (’23), Jon is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration and stylistic innovation. His areas of study in school included collaborative improvisation, jazz studies, performing with electronics, and composition, including music to accompany dance works. Jon has studied upright and electric bass with Kelsey Mines, Chuck Deardorf, Michael Watson, and Jeff Bailey, and composition with James Falzone and Kaley Lane Eaton. Since graduating, Jon has continued to work collaboratively with multiple ensembles and solo artists, including Wiseacre, Rare Elephant, Kenshi Killzzz, and Type 85. He has also performed at the Rainier Club, South Lake Union Block Party, Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis), Pike Place Market, Raisbeck Auditorium, The Musiquarium, the Sunset
Tavern, Skylark Cafe and Club, and more. His current work explores new notions of harmony and texture through lenses of contemporary jazz, RnB, and Folk music. He is currently focusing on developing his own improvisational voice through an immersion of the jazz vocabulary and its techniques. His identity as a working musician and a member of the artistic community is at the core of how his work is created in the world. His most fervent hope is that his music makes people feel hopeful for their own and the collective future, and that people find a piece of themselves in his work.
Paige sandusky
Voice Instructor
Paige is originally from New Jersey where she received her B.A. in Voice Performance from Montclair State University and is an alumni of The LaGuardia Performing Arts High School, "The Fame" School, in New York City. After college, she performed in New York City at renowned venues such as Cafe Wha? and The Groove. She also had the honor to perform on the same stage as countless iconic artists at Amateur Night at The Apollo Theater.
After a decade of living in the concrete jungle, the mountains were calling her name. Paige moved to the Denver, CO area in 2014 where she was the lead vocalist for soul/r&b band BeatSpeak and played in various funk, soul, and r&b groups as well as keeping a full-time teaching studio for voice and piano. She's since relocated to Seattle where she continues to perform, create and pursue her diverse musical endeavors. She strives to teach her students proper technique all the while staying in tune with one’s natural musical instincts. Her goal is to support and challenge her students in an open and creative learning environment. She is currently a lullaby songstress to her baby girl Mariah.
beserat tafesse
Brass Instructor
Born to Ethiopian immigrants in the Pacific Northwest, Beserat Tafesse grew up with a wide array of musical and cultural influences. Traditional Ethio Jazz, the great Stevie Wonder, and his parents favorites were all mixed up and strewn together; each uniquely informing and penetrating his mind with a diverse soundscape from an early age. As he grew older, Beserat went to Central Washington University to pursue a degree in Classical Euphonium Performance, unintentionally cementing his love for jazz trombone instead. From there he attended the Manhattan School of Music, studying Jazz Trombone with some of the greats, and shedding nightly with many of New York’s living legends. You may have seen him playing with acts such as the Mambo Legends Jazz Orchestra, The Birdland Big Band, or blasting away with Slavic Soul Party. You may also have heard his work on the Grammy Nominated album Art of the Arrangement, by Doug Beavers, one of many projects he gladly lent his horn playing to. After playing for years around town with bands such as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and traveling the globe with groups such as Kings Kaleidoscope, Beserat decided it was finally time to return home to Seattle, to spend time with his friends and family who helped raise him. Although he currently spends most of his time in Seattle, he still very much is a part of the national scene, traveling to and from his home as he sees fit. While in Seattle, Beserat continues to collaborate with world class musicians and teach at Cornish College of the Arts as well as work on his own debut solo project.
Noah Brown
Piano Instructor
Noah Brown is a Seattle-based pianist/keyboardist. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon,
Noah started playing piano at the age of 6. His dad being a guitarist, Noah was introduced to
jazz, blues, and rock from a young age. After joining Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra as a
teenager, under the instruction of renowned Portland area musicians and educators Ben and
Michelle Medler, Noah discovered a lifelong love and passion for Jazz. Noah studied with Clay
Giberson and Randy Porter during high school and played in the Oregon All-State Jazz Band
and received the national Louis Armstrong award.
Noah graduated from the University of Washington in 2024 with a degree in Climate
Science, balancing this with his continued study of music. He benefited from UW’s excellent
jazz program and the instruction of Marc Seales and Steve Rodby. Playing keys in the local
funk/soul band “Joint Souls” and leading his own jazz trio, Noah is up and coming in the local
music scene.
Noah’s top jazz piano influences are Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, Wynton Kelly,
Oscar Peterson, and Chick Corea as well as keyboardists from other genres such as Chuck
Levell, Delvon Lamarr, and Elton John. Noah enjoys playing with a diverse array of different
musical styles and the possibilities that they open up. He also continues to be influenced by his
Dad, and they play music together whenever they can.