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JMI Summer Jazz Clinics

ABOUT THE CLINICS

Jazz Music Institute’s (JMI) renowned Summer Jazz Clinics will run in January 2024 for all ages and abilities!

These clinics have been running since the late 1970s and have been instrumental in the development of many of Australia’s finest jazz musicians.  The clinics are a 4-day short course in jazz performance delivered by JMI’s esteemed faculty.

Ideal for anyone looking to either start learning how to play jazz, or build upon the knowledge they already have, these clinics are delivered in a fun and relaxed environment conducive to learning and growth.  These are perfect for musicians of all ages and abilities, from young musicians looking for extra musical development, to mature age musicians looking to spark their passion for jazz.

To register for the clinics, complete the online registration form.

Key areas of focus

The clinics will focus on the following three areas that are central to jazz combo playing:

  • Theory and Harmony
  • Small Ensemble Performance
  • Improvisation Techniques

There will also be sessions in the clinics for instrument-specific masterclasses to work on developing technique specific to your instrument.

The final day of the clinic will include a performance at Jazz Music Institute’s very own live jazz venue JMI LIVE, and family and friends are invited to attend. The Jazz Clinic will be delivered by our experienced jazz faculty staff.

Location:

47 Brookes Street, Bowen Hills, QLD 4006.

Term dates:

8th to 11th January 2024

History of the Summer Jazz Clinics

The Summer Jazz Clinics were started by JMI’s founder and owner, Greg Quigley, who was an aspiring trumpeter intent on learning how to play jazz.  In 1976, the Henry Mancini Orchestra toured Australia, led by the famous American jazz trumpeter Don Rader. Greg invited Don to join him in Sydney for a series of workshops that he was planning to organise.  Much to Greg’s surprise, Don accepted the offer and the clinics were a great success. This was the beginning of a long journey in producing jazz education programs throughout Australia.

Following the success of the workshops with Don Rader, Greg travelled to the United States to get right to the source of the music.  During this trip, Greg came into contact with Jamey Aebersold, a saxophonist who had developed a series of play-a-longs and was at the forefront of jazz education.

1979 Summer Clinics faculty with David Baker & Dave Liebman in the front

Upon returning to Australia, Greg decided he wanted to bring Jamey out to Australia to run a series of workshops in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide around Easter 1978.  The workshops were hugely successful and the idea of the “Summer Jazz Clinics” was born.

In 1979, Jamey returned with 13 other jazz musicians to run summer jazz clinics and perform concerts across Australia.  Greg continued to produce these clinics with some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time over a four-year period.  Musicians to travel to Australia as part of these clinics included Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, John Scofield, Randy Brecker, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Turre, Rufus Reid, Bobby Shew, Dave Liebman, Terumasa Hino, David Baker and many more.

These clinics changed the landscape of the Australian jazz scene and had a significant impact on many young Australian jazz musicians at the time, such as Vince Jones, Sandy Evans, Craig Scott, Dale Barlow and Dave Panichi to name a few.

Faculty

Paula Girvan

Josh Hatcher

trav jenkins guitar

Travis Jenkins

andrew shaw double bass

Andrew Shaw

Dave Sanders sitting by some drums

David Sanders

Charlotte Mclean

Paula Girvan

MMusSt(QCGU), BMus(QCGU), AdvDipMus(JMI), AssDipMus(QCGU)
Head of School, Piano, Jazz Materials, Aural & Analysis, Concert Performance Practice

Paula Girvan is a highly acclaimed and versatile pianist with many years of experience as a performer and educator. She performs in various musical formats with renowned artists from Australia and around the world.

Paula is Head of School and senior lecturer at JMI (Jazz Music Institute), where she is widely recognized as a leading voice in jazz education.

Paula’s impressive performance credentials includes touring nationally with award-winning blues rock band, Blues Arcadia. She has also performed with The Drifters, Normie Rowe, Little Pattie, Denise Drysdale, Emma Pask, Jazz at Lincoln Centre artists – Vince Gardner, Sherman Irby, Jerome Jennings, and Belinda Munro- Gardner; Vivian Sessoms, Roger Manins, Kristin Berardi, Michelle Nicolle, Trichotomy, Qld Music Awards, AWMAS (Australian Women in Music Awards).

Paula’s sophisticated musical style, technical prowess, and unwavering dedication to music have earned her a reputation as a sought-after performing artist. Her exceptional musical direction and contributions to various projects and productions have further cemented her status as a respected and accomplished musician and director in the music industry.

Josh Hatcher

BMus(QUT)
Woodwinds, Improvisation Techniques, Ensemble

Joshua Hatcher is a saxophonist and composer with a style based firmly in the jazz tradition. He was one of the 10 finalists in the 2016 National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival and has performed with some of Australia’s finest musicians including Dale Barlow, Andrew Dickeson, Warwick Alder, Ben Hauptmann and Steve Newcomb.
His album “Now and Then” (2015) marks his debut recording as a leader and features original compositions for his quintet. 2 selections from this recording (Forgotten Languages, The Room Next Door) were finalists in the Jazz category at the 2016 Queensland Music Awards.
In 2016 he was named Composer-in-Residence for the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) and premiered some of his new large ensemble compositions at the Perth International Jazz Festival. He is also Musical Director for the Enthusiastic Musician’s Orchestra and has had his compositions and arrangements recorded on their 2 most recent albums.
Since 2012 he has been a lecturer at Brisbane’s Jazz Music Institute teaching saxophone, improvisation, theory and ensemble playing. He is also regularly engaged as a big band clinician and guest director by schools and community organisations. He is currently undertaking a Master of Music (Research) at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music investigating the intersection of compositional and improvisational practices.

Travis Jenkins

BMus(JP)
Jazz Composition, Ensemble, Guitar, Jazz Materials

Trav has been studying and playing the guitar for over 25 years. He is a prolific composer and multi-instrumentalist, having written and arranged music for a variety of circumstances including film music, video game soundtracks, small and large string ensembles, big band, and choir.

Trav is in high demand as a session musician and arranger, and has played in various contemporary outfits at major music festivals around the country, such as the “Brisbane International Jazz Festival”, “Broadbeach Jazz Festival”, “Melbourne Jazz Festival”, “Woodford Folk Festival” and “Big Day Out”. Travis has also played alongside reputable Australian Jazz musicians such as James Morrison, John Morrison, Craig Scott, and Jonathon Zwartz.

Graduating in 2013 from the Jazz Music Institute with a Bachelor of Music (BMus), Trav studied guitar under both Bruce Woodward and Ben Hauptmann, achieving academic awards in all 3 years and in 2015, receiving a nomination for the Freedman Jazz Fellowship. Trav worked for 5 years at the Brisbane Music Studio teaching guitar and directing an ensemble program.  Working with Caleb James at The Queensland Conservatorium, he developed a new performance component to Griffith University’s Bachelor of Popular Music program, which commenced at the Gold Coast campus until it moved to the South Bank campus where he has been running all of 1st and 2nd year contemporary ensemble classes.  Trav has been teaching at JMI for over 7 years and currently teaches guitar (Principal Study), Jazz Composition 1 and 2, Jazz Materials 3 and 4 and Ensemble.  Aside from working as a jazz guitarist in his organ trio and as a sideman, he currently performs regularly in yacht-rock outfit “Tommy Sexton & the Suggestions”,  funk review band “Golden Sound”, and world-beat/reggae outfit “Kooii”.

Andrew Shaw

BMus(JazzPerf)(JMI)
Business Studies, Ensemble, Bass, Jazz in Context

Double bassist, Andrew Shaw, has performed with many greats of the music world, from jazz to cabaret, from tango to country and western, and flamenco. Some of the artists he has performed with across the spectrum include John Scofield, Dave Liebman, James Morrison, Grace Knight, Tom Burlinson, Bill Watrous, Tony Malaby, Matt Wilson, David Ades, Dale Barlow, Mike Nock, Lyndon Terracini, Scott Tinkler, Rhonda Birchmore, Mandy Patinkin, Patti Lupone, Lady Rizo, Joaquin Amenabar, Sarah Blasko, James Ryan, Victor Morosco, The Saruzu Quartet, Flamenco Fire, Olayo Jimenez, Carla Pugliesi, and Jamie Oehlers.

Andrew is currently leading his own ensemble, Road Plant, concentrating on his original music inspired by the secret lives of earth moving equipment. He is also performing with Toby Wren Quartet, David Bentley, Caxton Street Jazz Band, Jeff Usher, Andrew Garton’s Abbreviations Orchestra and others.

Shaw has performed nationally and internationally at many major venues and festivals. He has recorded on more than 40 albums with various artists.

David Sanders

BA(ConMus)(SCU)
Drums

David has been involved in virtually every aspect of the music industry and music education and has gained the reputation as one of the most versatile and in-demand drummers and drum teachers in Australia.

David maintains a very busy performance schedule and has performed in many and varied situations both across Australia and internationally. David’s ability to cross the boundaries of genre and style has made him an asset to many acts within the music industry both as live performer and experienced studio musician. Dave’s performance credits include Monica Trapaga, Rhonda Burchmore, Rodriguez, Pete Murray, Grace Knight , Lisa Hunt , Margaret Urlich, Leonardos Bride, Bob Barnard, Jim Kelly, Jack Thorncraft, Don Burrows, George Golla, Mickey Rooney, Lady Rizo. Tom Burlingson, ACRE. The Eurogliders, Ian Date, George Washingmachine, Leigh Carriage, Petula Clarke.

David is the author of Progressive Steps to Better Drummingpublished through Prepared Sounds. David also has plenty of educational videos available on his YouTube Channel.

Charlotte Mclean

BMus(JMI), GradCert(QCGU), MMusSt(QCGU)
Course Coordinator, Voice, A Capella Ear Training, Aural and Analysis

Charlotte Mclean is emerging as one of Australia’s most captivating and original vocalists. Possessed of a velvety-smooth voice, she produces her own addictive style and her original tunes have garnered critical and popular acclaim. Charlotte’s exemplary skills as an improviser allow her to put a fresh spin on classic jazz repertoire, and she sings with honesty, strength and a unique combination of contemporary musical influences.

Charlotte has had a passion for writing music and performing from an early age, and was delighted to release her debut album Knocking Bird in July 2014 with acclaimed jazz guitarist Toby Wren. In June of 2020 she will be releasing her second originals album Magnolia. Charlotte wrote, co-produced and co-arranged Magnolia and also plays piano throughout the album.

Charlotte has been singing professionally for almost fifteen years and was the winner of the June Bronhill scholarship for vocal excellence when she was seventeen. She frequently performs with many of Australia’s elite jazz musicians such as James Sherlock, Bruce Woodward, James Sandon, Paul Hudson, David Sanders, Steve Russell, Brendan Clarke, John Hoffman and Toby Wren to name a few.


Clinic Structure

Day One
  • Session One 10am – 11:30am
  • Introduction
  • Session Two 12:00pm – 1:30pm
  • Theory/Improvisation
  • Session Three 2:00pm – 3:30pm
  • Jazz Combo 3:30 – 4:00pm
  • Staff Concert
Day Two
  • Session One 10am – 11:30am
  • Theory/Improvisation
  • Session Two 12:00pm – 1:30pm
  • Masterclass
  • Session Three 2:00pm – 3:30pm
  • Jazz Combo 3:30 – 4:00pm
  • Staff Concert
Day Three
  • Session One 10am – 11:30am
  • Jazz Combo
  • Session Two 12:00pm – 1:30pm
  • Masterclass
  • Session Three 2:00pm – 3:30pm
  • Jazz Combo 3:30 – 4:00pm
  • Staff Concert
Day Four
  • Session One 10am – 11:30am
  • Jazz Combo
  • Session Two 12:00pm – 1:30pm
  • Jazz Combo
  • Session Three 2:00pm – 4:00pm
  • Final Concert

Abilities & Ages

All abilities and ages are encouraged to register for the Summer Jazz Clinics. On the first day the faculty will split attendees into small groups of similar abilities and/or ages to ensure everyone can get the most out of the clinics.

Clinic Fees

The 4-day jazz clinic costs
$550 incl GST

Get started

You can register for the 2024 JMI Summer Jazz Clinics by completing the online registration form.