Summer Adult Jazz Ensemble

Learn to improvise on the great jazz standards in a classic jazz combo!

The Ridgewood School of Music is excited to offer a 10-week small group jazz ensemble for adult music students from June through August 2026! The ensemble will meet in Bushwick, Brooklyn for a weekly two-hour rehearsal covering some of the most popular and widely played jazz standards by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, and others. The ensemble will be coached by jazz trumpeter and Ridgewood Music founder Bobby Spellman and will cover the fundamental techniques of jazz improvisation, the development of a personal musical vocabulary, and building a repertoire of tunes commonly called at jam sessions around the world.

This ensemble is designed for intermediate adult music students who would like to learn how to improvise on jazz standards with a group of likeminded musicians. No prior improvisation experience is required, but students should have an intermediate command of their instruments and the ability to read melodies or chord symbols. The group will feature between five and eight members, and is open to anyone playing piano, guitar, bass (upright or electric), drum set, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, violin, or voice.

At the Ridgewood School of Music, many of our students are adults who are continuing their musical education, returning to an instrument after some time off, or beginning to play a new instrument. One of the most important aspects of learning to play music is learning to play in a group, but it can be difficult for adult music students to find ensembles that cater to their abilities and musical interests. For this reason we wanted to offer an ensemble to bring adult jazz students together and to provide a practical method for learning to improvise in a jazz combo.

If you are interested in joining the ensemble, please send an email to Bobby at ridgewoodschoolofmusic@gmail.com or fill out the form below. If you’re not sure whether this ensemble is right for your experience or ability level, send us an email and we’ll work to set you up with a group of musicians that have similar musical backgrounds.

The ensemble will meet weekly on a weekday night from 7-9 pm, and the 10 week class will conclude with a performance of the music covered. The day of the weekly rehearsal will be based on the availability of the participants. The ensemble will be $500 per student for ten 2-hour coached rehearsals, a final concert, and a lifetime of fun improvising on your favorite tunes!

We’re excited to offer this ensemble to the communities of Brooklyn and Queens, and we’d love for you to be a part of it!