JazzLabNY

What a great way to get together with like-minded musicians and play real-world jazz in a studio setting. The group of musicians that play together are sharp and dedicated. Russ runs the program and is talented, organized and concerned - he is the man. This program brought me out of my music room and got me playing with other musicians, built my confidence, forced me to take my playing more seriously, improved my chart reading skills, and helped me learn how to play jazz music in a group setting! Highly recommended!

Jazz lab NY is THE place to improve your jazz practice!
Russ is a great coach, and you learn a lot while rehearsing with a real band.
You will play with top material from the best jazz standards.
I’ve been in the lab for 2 years and I can see the huge progress I made.
I definitely recommend the place!

Just as I decided to get serious about learning the language and playing with people I came across JazzLab. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. A supportive, judgement free zone for getting serious (but not too serious) about jazz. Nothing but great things to say, really kickstarted my playing after a lifetime of noodling.

I've been playing with JazzLabNY on guitar off and on for over a year now, more regularly in the past six months. I've made great progress thanks to Russ and the open and encouraging environment he fosters. There's truly no substitute for playing music live with people, and JazzLab creates that environment where real growth can happen with every rehearsal. Thank you Russ!

I met Russ about a year and a half ago and I've been the drummer in a band that he put together for about 6 months now. The whole experience has been great from the very beginning. I been playing drums for a number of years but have never been in a band largely because of the difficulties in meeting and sceduling like minded people to play with. After an initial meeting, he was able to use me as a sub for some of his other Jazz Lab bands until my own band was assembled. No matter which band or which musicians I had played with all involved were VERY supportive, which was a big deal for me because I hadn't been in a band before. What I didn't expect as much was how, regardless of experience level of the individual musicians, the whole band was taught to play in a band setting. This proved to be a much bigger deal than it seems. Overall, if you want to play jazz but don't have a way of assembling a band, its a great way of doing it.

My experience with JazzLabNY is absolutely positive. Russ is not only an accomplished musician himself but also a great teacher who guides and supports his students with a positive vibe. I am constantly learning from him, and I feel fortunate to have a place like JazzLabNY where you can learn and immediately apply knowledge by playing with others in a small band setting. I am happy with my progress considering that I have a full time job. Playing with other motivated band members is another asset of JazzLabNY. They are inspiring people who want to be better musicians.

I am a professor of music education and good teaching is important for good music learning. Russ Nolan intuitively knows how to break complex concepts down in order to make jazz accessible to everyone. He is patient, supportive, and can musically model on almost any instrument.
The groups are thoughtfully put together to be challenging but not frustrating. I look forward to four hours of swinging each month. If you still have "find some way to play jazz" on your bucket list but you haven't crossed it off yet, this is the way to do it. Plus you can legitimately write on Facebook, "I play jazz regularly in NYC! "

I've been playing in the advanced group for exactly a year and it's been a fantastic experience. Russ is a great teacher, pairs up musicians well, gives great feedback on individual and group playing and offers great suggestions for practice routines to improve each individual. What I like best about the class is it's a fun and congenial, low pressure atmosphere. Even the gigs he gets the group are very low pressure and fun. Just the experience you get performing live and meeting other players at your level is worth Jazz Lab. The whole group gets to pick tunes to work on with some suggestions from Russ. It never felt like home work or going to school. It's always fun and the highlight of my week.

I really appreciate the experience and professionalism that Russ brings to each rehearsal. As an amateur musician, I have been given a lot of guidance as well as a lot of creative freedom to develop my own sound. I also appreciate that Russ pairs musicians together with similar levels of experience. I would strongly encourage anyone who wants to learn how to play jazz to reach out to Russ and become a part of a band.

I'm currently a student at JazzLab and have been for the past year. Russ is a superb teacher who cares deeply about the students and their music. I was also enrolled in a few other jazz schools for adult students in NYC, and I'd handily recommend JazzLab as by far the best one!

The reasons I'd recommend JazzLab ahead of other schools is 1) Quality of teaching - Russ has been a working musician in NYC for decades and definitely knows what he's talking about. Also, he personally teaches all the classes (that I've been in), and as such isn't contracting out to others, which makes the quality far better. He also really pushes you as a teacher, making you work on things that "aren't fun" but are critical to growth - e.g. Harmonic theory, bebop lines, musicality, etc.which I really appreciate vs.other teachers who sort of just let the students do whatever, and letting class devolve into a jam session with baby sitting. 2) Quality of students - I've also found my peers to be really high caliber, which have challenged me to grow as well. Again, unlike other schools where they seem to just mash people together so they can collect class fees, Russ really takes care to group people with the right levels. He also attracts students of higher level, which lends to a great learning experience. And lastly, 3) Caring - Russ really cares about his students. He's offered us numerous opportunities to grow by playing various gigs outside of class, and he really takes a lot of time to construct his teaching materials. All of these are things he doesn't have to do but does because he really cares.

For all these reasons above, I'd highly recommend JazzLab to anyone who's serious about learning jazz and getting better. You can't go wrong going with Russ!

JazzLabNYC is food for my soul. I studied at one of the great jazz schools and I’m a professor of music education, but I have learned skills from Russ that no one covered in school! Russ is an exceptional instructor who patiently and positively offers feedback and guidance. His approach is refreshing and inclusive of everyone’s abilities and interests. I drive 4 hours just to play with other musicians and love every minute!

An excellent experience for the adult amateur musicians who are serious about learning to play jazz. Key to it's success is Russ's efforts to put compatible players together, providing a supportive environment for everyone to learn, thrive and grow as musicians.

I came to the New York Jazz Lab because I was looking to study improvisation on my alto saxophone. I had been studying Clarinet technique for the last year and was neglecting my work on saxophone. I was an intermediate / advanced player and Russ connected me with an ensemble of musicians with similar abilities. I was with this group for 10 months and learned quite a bit about ensemble playing. He booked our ensemble three times at Desmond's Tavern and the reality of playing live certainly focused our conception and efforts. Russ is very knowledgeable and supportive and even came to see me perform (on the coldest night of the winter) with Dance Clarinets, a clarinet orchestra that I play with regularly. I recommend NY Jazz Lab for anyone who is trying to become a stronger player no matter what their playing level.

Learning how to play jazz from a book or play along app can only take you so far. Jazz Lab NY takes you into a real playing situation - in a setting that is fun and positive and gets you playing right away. You're improvising and interacting with other musicians. Unlike a one off jam session these are the same musicians each time - learning and growing together and developing a band chemistry. This is the way jazz is supposed to be learned! Thanks Russ!

I have been playing guitar and studying music (performance, theory, history) for almost 40 years, spanning several styles/genres (jazz, classical, blues, rock, country.). Along the way I have spent time with many instructors/teachers, most of whom are (or were.) fantastic and inspiring players. However, in my experience, it has been a rare occurrence to find a great player who also happens to be an excellent teacher. Russ Nolan happens to be one of those rare musicians who excels at both playing AND teaching. (Seriously- that combination of talents is a lot more rare than most people realize- I know this from first-hand experience.)

I must clarify what I mean by “teacher” when referring to Russ in the context of JazzLab. Russ is not teaching us how to play our instruments per se- he is teaching us how to play our instruments BETTER by having created an actual opportunity to be among like-minded players, together in an actual “real” working jazz band. This is an important distinction about JazzLab: it is not a typical “class” situation. It is an opportunity to “learn by doing”: working through and playing jazz standards which were written and played by all the greats who came before us. Once again, I can say from experience that this is a unique approach. It gives us the opportunity to deal with “real world” situations on the band stand. This isn’t simulated- it’s the real thing and Russ is coaching us along the way, pushing us to be our best and to keep improving.

For anyone looking to become a better jazz performer/player, JazzLab is the opportunity you’ve been searching for. Trust me- Russ has created a supportive and fun environment to help take yourself to the next level and beyond. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

JazzLab is a health club for jazz musicians. Have learned a lot especially at our last session on 3/5. It was in my experience the best and the most useful session or lesson in my entire musical life. Intense but fun. Ensemble playing is the best way to learn. Russ Nolan is an amazing musician who practices what he preaches.

JazzLabNY is a very cool way for aspiring musicians to have a forum to learn how to play jazz and become a member of a bonafide ensemble that plays together on a regular basis. Having an outlet to play with other musicians in a real playing situation is really what is enabling me to take my playing to the next level. Not only am I inspired to play more, work on my chops, learn tunes, but I am able to engage with other musicians who are doing the same. Russ has created something very unique - a great way to teach jazz, bring musicians together in a very supportive environment and enable everyone to have fun! If you are looking for a way to connect with other jazz musicians, you should definitely check out JazzLabNY.

If you want to be a better musician no matter what you genre is, learn jazz! JazzLabNY really helped me with that: after just a few months my vocabulary got richer to the point that I started incorporating it into my non-jazz playing. Russ is a great teacher! Enjoyable sessions, playing in a real band with really nice people and great vibe! I highly recommend JazzLabNY to anyone who wants to grow musically.

Russel has made a great setup for his students to learn Jazz. Very supportive and attuned to where the students are at. Also it really shines through that Russel is passionate about Jazz - so it is not just about learning the chops it is also about enjoying the music.

Russ Nolan’s JazzLabNY is the “BEST of the BEST! ””

Let me start by saying that I was a Navy SEAL for 38 years rising through the ranks to Captain. I have worked with the “Best of the Best” in my profession and with top-level leaders and professionals all over the world. I don’t do mediocrity.

Before I retired nine years ago, I took up playing drums from a 38-year hiatus and soon thereafter began studying one of the great loves of my life—JAZZ! I started with Summer Jazz Camp and then Jazz Band Masterclass in the Washington DC metro area for five years. Then I moved to Connecticut and there was nothing in the New York tri-state area except meet-up groups with no instruction which doesn’t hack it. So I went back to the DC area and was travelling 600 miles round trip for a two-hour band lesson twice a month, which I loved, but… the driving was getting to be a bit much. The gas and tolls cost more than the lessons!

Then I learned about Russ Nolan and JazzLabNY. EUREKA! Like Navy SEALs, Russ Nolan is a master at his tradecraft. To say he is a master musician is an understatement. Russ has vibe, verve, and voice. He plays with grace and power and always swings! But what is unique about Russ is that he inculcates his talents to his students. To say he is master teacher is also an understatement. Russ encourages you to do your best and when you hit a plateau he inspires you to discovery and motivates you to push through to new heights. And then to top it off, Russ makes it all so much fun! He is friendly and easygoing yet maintains his professionalism throughout.

If you want to understand jazz and learn to play like a professional, I implore you to get into one of Russ Nolan’s JazzLabNY bands as fast as you can! DO IT NOW!