John Seeley
Musician and Private Teacher
Special Events
Although all performances and events are special, here are my highlights.
Events in 2024
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
are performing at Priory Park Bandstand
Sunday 22nd September 2024
3pm to 4.30pm
Please come along and support the group
Priory Park Bandstand
Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6NB
Previous Events in 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Southend Jazz Festival: Wednesday 4th October 2023
A big thank you to Darren for allowing my group to perform again, what a fantastic night! Everyone played extremely well and I am very grateful for all your hard work and commitment during the past few months. Thank you to the audience of very supportive friends and family members, I received some great comments and feedback which is lovely to hear. Lets hope we can return again next year.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 27th August 2023
Super proud of all my students who performed on the bandstand, especially those who have joined the group during the past few months. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too kind to us but we continued undeterred, and we were very thankful to the audience for staying until the very end.
Previous Events in 2022
Wow, what a phenomenal night! I am so proud of everyone and how well you all played. I couldn't have asked for anymore. All of your hard work and practice at every workshop has been worthwhile, it was a wonderful evening for me and my Jazz family at a lovely venue. A huge thank you to Darren and his team for giving us this opportunity to perform at the Southend Jazz Festival, I hope we can return again very soon.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Chalkwell Park Rooms, Southend Jazz Festival:
Thursday 29th September 2022
A big thank you to everybody who performed and supported my group at Castle Park bandstand, the group played extremely well, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and we received lots of positive feedback.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: Sunday 31st July 2022
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 19th June 2022
A massive thank you to all of my group members for a wonderful afternoon on the bandstand, it was our first live performance since December 2019 and it was fantastic to be back! I would also like to thank all the friends and family members for their support, the clapping and cheering was hugely encouraging.
Previous Events in 2020 and 2021
Due to the pandemic, unfortunately all of my face to face workshops and live performances were cancelled, but thanks to my wonderful, supportive students I was able to continue my workshops online, and I created tutorial videos to support my students with their continued learning. I would like to thank all those who participated and I was pleased to return to face to face teaching in the Autumn of 2021.
Previous Events in 2019
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 5th December 2019
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the members of my group for a fantastic evening. Everyone played brilliantly and it was a great evening. Thank you to all those who have supported my group this year, I look forward to seeing you all at our next performance in 2020.
Jazz Workshop Sunday, Maldon:
24th November 2019
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Many thanks to Terry for organising the workshop.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 10th August 2019
Thank you to all those who performed on the Bandstand yesterday, it was super windy but everyone played extremely well and I am very proud of you all. A huge thank you to all the friends and family members for your constant and continued support.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 27th June 2019
A massive thank you to everyone who supported my Summer Concert, it was great to see some new and familiar faces in the audience. Huge congratulations to all of my students, especially those who were performing for the first time with the group, you all played extremely well and I want to thank you all for your commitment over the past six months.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 22nd June 2019
A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach for the third time at the Ipswich Jazz Festival. A special thank you to my students who attended the workshop, their constant and continued support is greatly appreciated and it was good to meet some new students too.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 5th May 2019
Thank you to everyone who performed and watched the group at Castle Park Bandstand in Colchester. The weather was cold and windy, but the group played great considering fingers were so numb. It was a good afternoon followed by a lovely meal in the evening. A few photos of the performance are below.
Previous Events in 2018
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 6th December 2018
What a fantastic evening! I am so proud of all my students who performed in my Christmas Concert. We had the largest audience to date, they were so appreciative of all the hard work and commitment of each player and I appreciated that the audience showed their support for every solo performance along with the group numbers.
Thank you for your support in 2018, I look forward to seeing you all at future performances throughout 2019.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Special Jazz Workshop, Maldon:
25th November 2018
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was fantastic to see so many old and new faces and it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to Terry for organising the workshop and for Nikki for taking the photos below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 21st July 2018
A massive thank you to all the friends and family members who came down to Priory Park to support the group at the bandstand this year. It was an enjoyable afternoon in the sun, with a few of the group performing in their first ever concert! Below are a few photos from Martin Kennedy, and one from Glen England.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 23rd June 2018
I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning teaching a Jazz Ensemble Workshop at the Ipswich Jazz Festival on Saturday. A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach there again, and a special thanks to all those who participated, it was great to meet so many new students.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 21st June 2018
Thank you to all those who performed at the Summer Concert, everyone played so well and it was a fantastic evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is so enjoyable to play to such an appreciative audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 13th May 2018
A huge thank you to everyone who performed on the bandstand at Castle Park in Colchester, everyone played so well, it was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. Here are a few photos of the performance and our traditional dinner afterwards.
Previous Events in 2017
John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 7th December 2017
Thank you to all those who performed at the Christmas Concert, it was a fantastic night and our last performance in 2017. A special thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is lovely to see both familiar and new faces, I hope you all enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing you all next year.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 23rd September 2017
Huge congratulations to all those who performed at the Priory Park Bandstand, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and wonderful to perform in front of a large supportive audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 9th September 2017
A massive thank you to all those who performed at the Castle Park Bandstand, what a fantastic afternoon, such an appreciative audience and the sun even shone!
Jazz Workshop, Maldon Festival:
25th June 2017
Thank you to all who participated in my Jazz Workshop as part of the Maldon Festival. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and really good to see some familiar and new faces. Special thank you to Colin Baldy for the opportunity and his support on the day.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 24th June 2017
A special thank you to Neil Bateman for the opportunity to teach a Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop as part of the Ipswich Jazz Festival. It was a fantastic afternoon, the venue was amazing and the music sounded so good, members of the public came in the church to listen to us!
Please find photos of the afternoon and a link for a short video below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 22nd June 2017
A massive thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert.
The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable evening. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.
Please find photos by Matt Cope, and then links to two pieces from the evening below.
Events in 2016
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 8th December 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of the students past six months work which included playing and improvising on Jazz, Popular and Christmas tunes.
The night was a success, and all the students played extremely well. Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. So many people commented on how much they have improved again in six months.
A big thank you goes to Mr and Mrs Cranston who helped out in the run up and on the evening. Thanks to people who filmed and took photos. A special thank you to Natalie Cranston for her hard work in promoting and running of the evening.
Please find some great photos of the evening below provided by Matt Cope, and an amazing video link of the evening recorded and edited by Pete Watts.
Special Sunday Jazz Workshops
Thank you to everyone who supported these extra workshops. Many of the Thursday group and past participants from other workshops asked for an extra session on a Sunday. So I arranged two Special Sunday Workshops, one on the 30th October 2016 and the second on 27th November 2016.
The idea of the workshop was to use it like a normal Thursday Jazz workshop, and play through pieces deconstructing them for a deeper understanding. We worked through Christmas Concert tunes, including Moanin' by Mingus and The Chicken.
Jazz Theory (in a pub): 23rd June 2016
On Thursday 23rd June the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group held a special one off jazz theory session in a local pub in Essex. The evening was successful (although there was a few strange looks in our direction), and future dates will be organised soon.
Summer Concert: 16th June 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert on Thursday 16th June at St. Michael and all Angels in Leigh on Sea. The aim of the evening was to showcase some of the Jazz and Popular tunes the students have been working on for the past few months. This also included them improvising to the audience.
Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. It was great to talk and hear such positive feedback from the evening.
The night was a great success, and all the students played well. It surprises me still that some have only been playing a year or two, and this is their second appearance in front of an audience.
A huge thanks go to families and friends who helped out on the evening, including Natalie Cranston for all her hard work towards the promoting and running of the evening.
Please find photos of the evening below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park: 4th May 2016
On Saturday 14th May, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. This is always a highlight for the group to perform outdoors to friends and family members. For the afternoon they played pieces from their up an coming Summer Concert (see above), which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. The weather was a little different from last year, and was extremely cold. I was so proud of the group who battled on through the performance with hats, gloves and as many layers as possible.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support the group. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and family.
A big thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the warden who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2016
On Monday 9th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend James Green on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. Guitarist Mitch Syrett and percussionist Geoff Licence were also in the studio. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, concerts, workshops, and then we had the opportunity of being able to perform live. A link to the interview is below.
The Foundation For Essex Arts Limited
Private Viewing: 19th January 2016
On Friday 19th January is was a pleasure to perform for the Foundation For Essex Arts and BAT at their exhibition evening. The event was a show case of artworks from the late 1950s and 1960s of British Modern Art, and a launch of the TFEA/BAT Bursury Fund.
This was a great evening, and well attended. The JazzDuo enjoyed performing this event, and the group had lots of positive feedback.
Events in 2015
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 10th December 2015
Thank you to everyone who performed, watched and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of what my students have been working on in the last six months, and included jazz, classical, popular and Christmas tunes. The evening was successful with all the students performing great.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Jazz Masterclass Ensemble Playing:
25th October 2015
The Jazz Masterclass on the 25th October was focusing on Jazz Ensemble Playing. Within the workshop we looked at the different functions of the rhythm section, front line, and what to listen to while performing. We then looked at improvisation through pieces, and understanding how counter melody parts come together. All this was achieved by taking jazz pieces, de-constructing them and then performing them complete. Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop.
Summer Performances: 2015
Summer is the busiest months for performances for my workshops and smaller projects. Groups will be performing at Priory Park, Annley House, Great Baddow, and the Jazz 825 club to name a few. Please check out the Diary page for more details.
Priory Park Concert: 2nd August 2015
On Sunday 2nd August, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. The group were really excited about their outside concert, and a little nervous. For the afternoon they played pieces from their recent Summer Concert and their favourite songs, which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it. Thank you for all your effort and hard work, there were rumours of practising in lofts, and even pre-performance practising on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support in the 200+ crowd, our biggest audience yet. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and families. A last thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the wardens who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Castle Point Show Concert: 5th July 2015
On Sunday 5th July, I conducted the Southend Jazz Co-op and John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group at the Castle Point Show. The Southend Jazz Co-op performed jazz tunes including In Walked Horace by J.J. Johnson, All Blues by Miles Davis, and Bags Groove by Milt Jackson. Rain was pouring down just before the group went on and luckily held off just as we started.
As the afternoon progressed the sun came out for the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group who performed a selection of jazz standards and popular tunes from their recent Summer Concert. Thank you to all the families and friends who came to support.
Photos are below of the day.
Summer Concert: 25th June 2015
On 25th June, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed their Summer Concert at St. Michael and All Angels in Leigh-on-Sea. The Summer Concert was a performance for friends, families of the students, and anyone who wanted to come along and enjoy a wonderful evening of free entertainment. The group performed jazz and popular tunes including Backlash by Freddie Hubbard, Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis, and The Mountain by Abdullah Ibrahim. The evening was a great success and a real pleasure to be part of. Well done to all my students and a big thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Latin Jazz Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea:
June 2015
This was the second Latin Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea. At the workshop we looked through a few Latin styles including Bossa Nova, with Freddie Hubbard's composition Backlash, and A Day in the Life of a Fool by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Maria. We finished the session by looking at another Freddie Hubbard tune called Little Sunflower, where you find a cross over of different Latin styles, and a Modal jazz compositional approach to improvisation.
We all these pieces we de-constructed them looking at the different rhythm aspects, then looked at the melody and improvisation. We then placed these ideas back together and performed the pieces.
Thank you to all who attended the workshop. Please find a few photos below.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: June 2015
At the beginning of June I was interviewed by Bob Simpson on his show One 2 Three, for Phoenix FM. It was a short interview with an overview of my musical past, and talking about current projects and my workshops. A big thank you to Bob Simpson for interviewing me, and Dave Warren who sat in on the interview to perform a few pieces with me. Please find the link below to the interview, and photos.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: May 2015
This was the third visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. The aim of the workshop was to explore some key aspects of performing Jazz. We focused on my arrangement of James Rae's tune called Skiddale. We de-constructed the tune, and looked at how to approach it for sight reading, structure, listening to chord movements, and improvisation. We then focused on how to improvise over the chord structures, and how to develop solos. We did this by listening to solos and commenting on what we thought, and then developing on this. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who came along.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2015
On Monday 11th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend Stu on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, my workshops, and then had the opportunity of being able to perform live. I was joined by Dave Warren on guitar who sat in with the interview and performed some Interplay and workshop pieces. A link and photos of the interview are below.
Jazz Workshop in Brentwood: April 2015
On Sunday 19th April I ran a new Jazz Workshop in Brentwood. The idea of the workshop was for all levels of musicians to explore some key aspects of Jazz. It was based in a relaxed and creative environment in Doddinghurst Village room. We explored a number of tunes, covering Bebop and Jazz standards including Jumpin' for Symphony Sid and Freddie Freeloader. In the session we de-constructed the tunes, and looked at different aspects of the pieces including improvisation, sight reading, how to approach a tune, and musicianship skills. This included looking at internal pulse, listening skills, and how to put personality within music. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who attended.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: April 2015
I recently had an interview with radio presenter/jazz pianist Adam Dyer from his Monday night jazz show on Phoenix FM. A link to the interview is below. It was great to meet Adam who is passionate about Jazz, which led us to have some great conversions and past connections with places and people. It was an enjoyable session and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Adam. Thank you Adam.
Jazz Masterclass in Leigh on Sea: March 2015
On Sunday 8th March I ran a Latin Jazz workshop at St.Michael and all Angels in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The idea of the workshop was to introduce musicians to basic ideas found in Latin Jazz, with a look at popular Latin Jazz tunes.
We started by looking at basic rhythms found in various Latin Jazz styles. Then we de-constructed the tunes Manteca, Blue Bossa, and Little Sunflower, and looked at how to improvise over them. It was an enjoyable session and pleasure to teach. Thank you to all who attended the session, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. Please find some photos underneath of the session.
Gateway Community Radio Interview:
February 2015
On Monday the 23rd February I was interviewed by radio presenter Mark Hardie for Gateway Community Radio. In the interview we spoke about Jazz today and the scene in Essex, and finished by talking about my forthcoming Latin Jazz Workshop on the 8th March in Leigh-on-Sea. It was a really enjoyable experience to be interviewed by Mark.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: January 2015
This was the second visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. In the session we followed the same teaching principles to all my jazz workshops that are open to all levels. We looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills, and jazz theory. We worked through two tunes, and de-constructed these so participants felt more confident with these pieces, and the skills could also be applied to other tunes. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop. It was great to see two new players for the afternoon workshop. New dates will follow shortly.
Events in 2014
Christmas Concert: 11th December 2014
Another Christmas Concert has been completed. The evening was a great success, and we had some really good feedback from the audience saying how much all the participants had improved in six months. Thank you to everyone who took part in the the concert, and others who helped by supporting their friends and family members involved. Underneath are a few photos taken from the evening.
Pride of Essex Awards: November 2014
For the past three years I have supported and performed at the Pride Of Essex Awards in Chelmsford, Essex. A number of awards are given to adults and children for overcoming adversity, giving exceptional care in the community, and for outstanding achievement within the community. This year the presentation was on Tuesday 25th November 2014 at Anglia Ruskin University, and was a successful evening. For more details please visit www.prideofessexawards.org.uk or click on link below.
New Jazz Workshop in Colchester: October 2014
After three years of being based in Leigh on Sea, on the 19th October I conducted a special workshop in Colchester at the Hythe Community Centre. The idea of this session was to conduct a workshop, and if successful continue periodically throughout next year, which it was. The session followed the guidelines to my normal jazz workshop, open to all levels, and looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills in a friendly creative environment. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop.
Chelmsford City Times: Sept/Oct 2014
This is my second article printed the Chelmsford City Times. The article is my ten top tips of learning how to sight read. The article is found in the Issue 12 Sept/Oct edition. Please find the article underneath:
Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: August 2014
The second Jazz Masterclass took place on Sunday 3rd August from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm at St.Michael and All Angels Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The theme of the workshop was the construction of pentatonic scales, including major and minor, how to use them over a 2-5-1 progression, and applying them in jazz tunes. It was open to all levels and instruments. This was another successful afternoon, and one is being planned for December.
Summer Concert: June 2014
The Summer Concert was a great success. Thank you to all those who played, and for the audience who attended. It was an enjoyable evening with some really good moments. Particular praise goes to those who performed for the first time in public. Below in an image of the thank you card I received from those who played in the concert, and photos from the concert. Please click on image to expand.
Chelmsford City Times: May/June 2014
I had a small article printed in Issue 8 (May/June) of the Chelmsford City Times. The article talks about the benefits of learning music in childhood. Please find the article underneath:
Gateway Community Radio Interview: June 2014
I was interviewed by radio presenter Gonzo for Gateway Community Radio where I promoted my Summer Concert, private teaching, forthcoming gigs, and projects I am currently involved in.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview:
May 2014
Recently I did a 'Live at Lunch' interview with radio presenter Patrick North. The interview can found below, or the whole show can be found on www.mixcloud.com/chelmsfordcr/ with the interview starting 17:35 minutes in. This was a great day, and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Patrick.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview
Live interview with radio presenter Patrick North talking about projects, teaching, and workshops.
Sunday Afternoon Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: April 2014
A new main event is started this year, A Sunday Workshop Special. Students asked for a three hour workshop with a specific subject, that we do not have time to cover in detail on a Thursday evening. The workshop had the theme of 'Improvising in 12 Keys', which included sight reading, improvising, transposition, musician, and aural skills.
With a successful turn out, and positive feedback, another session is planned in a few months time.
Events in 2013
Thank you to all who performed and supported the Christmas Concert 2013.
Please find photos underneath from the concert. Click on image to expand.
Christmas Concert: December 2013
Special Events
Although all performances and events are special, here are my highlights.
Previous Events in 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Southend Jazz Festival: Wednesday 4th October 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 27th August 2023
Super proud of all my students who performed on the bandstand, especially those who have joined the group during the past few months. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too kind to us but we continued undeterred, and we were very thankful to the audience for staying until the very end.
Previous Events in 2022
Wow, what a phenomenal night! I am so proud of everyone and how well you all played. I couldn't have asked for anymore. All of your hard work and practice at every workshop has been worthwhile, it was a wonderful evening for me and my Jazz family at a lovely venue. A huge thank you to Darren and his team for giving us this opportunity to perform at the Southend Jazz Festival, I hope we can return again very soon.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Chalkwell Park Rooms, Southend Jazz Festival:
Thursday 29th September 2022
A big thank you to everybody who performed and supported my group at Castle Park bandstand, the group played extremely well, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and we received lots of positive feedback.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: Sunday 31st July 2022
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 19th June 2022
A massive thank you to all of my group members for a wonderful afternoon on the bandstand, it was our first live performance since December 2019 and it was fantastic to be back! I would also like to thank all the friends and family members for their support, the clapping and cheering was hugely encouraging.
Previous Events in 2020 and 2021
Due to the pandemic, unfortunately all of my face to face workshops and live performances were cancelled, but thanks to my wonderful, supportive students I was able to continue my workshops online, and I created tutorial videos to support my students with their continued learning. I would like to thank all those who participated and I was pleased to return to face to face teaching in the Autumn of 2021.
Previous Events in 2019
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 5th December 2019
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the members of my group for a fantastic evening. Everyone played brilliantly and it was a great evening. Thank you to all those who have supported my group this year, I look forward to seeing you all at our next performance in 2020.
Jazz Workshop Sunday, Maldon:
24th November 2019
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Many thanks to Terry for organising the workshop.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 10th August 2019
Thank you to all those who performed on the Bandstand yesterday, it was super windy but everyone played extremely well and I am very proud of you all. A huge thank you to all the friends and family members for your constant and continued support.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 27th June 2019
A massive thank you to everyone who supported my Summer Concert, it was great to see some new and familiar faces in the audience. Huge congratulations to all of my students, especially those who were performing for the first time with the group, you all played extremely well and I want to thank you all for your commitment over the past six months.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 22nd June 2019
A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach for the third time at the Ipswich Jazz Festival. A special thank you to my students who attended the workshop, their constant and continued support is greatly appreciated and it was good to meet some new students too.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 5th May 2019
Thank you to everyone who performed and watched the group at Castle Park Bandstand in Colchester. The weather was cold and windy, but the group played great considering fingers were so numb. It was a good afternoon followed by a lovely meal in the evening. A few photos of the performance are below.
Previous Events in 2018
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 6th December 2018
What a fantastic evening! I am so proud of all my students who performed in my Christmas Concert. We had the largest audience to date, they were so appreciative of all the hard work and commitment of each player and I appreciated that the audience showed their support for every solo performance along with the group numbers.
Thank you for your support in 2018, I look forward to seeing you all at future performances throughout 2019.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Special Jazz Workshop, Maldon:
25th November 2018
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was fantastic to see so many old and new faces and it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to Terry for organising the workshop and for Nikki for taking the photos below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 21st July 2018
A massive thank you to all the friends and family members who came down to Priory Park to support the group at the bandstand this year. It was an enjoyable afternoon in the sun, with a few of the group performing in their first ever concert! Below are a few photos from Martin Kennedy, and one from Glen England.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 23rd June 2018
I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning teaching a Jazz Ensemble Workshop at the Ipswich Jazz Festival on Saturday. A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach there again, and a special thanks to all those who participated, it was great to meet so many new students.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 21st June 2018
Thank you to all those who performed at the Summer Concert, everyone played so well and it was a fantastic evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is so enjoyable to play to such an appreciative audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 13th May 2018
A huge thank you to everyone who performed on the bandstand at Castle Park in Colchester, everyone played so well, it was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. Here are a few photos of the performance and our traditional dinner afterwards.
Previous Events in 2017
John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 7th December 2017
Thank you to all those who performed at the Christmas Concert, it was a fantastic night and our last performance in 2017. A special thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is lovely to see both familiar and new faces, I hope you all enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing you all next year.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 23rd September 2017
Huge congratulations to all those who performed at the Priory Park Bandstand, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and wonderful to perform in front of a large supportive audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 9th September 2017
A massive thank you to all those who performed at the Castle Park Bandstand, what a fantastic afternoon, such an appreciative audience and the sun even shone!
Jazz Workshop, Maldon Festival:
25th June 2017
Thank you to all who participated in my Jazz Workshop as part of the Maldon Festival. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and really good to see some familiar and new faces. Special thank you to Colin Baldy for the opportunity and his support on the day.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 24th June 2017
A special thank you to Neil Bateman for the opportunity to teach a Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop as part of the Ipswich Jazz Festival. It was a fantastic afternoon, the venue was amazing and the music sounded so good, members of the public came in the church to listen to us!
Please find photos of the afternoon and a link for a short video below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 22nd June 2017
A massive thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert.
The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable evening. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.
Please find photos by Matt Cope, and then links to two pieces from the evening below.
Events in 2016
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 8th December 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of the students past six months work which included playing and improvising on Jazz, Popular and Christmas tunes.
The night was a success, and all the students played extremely well. Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. So many people commented on how much they have improved again in six months.
A big thank you goes to Mr and Mrs Cranston who helped out in the run up and on the evening. Thanks to people who filmed and took photos. A special thank you to Natalie Cranston for her hard work in promoting and running of the evening.
Please find some great photos of the evening below provided by Matt Cope, and an amazing video link of the evening recorded and edited by Pete Watts.
Special Sunday Jazz Workshops
Thank you to everyone who supported these extra workshops. Many of the Thursday group and past participants from other workshops asked for an extra session on a Sunday. So I arranged two Special Sunday Workshops, one on the 30th October 2016 and the second on 27th November 2016.
The idea of the workshop was to use it like a normal Thursday Jazz workshop, and play through pieces deconstructing them for a deeper understanding. We worked through Christmas Concert tunes, including Moanin' by Mingus and The Chicken.
Jazz Theory (in a pub): 23rd June 2016
On Thursday 23rd June the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group held a special one off jazz theory session in a local pub in Essex. The evening was successful (although there was a few strange looks in our direction), and future dates will be organised soon.
Summer Concert: 16th June 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert on Thursday 16th June at St. Michael and all Angels in Leigh on Sea. The aim of the evening was to showcase some of the Jazz and Popular tunes the students have been working on for the past few months. This also included them improvising to the audience.
Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. It was great to talk and hear such positive feedback from the evening.
The night was a great success, and all the students played well. It surprises me still that some have only been playing a year or two, and this is their second appearance in front of an audience.
A huge thanks go to families and friends who helped out on the evening, including Natalie Cranston for all her hard work towards the promoting and running of the evening.
Please find photos of the evening below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park: 4th May 2016
On Saturday 14th May, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. This is always a highlight for the group to perform outdoors to friends and family members. For the afternoon they played pieces from their up an coming Summer Concert (see above), which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. The weather was a little different from last year, and was extremely cold. I was so proud of the group who battled on through the performance with hats, gloves and as many layers as possible.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support the group. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and family.
A big thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the warden who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2016
On Monday 9th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend James Green on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. Guitarist Mitch Syrett and percussionist Geoff Licence were also in the studio. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, concerts, workshops, and then we had the opportunity of being able to perform live. A link to the interview is below.
The Foundation For Essex Arts Limited
Private Viewing: 19th January 2016
On Friday 19th January is was a pleasure to perform for the Foundation For Essex Arts and BAT at their exhibition evening. The event was a show case of artworks from the late 1950s and 1960s of British Modern Art, and a launch of the TFEA/BAT Bursury Fund.
This was a great evening, and well attended. The JazzDuo enjoyed performing this event, and the group had lots of positive feedback.
Events in 2015
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 10th December 2015
Thank you to everyone who performed, watched and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of what my students have been working on in the last six months, and included jazz, classical, popular and Christmas tunes. The evening was successful with all the students performing great.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Jazz Masterclass Ensemble Playing:
25th October 2015
The Jazz Masterclass on the 25th October was focusing on Jazz Ensemble Playing. Within the workshop we looked at the different functions of the rhythm section, front line, and what to listen to while performing. We then looked at improvisation through pieces, and understanding how counter melody parts come together. All this was achieved by taking jazz pieces, de-constructing them and then performing them complete. Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop.
Summer Performances: 2015
Summer is the busiest months for performances for my workshops and smaller projects. Groups will be performing at Priory Park, Annley House, Great Baddow, and the Jazz 825 club to name a few. Please check out the Diary page for more details.
Priory Park Concert: 2nd August 2015
On Sunday 2nd August, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. The group were really excited about their outside concert, and a little nervous. For the afternoon they played pieces from their recent Summer Concert and their favourite songs, which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it. Thank you for all your effort and hard work, there were rumours of practising in lofts, and even pre-performance practising on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support in the 200+ crowd, our biggest audience yet. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and families. A last thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the wardens who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Castle Point Show Concert: 5th July 2015
On Sunday 5th July, I conducted the Southend Jazz Co-op and John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group at the Castle Point Show. The Southend Jazz Co-op performed jazz tunes including In Walked Horace by J.J. Johnson, All Blues by Miles Davis, and Bags Groove by Milt Jackson. Rain was pouring down just before the group went on and luckily held off just as we started.
As the afternoon progressed the sun came out for the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group who performed a selection of jazz standards and popular tunes from their recent Summer Concert. Thank you to all the families and friends who came to support.
Photos are below of the day.
Summer Concert: 25th June 2015
On 25th June, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed their Summer Concert at St. Michael and All Angels in Leigh-on-Sea. The Summer Concert was a performance for friends, families of the students, and anyone who wanted to come along and enjoy a wonderful evening of free entertainment. The group performed jazz and popular tunes including Backlash by Freddie Hubbard, Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis, and The Mountain by Abdullah Ibrahim. The evening was a great success and a real pleasure to be part of. Well done to all my students and a big thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Latin Jazz Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea:
June 2015
This was the second Latin Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea. At the workshop we looked through a few Latin styles including Bossa Nova, with Freddie Hubbard's composition Backlash, and A Day in the Life of a Fool by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Maria. We finished the session by looking at another Freddie Hubbard tune called Little Sunflower, where you find a cross over of different Latin styles, and a Modal jazz compositional approach to improvisation.
We all these pieces we de-constructed them looking at the different rhythm aspects, then looked at the melody and improvisation. We then placed these ideas back together and performed the pieces.
Thank you to all who attended the workshop. Please find a few photos below.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: June 2015
At the beginning of June I was interviewed by Bob Simpson on his show One 2 Three, for Phoenix FM. It was a short interview with an overview of my musical past, and talking about current projects and my workshops. A big thank you to Bob Simpson for interviewing me, and Dave Warren who sat in on the interview to perform a few pieces with me. Please find the link below to the interview, and photos.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: May 2015
This was the third visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. The aim of the workshop was to explore some key aspects of performing Jazz. We focused on my arrangement of James Rae's tune called Skiddale. We de-constructed the tune, and looked at how to approach it for sight reading, structure, listening to chord movements, and improvisation. We then focused on how to improvise over the chord structures, and how to develop solos. We did this by listening to solos and commenting on what we thought, and then developing on this. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who came along.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2015
On Monday 11th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend Stu on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, my workshops, and then had the opportunity of being able to perform live. I was joined by Dave Warren on guitar who sat in with the interview and performed some Interplay and workshop pieces. A link and photos of the interview are below.
Jazz Workshop in Brentwood: April 2015
On Sunday 19th April I ran a new Jazz Workshop in Brentwood. The idea of the workshop was for all levels of musicians to explore some key aspects of Jazz. It was based in a relaxed and creative environment in Doddinghurst Village room. We explored a number of tunes, covering Bebop and Jazz standards including Jumpin' for Symphony Sid and Freddie Freeloader. In the session we de-constructed the tunes, and looked at different aspects of the pieces including improvisation, sight reading, how to approach a tune, and musicianship skills. This included looking at internal pulse, listening skills, and how to put personality within music. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who attended.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: April 2015
I recently had an interview with radio presenter/jazz pianist Adam Dyer from his Monday night jazz show on Phoenix FM. A link to the interview is below. It was great to meet Adam who is passionate about Jazz, which led us to have some great conversions and past connections with places and people. It was an enjoyable session and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Adam. Thank you Adam.
Jazz Masterclass in Leigh on Sea: March 2015
On Sunday 8th March I ran a Latin Jazz workshop at St.Michael and all Angels in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The idea of the workshop was to introduce musicians to basic ideas found in Latin Jazz, with a look at popular Latin Jazz tunes.
We started by looking at basic rhythms found in various Latin Jazz styles. Then we de-constructed the tunes Manteca, Blue Bossa, and Little Sunflower, and looked at how to improvise over them. It was an enjoyable session and pleasure to teach. Thank you to all who attended the session, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. Please find some photos underneath of the session.
Gateway Community Radio Interview:
February 2015
On Monday the 23rd February I was interviewed by radio presenter Mark Hardie for Gateway Community Radio. In the interview we spoke about Jazz today and the scene in Essex, and finished by talking about my forthcoming Latin Jazz Workshop on the 8th March in Leigh-on-Sea. It was a really enjoyable experience to be interviewed by Mark.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: January 2015
This was the second visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. In the session we followed the same teaching principles to all my jazz workshops that are open to all levels. We looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills, and jazz theory. We worked through two tunes, and de-constructed these so participants felt more confident with these pieces, and the skills could also be applied to other tunes. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop. It was great to see two new players for the afternoon workshop. New dates will follow shortly.
Events in 2014
Christmas Concert: 11th December 2014
Another Christmas Concert has been completed. The evening was a great success, and we had some really good feedback from the audience saying how much all the participants had improved in six months. Thank you to everyone who took part in the the concert, and others who helped by supporting their friends and family members involved. Underneath are a few photos taken from the evening.
Pride of Essex Awards: November 2014
For the past three years I have supported and performed at the Pride Of Essex Awards in Chelmsford, Essex. A number of awards are given to adults and children for overcoming adversity, giving exceptional care in the community, and for outstanding achievement within the community. This year the presentation was on Tuesday 25th November 2014 at Anglia Ruskin University, and was a successful evening. For more details please visit www.prideofessexawards.org.uk or click on link below.
New Jazz Workshop in Colchester: October 2014
After three years of being based in Leigh on Sea, on the 19th October I conducted a special workshop in Colchester at the Hythe Community Centre. The idea of this session was to conduct a workshop, and if successful continue periodically throughout next year, which it was. The session followed the guidelines to my normal jazz workshop, open to all levels, and looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills in a friendly creative environment. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop.
Chelmsford City Times: Sept/Oct 2014
This is my second article printed the Chelmsford City Times. The article is my ten top tips of learning how to sight read. The article is found in the Issue 12 Sept/Oct edition. Please find the article underneath:
Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: August 2014
The second Jazz Masterclass took place on Sunday 3rd August from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm at St.Michael and All Angels Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The theme of the workshop was the construction of pentatonic scales, including major and minor, how to use them over a 2-5-1 progression, and applying them in jazz tunes. It was open to all levels and instruments. This was another successful afternoon, and one is being planned for December.
Summer Concert: June 2014
The Summer Concert was a great success. Thank you to all those who played, and for the audience who attended. It was an enjoyable evening with some really good moments. Particular praise goes to those who performed for the first time in public. Below in an image of the thank you card I received from those who played in the concert, and photos from the concert. Please click on image to expand.
Chelmsford City Times: May/June 2014
I had a small article printed in Issue 8 (May/June) of the Chelmsford City Times. The article talks about the benefits of learning music in childhood. Please find the article underneath:
Gateway Community Radio Interview: June 2014
I was interviewed by radio presenter Gonzo for Gateway Community Radio where I promoted my Summer Concert, private teaching, forthcoming gigs, and projects I am currently involved in.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview:
May 2014
Recently I did a 'Live at Lunch' interview with radio presenter Patrick North. The interview can found below, or the whole show can be found on www.mixcloud.com/chelmsfordcr/ with the interview starting 17:35 minutes in. This was a great day, and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Patrick.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview
Live interview with radio presenter Patrick North talking about projects, teaching, and workshops.
Sunday Afternoon Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: April 2014
A new main event is started this year, A Sunday Workshop Special. Students asked for a three hour workshop with a specific subject, that we do not have time to cover in detail on a Thursday evening. The workshop had the theme of 'Improvising in 12 Keys', which included sight reading, improvising, transposition, musician, and aural skills.
With a successful turn out, and positive feedback, another session is planned in a few months time.
Events in 2013
Thank you to all who performed and supported the Christmas Concert 2013.
Please find photos underneath from the concert. Click on image to expand.
Christmas Concert: December 2013
Special Events
Although all performances and events are special, here are my highlights.
Previous Events in 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Southend Jazz Festival: Wednesday 4th October 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 27th August 2023
Super proud of all my students who performed on the bandstand, especially those who have joined the group during the past few months. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too kind to us but we continued undeterred, and we were very thankful to the audience for staying until the very end.
Previous Events in 2022
Wow, what a phenomenal night! I am so proud of everyone and how well you all played. I couldn't have asked for anymore. All of your hard work and practice at every workshop has been worthwhile, it was a wonderful evening for me and my Jazz family at a lovely venue. A huge thank you to Darren and his team for giving us this opportunity to perform at the Southend Jazz Festival, I hope we can return again very soon.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Chalkwell Park Rooms, Southend Jazz Festival:
Thursday 29th September 2022
A big thank you to everybody who performed and supported my group at Castle Park bandstand, the group played extremely well, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and we received lots of positive feedback.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: Sunday 31st July 2022
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 19th June 2022
A massive thank you to all of my group members for a wonderful afternoon on the bandstand, it was our first live performance since December 2019 and it was fantastic to be back! I would also like to thank all the friends and family members for their support, the clapping and cheering was hugely encouraging.
Previous Events in 2020 and 2021
Due to the pandemic, unfortunately all of my face to face workshops and live performances were cancelled, but thanks to my wonderful, supportive students I was able to continue my workshops online, and I created tutorial videos to support my students with their continued learning. I would like to thank all those who participated and I was pleased to return to face to face teaching in the Autumn of 2021.
Previous Events in 2019
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 5th December 2019
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the members of my group for a fantastic evening. Everyone played brilliantly and it was a great evening. Thank you to all those who have supported my group this year, I look forward to seeing you all at our next performance in 2020.
Jazz Workshop Sunday, Maldon:
24th November 2019
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Many thanks to Terry for organising the workshop.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 10th August 2019
Thank you to all those who performed on the Bandstand yesterday, it was super windy but everyone played extremely well and I am very proud of you all. A huge thank you to all the friends and family members for your constant and continued support.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 27th June 2019
A massive thank you to everyone who supported my Summer Concert, it was great to see some new and familiar faces in the audience. Huge congratulations to all of my students, especially those who were performing for the first time with the group, you all played extremely well and I want to thank you all for your commitment over the past six months.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 22nd June 2019
A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach for the third time at the Ipswich Jazz Festival. A special thank you to my students who attended the workshop, their constant and continued support is greatly appreciated and it was good to meet some new students too.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 5th May 2019
Thank you to everyone who performed and watched the group at Castle Park Bandstand in Colchester. The weather was cold and windy, but the group played great considering fingers were so numb. It was a good afternoon followed by a lovely meal in the evening. A few photos of the performance are below.
Previous Events in 2018
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 6th December 2018
What a fantastic evening! I am so proud of all my students who performed in my Christmas Concert. We had the largest audience to date, they were so appreciative of all the hard work and commitment of each player and I appreciated that the audience showed their support for every solo performance along with the group numbers.
Thank you for your support in 2018, I look forward to seeing you all at future performances throughout 2019.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Special Jazz Workshop, Maldon:
25th November 2018
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was fantastic to see so many old and new faces and it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to Terry for organising the workshop and for Nikki for taking the photos below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 21st July 2018
A massive thank you to all the friends and family members who came down to Priory Park to support the group at the bandstand this year. It was an enjoyable afternoon in the sun, with a few of the group performing in their first ever concert! Below are a few photos from Martin Kennedy, and one from Glen England.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 23rd June 2018
I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning teaching a Jazz Ensemble Workshop at the Ipswich Jazz Festival on Saturday. A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach there again, and a special thanks to all those who participated, it was great to meet so many new students.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 21st June 2018
Thank you to all those who performed at the Summer Concert, everyone played so well and it was a fantastic evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is so enjoyable to play to such an appreciative audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 13th May 2018
A huge thank you to everyone who performed on the bandstand at Castle Park in Colchester, everyone played so well, it was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. Here are a few photos of the performance and our traditional dinner afterwards.
Previous Events in 2017
John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 7th December 2017
Thank you to all those who performed at the Christmas Concert, it was a fantastic night and our last performance in 2017. A special thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is lovely to see both familiar and new faces, I hope you all enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing you all next year.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 23rd September 2017
Huge congratulations to all those who performed at the Priory Park Bandstand, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and wonderful to perform in front of a large supportive audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 9th September 2017
A massive thank you to all those who performed at the Castle Park Bandstand, what a fantastic afternoon, such an appreciative audience and the sun even shone!
Jazz Workshop, Maldon Festival:
25th June 2017
Thank you to all who participated in my Jazz Workshop as part of the Maldon Festival. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and really good to see some familiar and new faces. Special thank you to Colin Baldy for the opportunity and his support on the day.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 24th June 2017
A special thank you to Neil Bateman for the opportunity to teach a Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop as part of the Ipswich Jazz Festival. It was a fantastic afternoon, the venue was amazing and the music sounded so good, members of the public came in the church to listen to us!
Please find photos of the afternoon and a link for a short video below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 22nd June 2017
A massive thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert.
The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable evening. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.
Please find photos by Matt Cope, and then links to two pieces from the evening below.
Events in 2016
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 8th December 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of the students past six months work which included playing and improvising on Jazz, Popular and Christmas tunes.
The night was a success, and all the students played extremely well. Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. So many people commented on how much they have improved again in six months.
A big thank you goes to Mr and Mrs Cranston who helped out in the run up and on the evening. Thanks to people who filmed and took photos. A special thank you to Natalie Cranston for her hard work in promoting and running of the evening.
Please find some great photos of the evening below provided by Matt Cope, and an amazing video link of the evening recorded and edited by Pete Watts.
Special Sunday Jazz Workshops
Thank you to everyone who supported these extra workshops. Many of the Thursday group and past participants from other workshops asked for an extra session on a Sunday. So I arranged two Special Sunday Workshops, one on the 30th October 2016 and the second on 27th November 2016.
The idea of the workshop was to use it like a normal Thursday Jazz workshop, and play through pieces deconstructing them for a deeper understanding. We worked through Christmas Concert tunes, including Moanin' by Mingus and The Chicken.
Jazz Theory (in a pub): 23rd June 2016
On Thursday 23rd June the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group held a special one off jazz theory session in a local pub in Essex. The evening was successful (although there was a few strange looks in our direction), and future dates will be organised soon.
Summer Concert: 16th June 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert on Thursday 16th June at St. Michael and all Angels in Leigh on Sea. The aim of the evening was to showcase some of the Jazz and Popular tunes the students have been working on for the past few months. This also included them improvising to the audience.
Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. It was great to talk and hear such positive feedback from the evening.
The night was a great success, and all the students played well. It surprises me still that some have only been playing a year or two, and this is their second appearance in front of an audience.
A huge thanks go to families and friends who helped out on the evening, including Natalie Cranston for all her hard work towards the promoting and running of the evening.
Please find photos of the evening below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park: 4th May 2016
On Saturday 14th May, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. This is always a highlight for the group to perform outdoors to friends and family members. For the afternoon they played pieces from their up an coming Summer Concert (see above), which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. The weather was a little different from last year, and was extremely cold. I was so proud of the group who battled on through the performance with hats, gloves and as many layers as possible.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support the group. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and family.
A big thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the warden who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2016
On Monday 9th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend James Green on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. Guitarist Mitch Syrett and percussionist Geoff Licence were also in the studio. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, concerts, workshops, and then we had the opportunity of being able to perform live. A link to the interview is below.
The Foundation For Essex Arts Limited
Private Viewing: 19th January 2016
On Friday 19th January is was a pleasure to perform for the Foundation For Essex Arts and BAT at their exhibition evening. The event was a show case of artworks from the late 1950s and 1960s of British Modern Art, and a launch of the TFEA/BAT Bursury Fund.
This was a great evening, and well attended. The JazzDuo enjoyed performing this event, and the group had lots of positive feedback.
Events in 2015
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 10th December 2015
Thank you to everyone who performed, watched and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of what my students have been working on in the last six months, and included jazz, classical, popular and Christmas tunes. The evening was successful with all the students performing great.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Jazz Masterclass Ensemble Playing:
25th October 2015
The Jazz Masterclass on the 25th October was focusing on Jazz Ensemble Playing. Within the workshop we looked at the different functions of the rhythm section, front line, and what to listen to while performing. We then looked at improvisation through pieces, and understanding how counter melody parts come together. All this was achieved by taking jazz pieces, de-constructing them and then performing them complete. Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop.
Summer Performances: 2015
Summer is the busiest months for performances for my workshops and smaller projects. Groups will be performing at Priory Park, Annley House, Great Baddow, and the Jazz 825 club to name a few. Please check out the Diary page for more details.
Priory Park Concert: 2nd August 2015
On Sunday 2nd August, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. The group were really excited about their outside concert, and a little nervous. For the afternoon they played pieces from their recent Summer Concert and their favourite songs, which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it. Thank you for all your effort and hard work, there were rumours of practising in lofts, and even pre-performance practising on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support in the 200+ crowd, our biggest audience yet. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and families. A last thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the wardens who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Castle Point Show Concert: 5th July 2015
On Sunday 5th July, I conducted the Southend Jazz Co-op and John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group at the Castle Point Show. The Southend Jazz Co-op performed jazz tunes including In Walked Horace by J.J. Johnson, All Blues by Miles Davis, and Bags Groove by Milt Jackson. Rain was pouring down just before the group went on and luckily held off just as we started.
As the afternoon progressed the sun came out for the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group who performed a selection of jazz standards and popular tunes from their recent Summer Concert. Thank you to all the families and friends who came to support.
Photos are below of the day.
Summer Concert: 25th June 2015
On 25th June, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed their Summer Concert at St. Michael and All Angels in Leigh-on-Sea. The Summer Concert was a performance for friends, families of the students, and anyone who wanted to come along and enjoy a wonderful evening of free entertainment. The group performed jazz and popular tunes including Backlash by Freddie Hubbard, Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis, and The Mountain by Abdullah Ibrahim. The evening was a great success and a real pleasure to be part of. Well done to all my students and a big thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Latin Jazz Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea:
June 2015
This was the second Latin Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea. At the workshop we looked through a few Latin styles including Bossa Nova, with Freddie Hubbard's composition Backlash, and A Day in the Life of a Fool by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Maria. We finished the session by looking at another Freddie Hubbard tune called Little Sunflower, where you find a cross over of different Latin styles, and a Modal jazz compositional approach to improvisation.
We all these pieces we de-constructed them looking at the different rhythm aspects, then looked at the melody and improvisation. We then placed these ideas back together and performed the pieces.
Thank you to all who attended the workshop. Please find a few photos below.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: June 2015
At the beginning of June I was interviewed by Bob Simpson on his show One 2 Three, for Phoenix FM. It was a short interview with an overview of my musical past, and talking about current projects and my workshops. A big thank you to Bob Simpson for interviewing me, and Dave Warren who sat in on the interview to perform a few pieces with me. Please find the link below to the interview, and photos.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: May 2015
This was the third visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. The aim of the workshop was to explore some key aspects of performing Jazz. We focused on my arrangement of James Rae's tune called Skiddale. We de-constructed the tune, and looked at how to approach it for sight reading, structure, listening to chord movements, and improvisation. We then focused on how to improvise over the chord structures, and how to develop solos. We did this by listening to solos and commenting on what we thought, and then developing on this. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who came along.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2015
On Monday 11th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend Stu on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, my workshops, and then had the opportunity of being able to perform live. I was joined by Dave Warren on guitar who sat in with the interview and performed some Interplay and workshop pieces. A link and photos of the interview are below.
Jazz Workshop in Brentwood: April 2015
On Sunday 19th April I ran a new Jazz Workshop in Brentwood. The idea of the workshop was for all levels of musicians to explore some key aspects of Jazz. It was based in a relaxed and creative environment in Doddinghurst Village room. We explored a number of tunes, covering Bebop and Jazz standards including Jumpin' for Symphony Sid and Freddie Freeloader. In the session we de-constructed the tunes, and looked at different aspects of the pieces including improvisation, sight reading, how to approach a tune, and musicianship skills. This included looking at internal pulse, listening skills, and how to put personality within music. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who attended.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: April 2015
I recently had an interview with radio presenter/jazz pianist Adam Dyer from his Monday night jazz show on Phoenix FM. A link to the interview is below. It was great to meet Adam who is passionate about Jazz, which led us to have some great conversions and past connections with places and people. It was an enjoyable session and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Adam. Thank you Adam.
Jazz Masterclass in Leigh on Sea: March 2015
On Sunday 8th March I ran a Latin Jazz workshop at St.Michael and all Angels in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The idea of the workshop was to introduce musicians to basic ideas found in Latin Jazz, with a look at popular Latin Jazz tunes.
We started by looking at basic rhythms found in various Latin Jazz styles. Then we de-constructed the tunes Manteca, Blue Bossa, and Little Sunflower, and looked at how to improvise over them. It was an enjoyable session and pleasure to teach. Thank you to all who attended the session, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. Please find some photos underneath of the session.
Gateway Community Radio Interview:
February 2015
On Monday the 23rd February I was interviewed by radio presenter Mark Hardie for Gateway Community Radio. In the interview we spoke about Jazz today and the scene in Essex, and finished by talking about my forthcoming Latin Jazz Workshop on the 8th March in Leigh-on-Sea. It was a really enjoyable experience to be interviewed by Mark.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: January 2015
This was the second visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. In the session we followed the same teaching principles to all my jazz workshops that are open to all levels. We looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills, and jazz theory. We worked through two tunes, and de-constructed these so participants felt more confident with these pieces, and the skills could also be applied to other tunes. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop. It was great to see two new players for the afternoon workshop. New dates will follow shortly.
Events in 2014
Christmas Concert: 11th December 2014
Another Christmas Concert has been completed. The evening was a great success, and we had some really good feedback from the audience saying how much all the participants had improved in six months. Thank you to everyone who took part in the the concert, and others who helped by supporting their friends and family members involved. Underneath are a few photos taken from the evening.
Pride of Essex Awards: November 2014
For the past three years I have supported and performed at the Pride Of Essex Awards in Chelmsford, Essex. A number of awards are given to adults and children for overcoming adversity, giving exceptional care in the community, and for outstanding achievement within the community. This year the presentation was on Tuesday 25th November 2014 at Anglia Ruskin University, and was a successful evening. For more details please visit www.prideofessexawards.org.uk or click on link below.
New Jazz Workshop in Colchester: October 2014
After three years of being based in Leigh on Sea, on the 19th October I conducted a special workshop in Colchester at the Hythe Community Centre. The idea of this session was to conduct a workshop, and if successful continue periodically throughout next year, which it was. The session followed the guidelines to my normal jazz workshop, open to all levels, and looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills in a friendly creative environment. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop.
Chelmsford City Times: Sept/Oct 2014
This is my second article printed the Chelmsford City Times. The article is my ten top tips of learning how to sight read. The article is found in the Issue 12 Sept/Oct edition. Please find the article underneath:
Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: August 2014
The second Jazz Masterclass took place on Sunday 3rd August from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm at St.Michael and All Angels Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The theme of the workshop was the construction of pentatonic scales, including major and minor, how to use them over a 2-5-1 progression, and applying them in jazz tunes. It was open to all levels and instruments. This was another successful afternoon, and one is being planned for December.
Summer Concert: June 2014
The Summer Concert was a great success. Thank you to all those who played, and for the audience who attended. It was an enjoyable evening with some really good moments. Particular praise goes to those who performed for the first time in public. Below in an image of the thank you card I received from those who played in the concert, and photos from the concert. Please click on image to expand.
Chelmsford City Times: May/June 2014
I had a small article printed in Issue 8 (May/June) of the Chelmsford City Times. The article talks about the benefits of learning music in childhood. Please find the article underneath:
Gateway Community Radio Interview: June 2014
I was interviewed by radio presenter Gonzo for Gateway Community Radio where I promoted my Summer Concert, private teaching, forthcoming gigs, and projects I am currently involved in.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview:
May 2014
Recently I did a 'Live at Lunch' interview with radio presenter Patrick North. The interview can found below, or the whole show can be found on www.mixcloud.com/chelmsfordcr/ with the interview starting 17:35 minutes in. This was a great day, and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Patrick.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview
Live interview with radio presenter Patrick North talking about projects, teaching, and workshops.
Sunday Afternoon Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: April 2014
A new main event is started this year, A Sunday Workshop Special. Students asked for a three hour workshop with a specific subject, that we do not have time to cover in detail on a Thursday evening. The workshop had the theme of 'Improvising in 12 Keys', which included sight reading, improvising, transposition, musician, and aural skills.
With a successful turn out, and positive feedback, another session is planned in a few months time.
Events in 2013
Thank you to all who performed and supported the Christmas Concert 2013.
Please find photos underneath from the concert. Click on image to expand.
Christmas Concert: December 2013
Special Events
Although all performances and events are special, here are my highlights.
Previous Events in 2023
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Southend Jazz Festival: Wednesday 4th October 2023
A big thank you to Darren for allowing my group to perform again, it was a fantastic night! Everyone played extremely well and I am a very proud of you all. I am very for all your hard work and commitment during the past few months. Thank you to the audience of very supportive friends and family members, I received some really great feedback and comments
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 27th August 2023
Super proud of all my students who performed on the bandstand, especially those who have joined the group during the past few months. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too kind to us but we continued undeterred, and we were very thankful to the audience for staying until the very end.
Previous Events in 2022
Wow, what a phenomenal night! I am so proud of everyone and how well you all played. I couldn't have asked for anymore. All of your hard work and practice at every workshop has been worthwhile, it was a wonderful evening for me and my Jazz family at a lovely venue. A huge thank you to Darren and his team for giving us this opportunity to perform at the Southend Jazz Festival, I hope we can return again very soon.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Chalkwell Park Rooms, Southend Jazz Festival:
Thursday 29th September 2022
A big thank you to everybody who performed and supported my group at Castle Park bandstand, the group played extremely well, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and we received lots of positive feedback.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: Sunday 31st July 2022
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: Sunday 19th June 2022
A massive thank you to all of my group members for a wonderful afternoon on the bandstand, it was our first live performance since December 2019 and it was fantastic to be back! I would also like to thank all the friends and family members for their support, the clapping and cheering was hugely encouraging.
Previous Events in 2020 and 2021
Due to the pandemic, unfortunately all of my face to face workshops and live performances were cancelled, but thanks to my wonderful, supportive students I was able to continue my workshops online, and I created tutorial videos to support my students with their continued learning. I would like to thank all those who participated and I was pleased to return to face to face teaching in the Autumn of 2021.
Previous Events in 2019
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 5th December 2019
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the members of my group for a fantastic evening. Everyone played brilliantly and it was a great evening. Thank you to all those who have supported my group this year, I look forward to seeing you all at our next performance in 2020.
Jazz Workshop Sunday, Maldon:
24th November 2019
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Many thanks to Terry for organising the workshop.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 10th August 2019
Thank you to all those who performed on the Bandstand yesterday, it was super windy but everyone played extremely well and I am very proud of you all. A huge thank you to all the friends and family members for your constant and continued support.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 27th June 2019
A massive thank you to everyone who supported my Summer Concert, it was great to see some new and familiar faces in the audience. Huge congratulations to all of my students, especially those who were performing for the first time with the group, you all played extremely well and I want to thank you all for your commitment over the past six months.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 22nd June 2019
A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach for the third time at the Ipswich Jazz Festival. A special thank you to my students who attended the workshop, their constant and continued support is greatly appreciated and it was good to meet some new students too.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 5th May 2019
Thank you to everyone who performed and watched the group at Castle Park Bandstand in Colchester. The weather was cold and windy, but the group played great considering fingers were so numb. It was a good afternoon followed by a lovely meal in the evening. A few photos of the performance are below.
Previous Events in 2018
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 6th December 2018
What a fantastic evening! I am so proud of all my students who performed in my Christmas Concert. We had the largest audience to date, they were so appreciative of all the hard work and commitment of each player and I appreciated that the audience showed their support for every solo performance along with the group numbers.
Thank you for your support in 2018, I look forward to seeing you all at future performances throughout 2019.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Special Jazz Workshop, Maldon:
25th November 2018
Thank you to all those who participated in my Jazz Workshop in Maldon, it was fantastic to see so many old and new faces and it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to Terry for organising the workshop and for Nikki for taking the photos below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 21st July 2018
A massive thank you to all the friends and family members who came down to Priory Park to support the group at the bandstand this year. It was an enjoyable afternoon in the sun, with a few of the group performing in their first ever concert! Below are a few photos from Martin Kennedy, and one from Glen England.
Jazz Ensemble Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 23rd June 2018
I had a thoroughly enjoyable morning teaching a Jazz Ensemble Workshop at the Ipswich Jazz Festival on Saturday. A huge thank you to Neil Bateman for asking me to teach there again, and a special thanks to all those who participated, it was great to meet so many new students.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 21st June 2018
Thank you to all those who performed at the Summer Concert, everyone played so well and it was a fantastic evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is so enjoyable to play to such an appreciative audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 13th May 2018
A huge thank you to everyone who performed on the bandstand at Castle Park in Colchester, everyone played so well, it was an extremely enjoyable afternoon. Here are a few photos of the performance and our traditional dinner afterwards.
Previous Events in 2017
John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 7th December 2017
Thank you to all those who performed at the Christmas Concert, it was a fantastic night and our last performance in 2017. A special thank you to everyone who supported the evening, it is lovely to see both familiar and new faces, I hope you all enjoyed the evening and look forward to seeing you all next year.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park Bandstand: 23rd September 2017
Huge congratulations to all those who performed at the Priory Park Bandstand, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and wonderful to perform in front of a large supportive audience.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Castle Park Bandstand: 9th September 2017
A massive thank you to all those who performed at the Castle Park Bandstand, what a fantastic afternoon, such an appreciative audience and the sun even shone!
Jazz Workshop, Maldon Festival:
25th June 2017
Thank you to all who participated in my Jazz Workshop as part of the Maldon Festival. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and really good to see some familiar and new faces. Special thank you to Colin Baldy for the opportunity and his support on the day.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop,
Ipswich Jazz Festival: 24th June 2017
A special thank you to Neil Bateman for the opportunity to teach a Jazz Ensemble Playing Workshop as part of the Ipswich Jazz Festival. It was a fantastic afternoon, the venue was amazing and the music sounded so good, members of the public came in the church to listen to us!
Please find photos of the afternoon and a link for a short video below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Summer Concert: 22nd June 2017
A massive thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert.
The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable evening. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.
Please find photos by Matt Cope, and then links to two pieces from the evening below.
Events in 2016
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 8th December 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of the students past six months work which included playing and improvising on Jazz, Popular and Christmas tunes.
The night was a success, and all the students played extremely well. Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. So many people commented on how much they have improved again in six months.
A big thank you goes to Mr and Mrs Cranston who helped out in the run up and on the evening. Thanks to people who filmed and took photos. A special thank you to Natalie Cranston for her hard work in promoting and running of the evening.
Please find some great photos of the evening below provided by Matt Cope, and an amazing video link of the evening recorded and edited by Pete Watts.
Special Sunday Jazz Workshops
Thank you to everyone who supported these extra workshops. Many of the Thursday group and past participants from other workshops asked for an extra session on a Sunday. So I arranged two Special Sunday Workshops, one on the 30th October 2016 and the second on 27th November 2016.
The idea of the workshop was to use it like a normal Thursday Jazz workshop, and play through pieces deconstructing them for a deeper understanding. We worked through Christmas Concert tunes, including Moanin' by Mingus and The Chicken.
Jazz Theory (in a pub): 23rd June 2016
On Thursday 23rd June the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group held a special one off jazz theory session in a local pub in Essex. The evening was successful (although there was a few strange looks in our direction), and future dates will be organised soon.
Summer Concert: 16th June 2016
Thank you to everyone who performed at the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Summer Concert on Thursday 16th June at St. Michael and all Angels in Leigh on Sea. The aim of the evening was to showcase some of the Jazz and Popular tunes the students have been working on for the past few months. This also included them improvising to the audience.
Thank you to the audience members who came down and supported the students, and the evening. It was great to talk and hear such positive feedback from the evening.
The night was a great success, and all the students played well. It surprises me still that some have only been playing a year or two, and this is their second appearance in front of an audience.
A huge thanks go to families and friends who helped out on the evening, including Natalie Cranston for all her hard work towards the promoting and running of the evening.
Please find photos of the evening below.
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Priory Park: 4th May 2016
On Saturday 14th May, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. This is always a highlight for the group to perform outdoors to friends and family members. For the afternoon they played pieces from their up an coming Summer Concert (see above), which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. The weather was a little different from last year, and was extremely cold. I was so proud of the group who battled on through the performance with hats, gloves and as many layers as possible.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support the group. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and family.
A big thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the warden who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2016
On Monday 9th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend James Green on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. Guitarist Mitch Syrett and percussionist Geoff Licence were also in the studio. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, concerts, workshops, and then we had the opportunity of being able to perform live. A link to the interview is below.
The Foundation For Essex Arts Limited
Private Viewing: 19th January 2016
On Friday 19th January is was a pleasure to perform for the Foundation For Essex Arts and BAT at their exhibition evening. The event was a show case of artworks from the late 1950s and 1960s of British Modern Art, and a launch of the TFEA/BAT Bursury Fund.
This was a great evening, and well attended. The JazzDuo enjoyed performing this event, and the group had lots of positive feedback.
Events in 2015
John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group
Christmas Concert: 10th December 2015
Thank you to everyone who performed, watched and supported the John Seeley's Jazz and Saxophone Group's Christmas Concert. The evening was a showcase of what my students have been working on in the last six months, and included jazz, classical, popular and Christmas tunes. The evening was successful with all the students performing great.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Jazz Masterclass Ensemble Playing:
25th October 2015
The Jazz Masterclass on the 25th October was focusing on Jazz Ensemble Playing. Within the workshop we looked at the different functions of the rhythm section, front line, and what to listen to while performing. We then looked at improvisation through pieces, and understanding how counter melody parts come together. All this was achieved by taking jazz pieces, de-constructing them and then performing them complete. Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop.
Summer Performances: 2015
Summer is the busiest months for performances for my workshops and smaller projects. Groups will be performing at Priory Park, Annley House, Great Baddow, and the Jazz 825 club to name a few. Please check out the Diary page for more details.
Priory Park Concert: 2nd August 2015
On Sunday 2nd August, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed at Priory Park Bandstand in Southend. The group were really excited about their outside concert, and a little nervous. For the afternoon they played pieces from their recent Summer Concert and their favourite songs, which included a selection of different styles of jazz, and popular tunes.
A massive thank you to everyone who participated in the performance. The group played extremely well, and it was a really enjoyable afternoon. I received some great feedback from the audience and everyone said how much they enjoyed it. Thank you for all your effort and hard work, there were rumours of practising in lofts, and even pre-performance practising on the day.
Thank you to everyone who came down to support in the 200+ crowd, our biggest audience yet. Great to see so many familiar faces of friends and families. A last thank you to Priory Park for giving us the opportunity to perform there, and the wardens who made the afternoon run so smoothly.
Please find photos of the afternoon below.
Castle Point Show Concert: 5th July 2015
On Sunday 5th July, I conducted the Southend Jazz Co-op and John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group at the Castle Point Show. The Southend Jazz Co-op performed jazz tunes including In Walked Horace by J.J. Johnson, All Blues by Miles Davis, and Bags Groove by Milt Jackson. Rain was pouring down just before the group went on and luckily held off just as we started.
As the afternoon progressed the sun came out for the John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group who performed a selection of jazz standards and popular tunes from their recent Summer Concert. Thank you to all the families and friends who came to support.
Photos are below of the day.
Summer Concert: 25th June 2015
On 25th June, John Seeley’s Jazz and Saxophone Group performed their Summer Concert at St. Michael and All Angels in Leigh-on-Sea. The Summer Concert was a performance for friends, families of the students, and anyone who wanted to come along and enjoy a wonderful evening of free entertainment. The group performed jazz and popular tunes including Backlash by Freddie Hubbard, Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis, and The Mountain by Abdullah Ibrahim. The evening was a great success and a real pleasure to be part of. Well done to all my students and a big thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Please find photos of the evening below.
Latin Jazz Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea:
June 2015
This was the second Latin Workshop in Leigh-on-Sea. At the workshop we looked through a few Latin styles including Bossa Nova, with Freddie Hubbard's composition Backlash, and A Day in the Life of a Fool by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Maria. We finished the session by looking at another Freddie Hubbard tune called Little Sunflower, where you find a cross over of different Latin styles, and a Modal jazz compositional approach to improvisation.
We all these pieces we de-constructed them looking at the different rhythm aspects, then looked at the melody and improvisation. We then placed these ideas back together and performed the pieces.
Thank you to all who attended the workshop. Please find a few photos below.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: June 2015
At the beginning of June I was interviewed by Bob Simpson on his show One 2 Three, for Phoenix FM. It was a short interview with an overview of my musical past, and talking about current projects and my workshops. A big thank you to Bob Simpson for interviewing me, and Dave Warren who sat in on the interview to perform a few pieces with me. Please find the link below to the interview, and photos.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: May 2015
This was the third visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. The aim of the workshop was to explore some key aspects of performing Jazz. We focused on my arrangement of James Rae's tune called Skiddale. We de-constructed the tune, and looked at how to approach it for sight reading, structure, listening to chord movements, and improvisation. We then focused on how to improvise over the chord structures, and how to develop solos. We did this by listening to solos and commenting on what we thought, and then developing on this. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who came along.
Otherwires Radio Interview: May 2015
On Monday 11th May I was interviewed by Nick Dawson and his friend Stu on their radio programme Otherwires on the radio station Ship Full of Bombs. It was a really relaxed and fun evening, talking about jazz, my workshops, and then had the opportunity of being able to perform live. I was joined by Dave Warren on guitar who sat in with the interview and performed some Interplay and workshop pieces. A link and photos of the interview are below.
Jazz Workshop in Brentwood: April 2015
On Sunday 19th April I ran a new Jazz Workshop in Brentwood. The idea of the workshop was for all levels of musicians to explore some key aspects of Jazz. It was based in a relaxed and creative environment in Doddinghurst Village room. We explored a number of tunes, covering Bebop and Jazz standards including Jumpin' for Symphony Sid and Freddie Freeloader. In the session we de-constructed the tunes, and looked at different aspects of the pieces including improvisation, sight reading, how to approach a tune, and musicianship skills. This included looking at internal pulse, listening skills, and how to put personality within music. A few photos of the workshop are below. Thank you for all who attended.
Phoenix FM Radio Interview: April 2015
I recently had an interview with radio presenter/jazz pianist Adam Dyer from his Monday night jazz show on Phoenix FM. A link to the interview is below. It was great to meet Adam who is passionate about Jazz, which led us to have some great conversions and past connections with places and people. It was an enjoyable session and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Adam. Thank you Adam.
Jazz Masterclass in Leigh on Sea: March 2015
On Sunday 8th March I ran a Latin Jazz workshop at St.Michael and all Angels in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The idea of the workshop was to introduce musicians to basic ideas found in Latin Jazz, with a look at popular Latin Jazz tunes.
We started by looking at basic rhythms found in various Latin Jazz styles. Then we de-constructed the tunes Manteca, Blue Bossa, and Little Sunflower, and looked at how to improvise over them. It was an enjoyable session and pleasure to teach. Thank you to all who attended the session, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. Please find some photos underneath of the session.
Gateway Community Radio Interview:
February 2015
On Monday the 23rd February I was interviewed by radio presenter Mark Hardie for Gateway Community Radio. In the interview we spoke about Jazz today and the scene in Essex, and finished by talking about my forthcoming Latin Jazz Workshop on the 8th March in Leigh-on-Sea. It was a really enjoyable experience to be interviewed by Mark.
Jazz Workshop in Colchester: January 2015
This was the second visit to Colchester for a Jazz Workshop at the Hythe Community Centre. In the session we followed the same teaching principles to all my jazz workshops that are open to all levels. We looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills, and jazz theory. We worked through two tunes, and de-constructed these so participants felt more confident with these pieces, and the skills could also be applied to other tunes. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop. It was great to see two new players for the afternoon workshop. New dates will follow shortly.
Events in 2014
Christmas Concert: 11th December 2014
Another Christmas Concert has been completed. The evening was a great success, and we had some really good feedback from the audience saying how much all the participants had improved in six months. Thank you to everyone who took part in the the concert, and others who helped by supporting their friends and family members involved. Underneath are a few photos taken from the evening.
Pride of Essex Awards: November 2014
For the past three years I have supported and performed at the Pride Of Essex Awards in Chelmsford, Essex. A number of awards are given to adults and children for overcoming adversity, giving exceptional care in the community, and for outstanding achievement within the community. This year the presentation was on Tuesday 25th November 2014 at Anglia Ruskin University, and was a successful evening. For more details please visit www.prideofessexawards.org.uk or click on link below.
New Jazz Workshop in Colchester: October 2014
After three years of being based in Leigh on Sea, on the 19th October I conducted a special workshop in Colchester at the Hythe Community Centre. The idea of this session was to conduct a workshop, and if successful continue periodically throughout next year, which it was. The session followed the guidelines to my normal jazz workshop, open to all levels, and looked at improvisation, timing, musicianship skills in a friendly creative environment. Thank you to the staff at Hythe Community Centre and everyone you attended the workshop.
Chelmsford City Times: Sept/Oct 2014
This is my second article printed the Chelmsford City Times. The article is my ten top tips of learning how to sight read. The article is found in the Issue 12 Sept/Oct edition. Please find the article underneath:
Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: August 2014
The second Jazz Masterclass took place on Sunday 3rd August from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm at St.Michael and All Angels Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The theme of the workshop was the construction of pentatonic scales, including major and minor, how to use them over a 2-5-1 progression, and applying them in jazz tunes. It was open to all levels and instruments. This was another successful afternoon, and one is being planned for December.
Summer Concert: June 2014
The Summer Concert was a great success. Thank you to all those who played, and for the audience who attended. It was an enjoyable evening with some really good moments. Particular praise goes to those who performed for the first time in public. Below in an image of the thank you card I received from those who played in the concert, and photos from the concert. Please click on image to expand.
Chelmsford City Times: May/June 2014
I had a small article printed in Issue 8 (May/June) of the Chelmsford City Times. The article talks about the benefits of learning music in childhood. Please find the article underneath:
Gateway Community Radio Interview: June 2014
I was interviewed by radio presenter Gonzo for Gateway Community Radio where I promoted my Summer Concert, private teaching, forthcoming gigs, and projects I am currently involved in.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview:
May 2014
Recently I did a 'Live at Lunch' interview with radio presenter Patrick North. The interview can found below, or the whole show can be found on www.mixcloud.com/chelmsfordcr/ with the interview starting 17:35 minutes in. This was a great day, and I really enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by Patrick.
Chelmsford Community Radio Interview
Live interview with radio presenter Patrick North talking about projects, teaching, and workshops.
Sunday Afternoon Jazz Masterclass in
Leigh on Sea: April 2014
A new main event is started this year, A Sunday Workshop Special. Students asked for a three hour workshop with a specific subject, that we do not have time to cover in detail on a Thursday evening. The workshop had the theme of 'Improvising in 12 Keys', which included sight reading, improvising, transposition, musician, and aural skills.
With a successful turn out, and positive feedback, another session is planned in a few months time.
Events in 2013
Thank you to all who performed and supported the Christmas Concert 2013.
Please find photos underneath from the concert. Click on image to expand.
Christmas Concert: December 2013
