EHJQ loves education and is available for clinics, master classes combined with performances. Private lessons are available as well… Saxophone, Piano, Bass, Jazz Improvisation, Performance realities etc… Please email Jim kacz.j17@gmail.com
Jim has taught all levels of general and instrumental music from Pre K through college and adults. He worked at MPS and CPS for over 30 years. While teaching Jazz at Evanston Township High School with Dr. David Fodor the combo he directed received a mention in Down Beat for being one of the best in the country. For 12 years he was honored to co-direct the Chicago South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble with world renowned Jazz Educator Ronald Carter. Besides teaching lessons he has adjudicated and acted as a clinician at Jazz Festivals around the Midwest. Jim also worked with Carter’s Jazz Clinics and was honored to teach at an HBCU Jazz Festival among others… He taught 2 sections of Jazz Theory and helped develop the jazz theory curriculum with Fareed Haque while at NIU. Jim loves to share with students of all ages. He has studied with or taken lessons with Steve Duke, Peter Ballin, Berkeley Fudge, Melissa Aldana, George Coleman, Steve Coleman, Hal Crook, Kenny Garrett, Fareed Haque, David Hazeltine, Lee Konitz, David Liebman, Bob Mintzer among others.
Scott has directed the Jazz and all levels of instrumental music in Sycamore Illinois for over 20 years. He was the director of the NIU Community School of the Arts Jazz Band, has worked as a jazz clinician at festivals in several Midwestern States, and has been a regular faculty member at the NIU Jazz Camp most years since 2007. He has published compositions through composer Jim Martin’s website- www.pdfjazzmusic.com. Scott has a way with communicating concepts to students of all ages,
Donn has taught Acoustic and Electric Bass for decades to beginners and pros alike. He is also the bass instructor at Chicago State University. He has studied extensively with Larry Gray, Warren Benfield and Steve Lester-both members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as further study with Ray Brown, Rufus Reid and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen.
This is a photo of the Chicago South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble one of the high lights of Jim’s life- 12 amazing years! All of these humans are wonderful and many have gone on to be an important part of the Chicago Jazz scene including Norm Palm on Trombone, Trumpeter Ryan Neither and percussionist Isaiah Spencer. Marquis Hill who was in the group from when he was about 12 to college has gone on to be featured in major jazz publications as well as teaching at Berkley and touring with Marcus Miller. His group “Blacktet” is critically renowned. Percussionist, composer and arranger Bryan Carter has played with “everybody” and has won a Tony and Grammy for Scoring “Some Like it Hot,”, and an Emmy for doing the music for George Clooney’s Broadway Play “ Good Night and Good Luck” as well as a Grammy for his instrumental arrangement- “Super Mario Praise Break.” Bryan had Scott for a teacher as well in High School. SSYJE performed with such greats as Clark Terry, Hamiet Bluiett, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson among others.