Experienced Professional Jazz Musician and Educator

Mike T.

Drums

I have been playing the drums for over ten years now. With thousands of practice and performance hours logged, I have a keen and proficient grasp of playing the drum set, particularly in the jazz idiom. Drum rudiments, sound production, swing/groove, accompaniment competence, and soloing are some of the foundational concepts that I cover with aspiring jazz drummers.

General Music

My foundation as a multi-instrumentalist has proven to be an invaluable teaching tool over the years, as it provides a broad understanding of how music is both interconnected and distinct depending on the instrument being played. Having studied numerous genres and styles of music over the years, I have accumulated a vast knowledge and understanding of music theory, voice leading, intonation, sound production, rhythmic internal pulse, strong melodic development, and memorization of repertoire. I have served as a Substitute Adjunct Professor at SUNY Purchase, teaching improvisation and repertoire courses within the undergraduate Jazz Studies program. In these classes, I emphasize rhythmic placement, melodic clarity, and harmonic cogency, guiding students through structured approaches to learning standard repertoire by breaking down song forms, identifying recurring harmonic patterns, and using bassline–melody relationships to strengthen memorization and fluency. From 2019–2020, I worked as a teaching artist with Jazz Empowers in Brooklyn, instructing middle and high school students in drums, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, and bass. There, I helped develop a cohesive and engaging curriculum designed to foster music literacy, ensemble collaboration, and creative improvisation. For the past eleven years, I have also maintained a private studio in New York, teaching saxophone, guitar, drums, and trumpet. My instruction encompasses advanced improvisational techniques, harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic development, transcription, technical refinement, breath control, and comprehensive music reading skills. I teach students of all ages and levels, tailoring my lessons to the unique interests and needs of each individual.

Guitar

I began playing the guitar at the age of 5. Throughout High School, I studied blues guitar extensively, allowing me to have a firm grasp of the genre. I have a background in bluegrass and folk as well, which provides me with technical fundamentals on the guitar that have been essential in passing along to my students over the years. From 2019–2020, I worked as a teaching artist with Jazz Empowers in Brooklyn, instructing middle and high school students. I taught beginner lessons to the guitar students in the program, offering foundational instruction on technique, reading music, chord shapes, melodies, and improvisational concepts. For the past several years, I have instructed guitarists in private lessons who have been learning to play jazz music for the first time. Although guitar is not my main instrument, my vast musical knowledge and insight has allowed me to guide them in the process of jazz fluency quite well.

Saxophone

I have been playing the saxophone for over 23 years, and have performed professionally for over 13 years. I have performed with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, including Roy Hargrove, Russell Hall, Grammy Award Winning Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Immanuel Wilkins, and many more. I have dedicated thousands of hours to practicing and refining my craft as a saxophonist, cultivating a personal and unique voice in the jazz idiom. From 2019–2020, I worked as a teaching artist with Jazz Empowers in Brooklyn, instructing middle and high school students in drums, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, and bass. There, I helped develop a cohesive and engaging curriculum designed to foster music literacy, ensemble collaboration, and creative improvisation. I have served as a Substitute Adjunct Professor at SUNY Purchase, teaching improvisation and repertoire courses within the undergraduate Jazz Studies program. In these classes, I emphasize rhythmic placement, melodic clarity, and harmonic cogency, guiding students through structured approaches to learning standard repertoire by breaking down song forms, identifying recurring harmonic patterns, and using bassline–melody relationships to strengthen memorization and fluency. For the past eleven years, I have also maintained a private studio in New York, teaching saxophone, guitar, drums, and trumpet. My instruction encompasses advanced improvisational techniques, harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic development, transcription, technical refinement, breath control, and comprehensive music reading skills. I teach students of all ages and levels, tailoring my lessons to the unique interests and needs of each individual.

Trumpet

I have been playing trumpet professionally for the past 3 years. I play both saxophone and trumpet in my own quartet, showcasing a proficient multi-instrumental ability that enhances the music being performed. I have served as a Substitute Adjunct Professor at SUNY Purchase, teaching improvisation and repertoire courses within the undergraduate Jazz Studies program. In these classes, I emphasize rhythmic placement, melodic clarity, and harmonic cogency, guiding students through structured approaches to learning standard repertoire by breaking down song forms, identifying recurring harmonic patterns, and using bassline–melody relationships to strengthen memorization and fluency. From 2019–2020, I worked as a teaching artist with Jazz Empowers in Brooklyn, instructing middle and high school students in drums, saxophone, trumpet, guitar, and bass. There, I helped develop a cohesive and engaging curriculum designed to foster music literacy, ensemble collaboration, and creative improvisation. For the past eleven years, I have also maintained a private studio in New York, teaching saxophone, guitar, drums, and trumpet. My instruction encompasses advanced improvisational techniques, harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic development, transcription, technical refinement, breath control, and comprehensive music reading skills. I teach students of all ages and levels, tailoring my lessons to the unique interests and needs of each individual.