JMI - Jazz Music Institute

❄️ JMI Youth Program: Winter Term ❄️

If your young musician plays in the school band and loves it but wants more room to explore, JMI's Youth Program might be exactly what they're looking for. It's an 8-week course where they'll play in a small jazz ensemble led by professional jazz musicians, learning improvisation, making friends, building confidence, and working towards a live performance at JMI's jazz club at the end of term.

The environment is supportive, non-competitive, and welcoming. It's designed for young musicians aged 10 to 17 at any level, whether they've never tried jazz before or they're already deep into it. The groups are small so they get real attention and real musical autonomy that's hard to find in a school setting.

📅 Winter Term 3 starts Saturday 25 July
⏳ Registrations close Sunday 18 July

8 weeks, Saturdays 1 to 3pm, JMI Bowen Hills, Brisbane. $484 for the term which works out to roughly $60 a week, less than a single private lesson.

🔗 https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0ZSBT0

P.S. JMI also offers private lessons for young musicians with our expert teachers. A great complement to the Youth Program or a way to get started before joining.https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0ZSm-0

❄️ What you need to know about Winter Night Classes at JMI ❄️

Eight weeks playing in a jazz band, guided by working musicians, finishing with a live gig at JMI's jazz club. Beginner to advanced, plus vocal classes. No jazz background needed.

Winter Night Classes start 15 July. Registrations close Wednesday 8 July.
Enrol via the link in bio.

P.S. JMI also offers private lessons with the same teachers who lead Night Classes, perfect if you want one-on-one guidance alongside your ensemble playing, or a head start before your first term. Details in bio.

P.P.S. Young musicians still at school? JMI's Youth Program runs Saturday afternoons. Details in bio.

The Baxter Birrell Trio are heading to The Ruby this Saturday, continuing the fortnightly JMI student trio residency every second Saturday.

Baxter is an up-and-coming JMI pianist with a love for all things abstract, blending avant-garde styles into the jazz idiom for a sound that sits somewhere between frenetic energy and considered introspection.

📅 Saturday 20 June · 🕗 7:30–10pm, doors at 6:30pm · 🎟 Free entry, no bookings.

Tasty bites and bar on the night. Early arrivals get the best seats. Down Mead Lane, red door at the end. Fortitude Valley.

This Thursday at JMI LIVE: MSG

🎟️ https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0ZyS10

Formed in 2023, MSG is a contemporary jazz sextet dedicated to the spirit of Hard Bop, Post-Bop, and Soul Jazz. Drawing inspiration from legendary artists such as Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, and the Blue Note tradition, the ensemble combines driving swing, rich ensemble writing, soulful grooves, and adventurous improvisation into a powerful modern jazz sound. Led by trombonist, composer, and educator Mikael Strand, MSG moves seamlessly between hard-swinging grooves, lyrical balladry, and fiery improvisation.

Mikael Strand – Trombone
Carl Harvoe – Trumpet
Dave Cox – Saxophones
Jordy Stitt – Piano
Isaac Worland – Double Bass
Chris Evans – Drums

Thursday 18 June | 8PM
💵 $20 + booking fee
🚪 Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm
🍺 Licensed bar | All ages (U18 with guardian)
📍 10 Exhibition St, Fortitude Valley

Sorry all, jams are postponed this week due to recitals!

But to make up for it, we have the highly esteemed MSG playing at JMI Live on Thursday Night. The Mikael Strand Group is a longstanding project of our favorite trombone teacher, Mikael Strand. Tickets in bio, more to come!

Friday night Mike Bednall and his band are playing at the Nosferatu Gin Distillery from 6-8pm, free entry!

Also on Friday night, the JMI All Stars are playing at The Ruby Jazz Club. "This gig features the very musicians who teach and inspire the next generation of jazz artists at JMI, some of the country’s most respected jazz players and educators." Tickets on the Ruby Jazz Club website!

If you accidentally leave anything behind at the All Stars gig on Friday night, you have a great opportunity to go back the next night to see JMI Presents: Baxter Birrell. Baxter and his trio are playing from 7:30-10pm, free entry!

❄️ JMI Winter Night Classes: 8 Week Course ❄️

Jazz is a language, and like any language you learn it best by speaking it with other people. That's what Night Classes are: you learn jazz by playing it, in a band, one night a week.

If you're just starting out it can feel confusing, but our teachers explain it clearly, and they're the kind of people you can ask any question without feeling silly. You're in a small group with people around your level, learning tunes together and playing them as a band. You start to hear the drums keeping time, the bass outlining the changes, the harmony, and it turns into a real back-and-forth between everyone in the room.

It's one night a week, so it can fit around your life. At the end of term your band performs live at JMI's jazz club, something to work towards together.

No experience needed. Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes, plus a vocal class.
⏳ Registrations close Wednesday 8 July
📅 Term 3 starts Wednesday 15 July

8 weeks | Wednesday nights | 6–8pm | Bowen Hills
$http://60.50 per week ($484 term), less than a private lesson
🔗 https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0YHzP0

http://P.S. Want to sharpen your skills before you start? JMI also offers private lessons with our teachers. https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0YHyN0

http://P.P.S. Got a young musician at home looking for like-minded friends? JMI's Youth Program runs Saturday afternoons. https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0YHyP0

Announcement: Jams are cancelled this week! stay tuned for next week :)

A massive week at JMI! (Jams will be confirmed on socials later in the week)

Wednesday night, the Brisbane Jazz Club's The New Generation of Jazz presents: Archipelago - Patrick Baldwin. Tickets can be purchased on the Brisbane Jazz Club Website.

Thursday night at JMI Live, HONK by JMI Alumni Chris James. "the harmonic intrigue and textural landscapes of a big band meets the more spacious and nimble nature of a smaller combo". Tickets in bio.

Friday evening, Sam Ryan at Nosferatu Gin Distillery. Free entry, music from 6-8pm.

This Thursday at JMI LIVE: HONK

🎟️ https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0Yvlw0

HONK has blared into existence to explore 4 part harmonies and a dense, instrumental frontline. The concept is relatively simple: the harmonic intrigue and textural landscapes of a big band meets the more spacious and nimble nature of a smaller combo, providing more opportunity for soloists. HONK hopes to question convention, explore texture, and make beautiful music.

The inspiration initially came during a trip to NYC and a chance encounter with saxophonist Chris Byars, who himself leads a similar ensemble. The conversation quickly led to a lesson the following day and a “rabbit hole” of phenomenal recordings on the flight back home.

This evening will feature Hardbop and Bebop compositions from Chris Byars, Thad Jones, Walter Smith III, Jimmy Health, Gil Evans and more, with arrangements by Chris James. The original recordings inspired much of the music that will be performed and through the performance we hope to inspire the listening of these records. Now we look forward to sharing it with you.

Chris James – Alto Saxophone
Lachlan Alexander – Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Khaled Khan – Trombone
Andrew Garton – Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone
Connor Perkins – Double Bass
Oscar Langton – Drums

Thursday 11 June | 8PM
💵 $20 + booking fee
🚪 Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm
🍺 Licensed bar | All ages (U18 with guardian)
📍 10 Exhibition St, Fortitude Valley

This Thursday, we're welcoming Ibis Records to JMI Live for a very special pop-up shop. 🎷📀

Hand-picked second-hand vinyl, jazz, folk, rock, blues, pop, across decades, pressings, and genres. Every record hand-selected by people who genuinely love music.

Come early, dig deep, find something worth taking home.

🕖 This Thursday 4 June from 7:30pm

https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0XWjP0