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About our tutors

Buster Birch

L2PJ Founder and Lead Tutor

7 years as a visiting Jazz Professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music. Multiple award-winning jazz educator. 27 books published. Director of the UK's largest adult jazz summer school. Co-Founder and Lead Tutor for BYMT Jazz School for Children. 

Prof Chris Allard

Guest Tutor

Professor of Jazz Guitar at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama. 

Visiting jazz professor at the Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Middlesex University and visiting tutor at the Academy of Contemporary Music and the London Centre of Contemporary Music. Much in demand session player 

Tommaso Starace

Guest Tutor

Highly respected jazz musician in UK and Europe. Awarded Honorary Membership of Birmingham Conservatoire of Music in recognition of significant contributions made to the music profession. Graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Prof Byron Wallen

Guest Tutor

Visiting Jazz Professor at many UK music conservatoires

Nominated for MOBO Awards and BBC Best Band and Best Album

BBC Innovation in Jazz award


Julian Nicholas

Guest Tutor

Member of Loose Tubes and The Cloggz. Former Head of Jazz Studies at Chichester College. BAFTA nominated film score composer. Assistant Director of The UK's largest jazz summer school. 

Prof Malcolm Earle Smith

Guest Tutor

Professor of Jazz at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music since 2007. Crowned "The new King of Scat" by the Guardian Newspaper (April 2022).

Prof Mark Armstrong

Guest Tutor

Royal College of Music Jazz Professor. Former Artistic Director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Chief Examiner for the ABRSM national music exam board

Michael Horner

Guest Tutor

Graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Much in demand jazz pianist, accompanist and arranger. 

Prof Nick Smart

Guest Tutor

Head of Jazz Programmes at the Royal Academy of Music. Grammy Nominated Artist. Internationally renowned jazz educator, trumpeter and conductor who has given guest masterclasses and performances around the world.

Simon Allen

Guest Tutor

Head of Jazz Studies at the prestigious Purcell School of Music since 2014 and much in demand UK jazz and session saxophonist.

Prof Simon Purcell

Guest Tutor

International Chair in Improvisation at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Formerly Head of Jazz at Trinity-Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance from 2005-2017. Member of the Pop and Jazz Steering Group for the Association of European Conservatoires from 2009-2018. 

Prof Steve Waterman

Guest Tutor

Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Trinity College of Music in London. Visiting Jazz Trumpet specialist at The Royal Northern College of Music. Visiting Jazz Trumpet specialist at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. ECM recording artist

Prof Tori Freestone

Guest Tutor

Professor in Jazz performance and Jazz composition at Leeds Conservatoire of Music. Visiting lecturer at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Visiting Tutor at the Royal Academy of Music. 

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