“If you don’t make mistakes you’re not really trying..”
— Coleman Hawkins
The Cambridge Jazz Co-op is an informal group of keen, local jazz musicians that meet on Saturday afternoons in Cambridge, England to play under the guidance and tuition of professional/prestigious jazz tutors/performers.
Every Saturday session now takes place between 10:30am and 1:00pm, (please note NEW timings), including a short refreshments break, at the William Collyn Community Centre. Click here for directions.
Check out our current programme of visiting Jazz Tutors here.
Although each Saturday session varies, the visiting tutor will typically supply the Jazz Co-op with a couple of compositions to play through. The compositions themselves can be jazz standards but can also be compositions penned by the tutors themselves. The pieces are then performed by the Jazz Co-op with the group often playing the main theme together, followed by each of the attendees taking a solo over the form supported by the rhythm section.
The composition of the attendees varies from week to week, but usually there about 10-15 players comprising a rhythm section and front line players.
There is no pressure on any individual to either play the theme or take a solo – it is up to the confidence of the player concerned. The point about taking a solo is not to impress the rest of the members, but to improve one’s performance and, depending on your level, get more comfortable playing in a group situation.
Each session is £20.00 for over 2 hours tuition and advice from some of the very best pro jazz musicians in Britain.
If you have a question that is not answered in our FAQ, please feel free to e-mail us here.