Specialties
Jake teaches jazz and other popular piano styles to all ages & experience levels. He emphasizes practical learning without adhering to a strict curriculum--learn what you want when you want it, & what you need when you need it.
Specialties:
- Fundamentals
- read, write & internalize notes, rhythms, key signatures & musical terminology
- learn scales, intervals, chords & arpeggios
- play in time, practice efficiently & effectively
- train by ear
- be confident at the piano alone or in a group
- listen to and analyze songs
- Jazz theory & harmony
- harmonize melodies, re-harmonize chord progressions
- learn voice leading
- move quickly & gracefully from chord to chord
- navigate melodies, then improvise your own
- maximal performance, minimal effort
- Songs & grooves in a wide variety of styles
- jazz
- funk
- blues
- rock
- gospel
- soul
- latin
- beginning classical
- odd-meter
Flexible rates/hours.
History
Established in 2002.
Jake fell in love with the languages of music theory, harmony, melody and rhythm early in life and found teaching piano to be a natural fit, as it allows him to explain his favorite concepts to others on a regular basis.
He studied music at Stanford University, and started teaching privately in 2005 while still in school. He graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in Music with Honors in Composition, and currently teaches Zoom lessons from his studio in S.F., CA. In addition to his private teaching practice, Jake has 15 years of experience as an assistant lecturer for Stanford jazz program director Jim Nadel's Continuing Studies Program Jazz Listening class (2003-2019), and 4 years of experience as a rhythm section and piano coach for Stanford Jazz Workshop's Giant Steps middle school big band (2015-2018).
Jake also teaches online through his YouTube channel and on Patreon.
Jake has performed with many Bay Area jazz, rock and soul groups, and hopes to be back out there playing music soon!
Meet the Business Owner: Jake S.
Jake Smolowe is a Bay Area pianist, teacher and composer living in San Francisco. A student of jazz from a young age, Jake is passionate about furthering the art form through performance and education. He has toured throughout the U.S and Canada with various artists, including internationally renowned blues harpist and vocalist John Németh, and appears on organ as a contributing artist on Németh's 2010 release, "Name The Day."
As a composer, Jake has scored music for documentaries, animated short films and webcomics, and has also written for big band, small jazz ensembles and solo piano. Some of his influences are:
Brad Mehldau
Geoffrey Keezer
Art Blakey
Chopin
Robert Glasper
Herbie Hancock
Bill Evans
J.S. Bach
The Bad Plus
Terence Blanchard
Jacob Collier
Peter Apfelbaum
Michael Brecker
Joshua Redman
McCoy Tyner
Jake loves playing and teaching music and plans to do so for the rest of his life. Contact him today to find out how he can help you learn to play the music you love!