Greg Fishman Jazz Studios - How it all started...

After more than 20 years of teaching jazz improvisation at many schools throughout Chicagoland, as well as out of my home,
I started to form in my mind the idea of the perfect environment in which to teach and study music. I wanted to build something
extraordinary....somthing that would be unlike any other private teaching studio I'd ever seen.

The opportunity came with the expansion of PM Woodwind Repair, Inc.at 822 Custer Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60202. Paul Maslin, owner of PM Woodwind Repair, wanted to set up a world-class pro-level saxophone repair and sales shop, and he's done just that. After all, what could be a better location for my dream studio than the best repair shop in the country? Greg Fishman Jazz Studios is located at 824 Custer Avenue, sharing the retail space with PM Woodwind Repair. My students can literally step outside my studio door and purchase reeds, mouthpieces, accessories, and try through one of the largest selections of vintage Selmer MK VI's in the world.

My teaching philosophy is simple: Jazz is a language. The goal of any language is communication, and the way that you learn to speak a language on a native level is by total immersion in that language. Jazz is a language in sound. The most important thing you can do is to train your ear to recognize the different sounds used in jazz and then express your thoughts, feelings and emotions with those sounds on your instrument. I've set up my studio to reflect these beliefs, and as a result, it's the perfect environment in which to study the great art form of jazz.
September 2004 - Construction begins! The room's dimensions are chosen, and the back wall is put up. The room's frame is completed.
The electrical work is completed and the roof beams added. Just one more wall of drywall and the outside of the room is ready for painting.
The drywall is completed on the inside of the room. Next we paint and install the light fixtures and switches. With the room almost ready, I set out to find a great piano. I tried 30 pianos and picked my favorite one - a Kawai studio model!
Next, I set the room up with stereo and recording equipment, a bass amp, my electric bass, and a TV for viewing historic jazz videos. Every student receives a CD recording of his lesson. For visual inspiration, I've lined the walls of the studio with vintage LPs--yes, the LPs are in the jackets! I also set up a full Mac and PC workstation, with Finale, and a huge collection of jazz CDs, so there's always great music to listen to and discuss during the lessons.
January, 2005 - Greg Fishman Jazz Studios is now open for business! Sean Rholl, an excellent student, was one of the first people I taught in the new studio. Will McKenna, another excellent student enjoys his improv lesson with me at the piano. My dream teaching studio is finally complete! Call today to reserve your lesson time slot. (847)334-3634.
It was a great honor to have Dave Liebman, one of my former teachers come by and see the studio, and endorse my book, as well! Dave is a constant source of inspiration. I've known James Moody since I was 18 years old! He's another of my former teachers, and just an incredible human being. Moody is ageless! Moody stopped by the studio in September to have his horn repaired by Paul Maslin at PM Woodwind Repair.

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