Easy Piano Styles

Debbie Gruber has been my piano teacher for the past 7 1/2 months. By way of background, I am in my late 60s, and while having taken classical piano lessons as a child and teen, I never progressed much on the instrument, dabbling here and there over the years. Ive always loved jazz and finally decided to bite the bullet and try jazz piano lessons last January. I found Debbie on a site listing local jazz piano teachers, and I contacted her. I lucked out--she is a superb teacher, not to mention a talented jazz pianist and singer who performs frequently. She started me off on the (sorely needed) basics, with chord progressions, scales and arpeggios, which has improved my technique to the point that my brother, a jazz clarinetist not given to hyperbole, was astounded this summer at how much progress I ve made on the piano since he last saw me over the holidays. Debbie and I have also worked on several jazz standards which make practicing enjoyable, and speaking of practice, she has given me some extremely helpful techniques for successful practicing--which, though so important, few teachers focus on. Debbie is versatile and flexible; when I asked her recently to help me learn to harmonize, she embraced the request with enthusiasm, and I am already feeling the results of her ear training. Personally, Debbie is very warm, dedicated, patient and refreshingly balanced in her feedback; she provides praise when warranted, and constructive feedback when needed. In closing Ill simply say that I couldnt ask for a better teacher.