What people are saying.

  • "At my Summer Jazz Workshops, JB Dyas has consistently been one of the finest faculty members. His students have always respected his knowledge and teaching techniques, and his teaching is reflected in the high level of musicianship demonstrated by his students of all ages. This is the mark of an outstanding teacher."

    — Jamey Aebersold, World Renowned Jazz Pedagogue

  • “JB Dyas is a gift to jazz education. His diligence, drive and professionalism have made him an indispensable, one-man army in the quest to teach this great music to the next generation. JB has done amazing work at some of the best-known jazz institutions in the world. At each stop along his career – from the New World School of the Arts to Miami-Dade College to the Brubeck Institute to the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz – JB has helped guide great musicians, bands and programs, taking them to another level. To top it off, JB is also one of the true gentlemen of jazz. JB serves as an example of jazz excellence. He is one of the greatest jazz educators I have ever met.”

    — Frank Alkyer, Editor and Publisher, DownBeat Magazine

  • “JB Dyas is the consummate professional and has an uncanny ability to reach a wide range of students when teaching various concepts on jazz. I have been an educator myself for over 35 years and have come to learn that there is a difference between someone who teaches jazz versus a real jazz educator. JB is a jazz educator. If you want someone to work with your students to teach them about this music, JB Dyas is an excellent choice.”

    — Carl Allen, Renowned Jazz Drummer and Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri Kansas City

  • "I’m extremely grateful to have studied with JB Dyas early on in my musical journey. Dr. Dyas’ teaching style afforded me a deep understanding of the fundamentals of music, which gave me the tools I needed to have a successful career in the music industry. I highly recommend anyone who’s serious about music to study with JB Dyas; he’s a great teacher. And I really appreciate those jam sessions he held at his house! Those are awesome memories. Thanks JB, I learned so much from you."

    — Ray Angry AKA Mister Goldfinger, Former Student • Renowned recording artist, pianist, producer, and composer

  • "Simply put, I would not be the musician I am today without the benefit of having JB Dyas as one of my teachers. He possesses what all great teachers have beyond the knowledge: the passion, drive, and dedication to bring out the full potential in their students. As my teacher, JB always went the extra mile with me and my peers, from lending us dozens of recordings, providing lessons and other resources in the summer between school semesters so we could keep learning and practicing, having jam session parties at his house, creating performance opportunities for us at a young age, and bringing in incredible guest artists to our school. There are so many musicians out there who have JB to thank for a big part of their development, and I am certainly one of them!"

    — Martin Bejerano, Former Student • Renowned Jazz Piano Recording Artist and Professor of Jazz Piano at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music

  • "I have known JB Dyas for several decades now and have always recognized him as a leader, an organizer, an amazing performer and an innovator of jazz education. At the many schools where he has presided over, JB’s curriculums are the best I have seen. He has a sixth sense of what works and what is needed for each student. JB has a real knowledge of the tradition while keeping his finger on the pulse of what is coming next."

    — Jerry Bergonzi, Renowned Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist and Professor of Jazz Studies at the New England Conservatory of Music

  • "To this day, much of the way I frame musical ideas in an educational context is directly inspired by my experience working with JB Dyas. I remember being in high school and touring with the Herbie Hancock Institute’s peer-to-peer program, and the way JB framed jazz, musical forms, and improvisation was incredibly inspiring."

    — Kris Bowers, Former Student • Renowned Jazz Piano Recording Artist, Film Scorer, and Composer for the 2019 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture "The Green Book”

  • "I have huge respect for JB Dyas as a jazz educator and musician. Besides being an excellent bassist, he is very knowledgeable about jazz in general, and knows how to skillfully present jazz concepts ranging from basic to advanced. I am impressed with the patience and clarity with which he teaches, and also with his sense of detail. He is very skilled with all ages and levels, but his clear sense of structure/pedagogy is especially helpful for musicians in the early stages. I'm always enthusiastic to recommend JB for any educational situation!"

    — Don Braden, Renowned Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist and Director of the Litchfield Jazz Camp

  • “Over the years, I’ve enjoyed working closely and extensively with JB under the auspices of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s national jazz education programs. He’s a most dedicated jazz educator who’s devoted himself to the uplift of both the music and its aspiring young musicians.”

    — Bobby Broom, Renowned Jazz Guitar Recording Artist and Professor of Jazz Guitar at Northern Illinois University

  • "1e-and-ah-2e-ah-e-ah-e-and-ah! JB’s method helped me become an excellent sight reader. Till this day, I use his technique and also have my students do the same. I also learned how to play with dynamics because of him – I can remember my very first steady weekend gig playing at the East Coast Fisheries restaurant in Miami with the JB Dyas Trio while I was still in high school like it was yesterday! The very first set, first song, JB whispered in my ear, 'you either learn how to play soft or this will be your last time playing here.' Guess who learned how to tip!"

    — Obed Calvaire, Former Student • Renowned Jazz Drummer and Recording Artist

  • "Thank you, Dr. Dyas. Your energy, passion, and encyclopedic knowledge of all things jazz is truly a sight and sound to behold."

    — Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education

  • "I first had the pleasure of experiencing JB’s inspiring teaching as a student at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and again later when I served as the guest artist on one of his national peer-to-peer tours. Undeniably passionate, JB has a wonderfully original and effective method of explaining the fundamentals and important values of the art form."

    — Gerald Clayton, Renowned Jazz Piano Recording Artist

  • “Working with Dr. Dyas opened my mind to understanding professionalism on a whole different level. He didn't just see us as students, he saw us as fully operating artists, but still guided us through this industry with discipline and refinement – only wanting and expecting the best for us."

    — Isaiah Collier, Former Student • Renowned Jazz Saxophonist and DownBeat 5-Star Review Recording Artist

  • "I have had the privilege to teach side-by-side with JB Dyas over the years at such top level jazz workshops as the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop and the Brubeck Institute's Summer Jazz Colony. As always, JB continues to be a most dedicated, passionate and highly effective jazz educator. Both students and faculty colleagues always enjoy interacting with JB on musical, educational and social levels. He is a special teacher."

    — Steve Davis, Renowned Jazz Trombone Recording Artist and Educator

  • "I have had the pleasure of working with JB, presenting jazz educational programs in public schools. I am impressed with his ability to relate and connect with the students. He gets them to appreciate music that most have not been exposed to before. He makes it relevant to them."

    — Robin Eubanks, Renowned Jazz Trombone Recording Artist and Educator

  • "Dr. JB Dyas is a staple in jazz education. Having been around him during my high school years on several of his national peer-to-peer tours, I learned many things that would later help me to become the musician I am today – ideas and exercises I still use now."

    — James Francies, Former Student • Blue Note Jazz Piano Recording Artist

  • "JB Dyas is the quintessential jazz educator, who has been on the forefront of pioneering many of the groundbreaking jazz artists of today."

    — Tia Fuller, Renowned Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist and Artistic Director of the Ensemble Department at the Berklee College of Music

  • "JB Dyas is a brilliant educator who has played a critical role in the creative sustainability of one of America’s greatest cultural contributions to the world, Jazz! As an educator, he has ensured that several generations of young artists have established a deep understanding of the fundamentals of jazz and the greater social value that is embedded at the heart of the music. As an administrator, he has been at the forefront of the creation of many of the most innovative educational platforms which have allowed young artists to discover their authentic voices."

    — Stefon Harris, Renowned Jazz Vibraphone Recording Artist and Eminent Jazz Educator

  • "I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Dyas for several years with the Herbie Hancock Institute. We toured around the country with several all-star high school bands, and many of those students went on to attend the top music colleges and have become important new stars on the music scene today. Dr. Dyas made my life easy because he did much of the work with the students before I even arrived. He did all the logistics for travel, hotels, music preparation, and rehearsals. Dr. Dyas has become a significant influence on me, and I'm thankful for our time working together. He has to be one of the most selfless and dedicated individuals I've ever worked with. It is a true blessing to know an individual dedicated to his students' growth as good people, servants to humanity, and representatives of this American art form on the highest level. Educators like Dr. Dyas are rare today, and we thank him for all he continues to do."

    — Antonio Hart, Renowned Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist and Director of Jazz Studies at Queens College

  • "JB Dyas was a prominent part of my jazz education as I attended the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. He came to teach us about programs that we could apply for as young jazz scholars. I very much enjoyed his advice and presentations."

    — Jazzmeia Horn, Renowned Jazz Vocalist and Recording Artist

  • "I’ve been lucky to share the road, the stage and the classroom with JB over many years of path crossings in the realm of Jazz education and beyond. Without fail, his inspirational spirit lifts and fills every room as his infectious energy for learning and absorbing the joy of this music spreads like good wildfire."

    — Ingrid Jensen, Renowned Jazz Trumpet Recording Artist and Director of Jazz Arts at the Manhattan School of Music

  • "In my 20 years of teaching, I’ve noticed that there are very few jazz educators who are truly effective on all fronts, that is, those who have the musicianship, the pedagogical awareness, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively. JB Dyas is one of the greatest examples of a truly consummate educator, covering all the bases."

    — Sean Jones, Renowned Jazz Trumpet Recording Artist and Chair of Jazz Studies at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University

  • "JB Dyas is extremely passionate about jazz education and he has helped set countless players (such as myself) on their course as young improvisors. I am a huge fan of the organized way he focuses on the study of the standard repertoire and the recordings of the masters, thus imparting the gift of language to young players. MANY of his students have gone on to use this language to say new and beautiful things, and THAT of course is the strongest evidence of a masterful teacher!"

    — Jonathan Kreisberg, Former Student • Renowned Jazz Guitar Recording Artist

  • "JB Dyas ignited my love and appreciation for jazz by breaking it down to basics that were easy for me to grasp as a teenager. His immense respect for the genre mixes with his encyclopedic knowledge of the music and his genuine love for teaching. I was schooled on JB’s tenets for practicing, musicianship, and team-building at a young age, and I have carried all of those principles with me into my professional life. I owe a large debt of gratitude to JB for shaping me into the musician I am today, and I can say the same for the countless other jazzers working in the field who were fortunate enough to study under his tutelage."

    —Alex Lacamoire, Former Student • Jazz Pianist, Broadway Musical Director, Grammy and Tony Award Winning Orchestrator of “Hamilton” and “In the Heights,” and Kennedy Center Honoree

  • "One of the things that I’ve tried to become better at as a bassist is being able to transpose songs on the spot. Bass players do not have the luxury of hearing the changes on the first beat of each bar. It is US who have to the play the change on the first beat of each bar. After being around JB in a professional capacity for so many years, I can say that he has numerous strengths and concepts as a teacher, but his method of teaching harmonic progression is one of the most clear and comprehensible methods I’ve ever seen. He is one of the best teachers I’ve ever been around, and I’m sure his past, current and future students will agree.

    — Christian McBride, Internationally Renowned Jazz Bassist, Recording Artist, Composer, Broadcaster, and Educator

  • "JB Dyas has been a tireless force in jazz education for many years, and continues to nurture this music we all love so deeply."

    — Chris Potter, Renowned Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist

  • "JB Dyas is one of the best educators in the business! An important component of teaching is trust. JB’s enthusiastic approach, filled with knowledge and passion, not only gains trust of the students he’s teaching, but provides a safe place to be vulnerable and absorb the wisdom imparted. Thank you, JB, for being a great role model and mentor to the jazz community."

    — Terell Stafford, Renowned Jazz Trumpet Recording Artist and Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University

  • “JB Dyas is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable jazz educators there is. A great clinician, he knows the history and the methodology for learning jazz. He has a gift for boiling things down into their most salient elements and then providing a ready path to mastery. He shows teachers how to teach and students how to learn."

    — Tom Walsh, Saxophone Recording Artist and Chair of Jazz Studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music

  • "I have had the honor and privilege to work alongside of JB Dyas in the jazz education arena for over 20 years via the Herbie Hancock Institute. During that time, I have witnessed JB encourage, inspire, enlighten, and lead many young musicians into the art form. He has an incredible list of successful alumni and students who are all becoming the leading jazz voices of tomorrow. JB Dyas is an innovator of jazz pedagogy and truly one of the leading jazz educators and mentors of the 21st century."

    — Bobby Watson, Eminent Jazz Saxophone Recording Artist, Composer, and Educator