Join the New York Jazz Workshop team on this fantastic adventure in Jamaica! We will be playing jazz in a tropical setting surrounded by beauty and nature, enjoying fantastic food, and several unforgettable excursions. We will play music every day and perform for, and possibly with, local residents on the fantastic Winnifred beach.
This program is the winter version of our Jazz Workshop in Italy. Marco Chelo, co-founder of the New York Jazz Workshop, has been a travel agent for half of his life and has been going to Jamaica for 40 years, where he has numerous friends who live on the island, guaranteeing a safe and beautiful experience.
This is not your typical package vacation on some nondescript resort in the Caribbean. We will be staying in a loose cluster of fully staffed villas in the region of Portland. Portland’s beauty is unmatched, with the highest elevation on the island and the Blue Mountain Peak rising to more than 7,400 feet. It is home to Jamaica’s longest coastline and more than 75 caves. There is lush, tropical vegetation as far as the eye can see and a plethora of fruits like banana, mango, coconut, ackee, and breadfruit trees. Then there’s the brilliant turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon, a 180-foot deep extinct volcano awash in surrounding tropical greenery. Tiny Portland, with a population of just over 80,000, is all about the waterfalls, with four of them—Reach, Somerset, Nanny, and Nonsuch Falls.

Participants will delve deeply into rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements of jazz improvisation, all while enjoying all that Jamaica has to offer. This program is perfect for instrumentalists and vocalists with different backgrounds who want to learn and become better musicians and improvisers. Trip highlights include daily music sessions, evening jam sessions, excursions, homemade local meals with fresh vegetables and fruit, and a final concert.
Among the activities are visits to amazing beaches, villages, and waterfalls, tasting the original Jerk Chicken in Boston Bay, and maybe trying your hand at surfing. We will raft down the Rio Grande, have daily jam sessions, and a final concert at the world-famous Winnifred beach. We will accept a maximum of 15 participants, including guests, so we encourage you not to wait too long with your reservation.
There are special activities planned for the guests of the musicians too, so bring your friends and family because there will be plenty to do while the musicians are in session.

The Program

The Jazz Improvisation Workshop In Jamaica will be under the guidance of several stellar musicians and educators from NYC and The Nederland including Marc Mommaas (Tenor Sax/Composition: Co-founder NYJW. Our personalized learning approach focuses on strengthening the participants learning process. Strengths are solidified and weaknesses are addressed in a positive and constructive fashion.

After these 6 days the participant will walk away relaxed and refreshed with a wealth of music knowledge, a tailored goal to aim for, and additional experience in how to communicate on the bandstand. Plus, it will be a lot of FUN! The program is for instrumentalist adults only  and a performance sample needs to be submitted with your registration.

Tuition: 

The price of the program, including lodging, transfer to and from Kingston, teaching, breakfast and dinner in double room occupancy is 

The Price of Tuition Includes: 

Daily Jazz Workshops, Jam Sessions, transfers to and from the airport , accommodation, Final Concert, breakfasts and dinners. 

Accommodation: 

Accommodation in double room occupancy is included in participation rate. However if you want a single room there is a supplement of

Registration: 

To sign up for this the Jazz in Jamaica workshop, fill out this brief registration form Once we confirm the availability for your instrument/type of accommodation a down-payment of $500 will be required to hold your reservation.

Register Now

The Schedule

Day 1

Day 1 – Saturday

Arrival at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and transfer to Port Antonio via a private car or private minibus. Enjoy the beautiful drive along the slopes of the Blue Mountain.
Free time to unpack your luggage and relax by the pool.
Dinner will be served al fresco in the garden with local specialties. (Please inform us in advance of any dietary restrictions.)

Day 2

Sunday 


08:00 am – 09:00 am: Morning swim (optional)
09:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast
10:00 am – 10:30 am: Rhythm at the pool
10:30 am – 01:00 pm: Ensemble playing
01:00 pm – 04:00 pm: Visit to the amazing Frenchman’s Cove (entrance fee $15), walk in the garden, swim in the stream, enjoy the beach, and eat lobster on the beach (not included)
04:00 pm – 05:30 pm: Back in the villas, shower, and rest
05:30 pm – 06:30 pm: Happy hour, enjoy some classic jazz recordings and local vibes while having a drink on the patio
06:30 pm: Dinner
08:00 pm: Optional evening hang / Jam Session in the Porch

Day 3

Monday

08:00 am – 09:00 am: Breakfast
09:00 am – 04:00 pm: Rafting on the Rio Grande with lunch – an unforgettable adventure. Raft and swim in the Rio Grande and have lunch on the slopes of the Blue Mountain.
04:30 pm – 05:30 pm: Back in the villas, shower, and rest
05:30 pm – 06:30 pm: Happy hour, enjoy some classic jazz recordings and local vibes while having a drink on the patio
06:30 pm: Dinner
08:00 pm: Evening hang – Jam Session

Day 4

Tuesday

09:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast
10:00 am – 12:30 pm: Ensemble playing
01:00 pm – 04:00 pm: Visit to Port Antonio. The marina, food market, and artisan market are interesting locations to visit and offer an opportunity to do some shopping. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant.
04:00 pm – 05:30 pm: Back in the villas, shower, and rest
05:30 pm – 06:30 pm: Happy hour, enjoy some classic jazz recordings and local vibes while having a drink on the patio
06:30 pm: Dinner
08:00 pm: Evening hang – Jam Session

Day 5

Wednesday
08:00 am – 09:00 am: Breakfast
09:00 am – 01:00 pm: Living Daylight Jungle Bar and organic farm. Get a machete and come to visit this paradise on earth. We will be hiking in a dense tropical forest canopy rich with fruits and local artifacts. We’ll stop for a refreshment at the very original Living Daylight Jungle Bar.
01:30 pm – 03:00 pm: Back in the villas, shower, and rest
05:30 pm – 06:30 pm: Happy hour, enjoy some classic jazz recordings and local vibes while having a drink on the patio
06:30 pm: Dinner
08:00 pm: Evening hang – Jam Session

Day 6

Thursday
08:00 am – 09:00 am: Morning swim (optional)
09:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakfast
10:00 am – 10:30 am: Rhythm at the pool
10:30 am – 01:00 pm: Ensemble playing
01:00 pm – 02:00 pm: Free lunch time
02:00 pm – 07:00 pm: Excursion to Boston Beach, try your hand at surfing. On the way back, stop at the BBQ pits that made Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork famous all over the world
07:00pm – night cup at the exclusive Bush Bar of JZ fame.

Day 7

Friday
09:00am – 10:00am: Breakfast
10:00am – 12:00pm Ensemble playing
12:00pm – 05:00pm: Beach Party! We are going to the beautiful Winnifred beach, where we will have lunch swim and make some music.
6:00pm: Back in the villas, shower and rest.
7: 00PM Dinner
08:00pm: Evening Hang – Jam Session

Day 8

Saturday
08:00 am – 09:00 am: Breakfast
09:00 am – Departure

Accommodations

There are some incredible options for accommodations during the workshop. Please note that lodging is not included in the price of tuition. The closest option for which we have blocked rooms and should be booked with us are: “Agriturismo La Pineta,” and Casa di Furio, La Pineta is a working Farm/Vineyard where the workshops take place, La Pineta offers single, double, and triple occupancy room, 10 acres of green, a salt water swimming pool nested between the vineyards and an ancient olive grove. La Casa di Furio are beautiful apartments nestled in green with also a great swimming pool. La casa di furio is walking distance from La Pineta. For the guest that book the accommodation with us we offer transportation on a schedule between la Pinteta and la Casa di Furio.

The listed prices are per person and include a daily breakfast (a selection of yogurt, bread, cheese, fruit, coffee), lunch (for example sandwiches, salad, frittata + fruit), and dinner (two courses plus a side dish, dessert, and wine). Please inform us of any allergies, we also offer vegan and gluten free options when requested in advance. *Wine is included during dinner only and other drinks such as beer and sparkling water can be purchased. Given the small numbers of room available we encourage the participants to book double or triple rooms even if they are traveling alone. The rooms are large and the time spent in the rooms is limited—there is also a considerably lower cost. This will allow more people to participate in the program. However, if you don’t want to share a room with someone you don’t know, you can opt for a single or bring a friend.

Rooms (prices per person including breakfast and DinnerSingleDoubleTriple
Heaven Villa – Main Bedroom
Heaven Villa – Large Bedroom
Heaven Villa – Small Bedroom   
The Fun – Main Bedroom
 The Fun – Cottage  
The Fun –
 Aqua Cottage 1
 Acqua Cottage 2   

*All prices are per person, and include breakfast and dinner as well as transportation from the apartment to the location where the workshop will be held.