Jazz piano sounds exciting until it hits you:
"Uhh... where do I start?"
What if the best starting point was much more achievable and clear than you ever thought possible?
And gave you the real-world skills to sound like you’re playing real jazz, right away?
(And without needing a PhD in jazz, music theory, years of experience, or guessing what all of those weird looking chord symbols mean.)
WARNING: May cause unexpected confidence, rhythmic head-bopping, and friends saying, “Wait… that was YOU playing?!"
Every Beginner's Questions:
“Were the hell do I even start with jazz piano?!”
"Why does everything I know from Classical piano feel useless when I try jazz piano?"
"Why is there no clear roadmap or process for jazz beginners?"
Well...
Congrats! You've officially earned your badge in Advanced Jazz Confusion.
And I'm here to tell you that IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
You just haven’t been shown the right foundation, or what actually sets you up for real success.
Here's the truth nobody tells you starting out in jazz:
Most jazz courses and teachers confuse teaching with showing off instead.
This one’s a real heartbreaker. They will hypnotize you with lush sounding chords and fast licks…
…then leave you with ZERO idea for how to actually do it yourself.
Which is just criminal and absolutely ABSURD. And the practice plan? Forget it. You’re on your own.
Some even throw you straight into tunes you have no business touching yet, and you wouldn't even know why you're not ready otherwise.
Or, they bury you under a mountain of chord/scale theory that’s basically musical tax codes...and they're not even musical!
Others skip the basics entirely — because apparently, you're supposed to "already know that stuff."
(Spoiler: you probably don’t. And that’s totally fine.)
And they all assume you will be able to figure everything else out from there.
I'm here to tell you that it is NOT your fault.
YOU HAVE BEEN LIED TO AND MISLEAD.
The system is broken, and the vast majority of teachers simply don't even have a clear path themselves.
Yes, there IS a solution!
I have some great news:
I packed DECADES of playing and teaching into one straightforward, step-by-step course that takes out all of the mystery and confusion.
I’ll show you how to start playing and improvising right away, so you’re not stuck drowning in theory, or learning complex standard jazz tunes that are way over your head.
If you don’t have a rock-solid foundation, every new tune just adds to the confusion.
This is the same process I only WISH I had when I came into jazz from a long and rigid Classical background.
No fluff. No mystery. Just a realistic proven path to get started right away and feel confident, even if you have never improvised before.
Hi, I'm Justin Highland
When I first dove into jazz, I was a Classical piano performance major with over 14 years of experience, and ZERO CLUE how to improvise or play jazz.
Wanting to try jazz, I got tossed into my university's Jazz Big Band, full of players who actually knew what they were doing.
It was intimidating and nerve-wracking, to say the least... lead sheets and charts were being passed around with strange looking chord symbols...
While I was hopelessly trying to construct chords I had never really played before. I tried to fake it, hoping nobody notice. I was praying I wouldn't get called on to solo.
Of course, the director then called on me to solo soon after starting the very first tune...
My mind went completely blank. My entire body went into shock.
14 years of piano training VANISHED IN AN INSTANT. It was a BRUTAL wake-up call...
Fast-forward 15+ years later after becoming a working jazz musician, and teaching hundreds of students worldwide from total beginners to advanced players in every style.
I can say with 100% confidence, starting with the Blues isn’t just a cliché.
It’s the best foundation possible you could ever have for jazz. It teaches and prepares you for EVERYTHING you need to play real jazz.
Because here's the truth:
Beginners have no clue where to even begin.
When they ask what jazz songs they should learn, they're given tons of (completely and terribly wrong) advice to learn complex standards like Misty, All of Me, or Autumn Leaves way too soon.
And quickly find out those tunes are far more than they ever expected.
The result?
They end up being completely overwhelmed and confused.
What's worse: they end up getting stuck, frustrated, and wondering why jazz feels next to impossible.
And soon after that, it's an endless maze of Theory, books, YouTube tutorials, overwhelm, and so much conflicting advice it’s a jazz mental breakdown waiting to happen—hair-pulling is 100% guaranteed.
And that’s where this course comes in.
It cuts through literally all of that icky confusion and overwhelm, and actually teaches you how to learn and play real jazz from day one, right away.
Why the Blues though?
Every great jazz pianist — from Oscar Peterson to Herbie Hancock — started with the Blues. It’s not just a style; it’s the foundation of the entire language of jazz.
The Blues form shows up everywhere in standards, jam sessions, and gigs. If you can feel at home in a Blues, you’re automatically way ahead of the curve when it comes to learning standard jazz tunes, improvising, and playing with other musicians.
ALMOST ALL BEGINNERS DON'T REALIZE THIS...
They jump straight into standards like “Autumn Leaves,” “All of Me,” or “Blue Bossa” and quickly find themselves drowning in chord changes, unsure what to play in the right hand, left hand, or both.
It’s easy to bite off more than you can chew and end up incredibly confused and frustrated.
Starting with the Blues flips that script. It’s the simplest, most forgiving form to improvise over, and it develops nearly every core skill you’ll need for more complex jazz tunes later, including:
Strong swing feel, time, rhythm groove, articulation, ear training, hand independence, and an instinct for strong improvisation skills.
THOSE ARE SKILLS YOU WILL NEED AND USE ON EVERY JAZZ TUNE YOU EVER PLAY.
On top of that, Blues tunes make up a huge chunk of the jazz repertoire (about 1/3) and are almost always called at jam sessions (it’s traditional for the house band to kick off the night with a blues tune) and other musicians.
In short, the Blues is the best foundation and preparation you could EVER have for jazz playing. Master it first and everything else becomes a whole lot easier and way more fun.
Here's what my course gives you that all the others don't:
• The one jazz form you MUST know in order to play any other kind of jazz tune.
• The two Blues scales you can use, so that your improv doesn’t sound like guesswork.
• The secret weapon beginners completely ignore.
• Learn the RIGHT ways and actual principles of improvisation, so you can start having fun and have endless creativity over your favorite tunes.
• The two major things you MUST include in your playing to sound like a real jazz players such as Miles Davis, Emmet Cohen, Herbie Hancock.
• The two techniques to make your jazz playing make sense for making sure your solos don't like scales, or a bunch of random notes with no direction.
• No more "hoping for the best" with practicing or when you're improvising, you'll know how to structure your practice and how to actually practice improvisation.
If other courses feel like they’re made for “late beginners,” this one is designed for the actual starting point.
So you can play real jazz right away, with a crystal clear, step-by-step path and to move forward with confidence.
My testimonials say this course unlocked jazz for them in ways nothing else or other courses have done before.
But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself:
"Thank you, thank you for starting at the very basics.
I have tried to do so many other courses, and even though I'm Classically trained and I probably should know all of this stuff, I don't because you don't learn it as a Classical pianist.
So thank you for starting right at the beginning. I feel like I have a great foundation and I'm excited to see what's next."
- Marina Gabor
"I wanted to learn jazz piano. For years I tried transcribing, memorizing fakebook tunes, but it didn't get me very far. Justin’s course changed that.
I'm super pleased with it, the materials are very, very clear. I've been a professor for 35 years, and this is excellent teaching."
- Charles Grogg
So that's why I created...
Here's how this course will TRANSFORM
your playing and improvisation skills:
• Know EXACTLY where to start with jazz, and sound like a real jazz player in a matter of days without learning a bunch of Theory first.
• Learn powerful improvisation techniques you can use on ANY jazz tune, and have endless creativity without the overwhelm.
• Make learning tunes 10x easier, after learning the 4 critical and foundational skills taught in each module.
• Discover the exact tunes you should learn first, so you don't waste time trying to play things that are over your head.
• How to make good rhythm and groove a part of you and your playing forever, using swing and jazz rhythms, instead of “Classical but…weird.”
• Learn improv techniques so powerful that they tell a captivating story, without memorizing a single copied phrase. And you can use the techniques on ANY tune you ever play.
• Walk away with all of the skills to sound like you “get” jazz, and the ability and confidence to play at any jam session, even if you have never played at a jam session or gig in your life.
What's Waiting Inside
1-hour of video lessons to guide you step-by-step, and give you 30 + years of distilled experience, expertise and insight.
4 Modules — No filler, just exactly what you need to get off the ground running with confidence from day one:
• Mod 1 — Why the Blues is the foundational key to jazz freedom.
• Mod 2 — The secrets to sounding pro (they're not what you think).
• Mod 3 — Improv made simple: craft compelling ideas, using time-tested Compositional techniques.
• Mod 4 — The Full Sound Formula: combining the secret weapon beginners ignore with improvisation to play with confidence, groove and a pro-level sound.
PDF Worksheets loaded with practical, effective exercises. And hacks to make practicing way more fun and productive. (Yes, they're typed and notated correctly. Your eyes will thank me.)
🎉 BONUSES 🎉
• “Listening with Purpose” Guide ($10 value) — You might not think listening has any relevance. But I can tell you first hand, it's one of the most important things you could do especially as a beginner, and will help you learn jazz in many different ways.
This guide teaches you how to listen to jazz recordings, how to train your ears, and will help accelerate your progress. I can't stress enough how important listening is to your development. You can make progress even when you're away from the piano.
• The Ultimate Jazz Piano Listening Guide ($15 value) — Take a deep dive through the entire history of jazz piano, from the beginnings through the modern day. Explanations of each era, style and genre with direct links of multiple hand-picked listening examples by me.
Learn about jazz genres and styles, meet the major pianists who defined them, and get familiar with the iconic repertoire of jazz standards and tunes. The guide will help get you familiar with jazz repertoire, develop your preferences in jazz, and much more.
• Jazz Terms Glossary ($10 value) — Over 170 jazz terms and slang, defined and decoded. No more smiling and nodding when someone says “Tritone sub,” “Head,” or “Blowing.” This is your jazz compendium for being able to understand and communicate jazz lingo, ya dig?
• Access to the private Discord community: This is your dedicated space to get personal access to me and to connect, share, and grow as a jazz musician and connect with a like-minded jazz community. Ask questions, share wins, upload videos of your progress, and connect with other like-minded jazz nerds.
Course Support: Ask questions, share progress, and get insights on lessons.
Community Connection: Collaborate with like-minded musicians and exchange tips.
Exclusive Content: Access bonus exercises, live Q&A sessions, and general resources.
Motivation & Feedback: Share your recordings and get constructive feedback from peers and from me personally.
STANDARD
$97
Bonuses and Discord access not included
Complete step-by-step course, 4 modules, 1 hour of lesson videos
PDF Worksheets with exercises for each module
Lifetime access
PRO
$127
MOST POPULAR
BONUSES: ($60 value)
• Ultimate Jazz Piano Listening Guide
• Listening with Purpose Guide
• Jazz Terms Glossary
• Private Discord community access
Complete step-by-step course: 4 modules, 1 hour of lesson videos
PDF Worksheets with exercises for each module
Lifetime access
Yep, I anticipated these FAQs:
If you have never touched a piano before, this unfortunately isn’t for you. You will need basic piano skills; be able to play with both hands, know what a chord and scale is, and knowing your way around the keyboard a bit — the PDFs are fully notated.
However, if you're not so great at reading music, that's fine and it isn't completely necessary. I demonstrate every single PDF example on the keyboard in the videos so you get the same benefits, even if your reading skills aren't great.
You need to know what a scale and a chord is, and be able to find middle C without GPS. Beyond that, no. I will walk you through the exact theory you need for jazz and skip the textbook overload that makes most people quit.
Yes! This course is designed with Classical pianists in mind, as that was my background. You will finally know exactly where to start, what to focus on and exactly what to practice, all without abandoning your Classical chops.
Everyone is different, but if you actually put in the work and stay consistent, you will start sounding like a jazz pianist in a matter of days to weeks, not years.
Stick with it, and these skills won’t just be a phase — they will become part of your playing and guide your jazz playing for life.
Not for this particular course, no. It's not a “watch it once and never use it again” kind of thing. It's not even the price of one private lesson with me, or most any other experienced teacher or pro.
You get lifetime access, all the materials, and a crystal clear, structured roadmap to actually start playing jazz right away. These skills stick with you and are the foundation of your jazz journey, for life. You will ALWAYS come back to playing the Blues and using the things you learn from it on ANY tune you ever play!
Fear not! There is really no way someone can get stuck with a course this clear and organized. It's just a matter of practice and getting used to the rhythms, swing, groove, feel and coordinating your hands together (which is the hard part of playing piano in general), which everyone learning jazz goes through.
You're not alone and can jump into the private Discord server (if you use or know about Slack, it's very similar) where you can ask questions and get direct answers from me personally, upload clips of your playing for feedback, and connect with other music nerds who get exactly what you’re going through.
This community and I have your back to help you keep moving forward, and enjoy the ride.
Let's put all of this into perspective...
Private mentoring or coaching with me? Easily $6,000 a year or more.
Top jazz schools like Berklee or The New School charge $10,000 + per semester, and you still won’t get this level of clarity and focus.
What if you didn't have to rely on guesswork, spend years of your life and schooling, and thousands of dollars on lessons or tuition?
Beginners DO NOT need more Theory, books and overwhelm.
They need a clear, practical path to build real jazz piano skills the right way, FAST.
I really don't want you to have to do that, or miss out on this incredible opportunity.
So here it is: The Beginner Jazz Piano Bluesprint, your complete foundation course for jazz piano, in just ONE HOUR.
All for a one-time payment of $67.
That's less than the rate of a 1-hour private lesson with me, other teachers, or pros.
I want you to ask yourself: what would it do for you right now if you had all of the tools, techniques, and know-how to know exactly where to start, and have the skills you learn translate to every aspect of your jazz and improvisation journey, for life?
Wouldn't that be worth it?
Let’s finally handle this part of your playing, FOR GOOD, and make you sound GREAT.
Just click the button below to get started.
Most any other beginner jazz course? They literally just teach you a bunch of boring theory and string pieces together with no real direction.
You play a phrase, it kind of works (but not really)… so you just keep going and hope it will all fall into place from there.
But what if you didn’t have to do ANY guesswork?
I want you to ask yourself:
What would it do for you if you could have the tools, techniques, and the know-how to have the most rock-solid foundation possible, and improvise with total confidence — cutting out YEARS of wasted time, frustration and confusion?
Because that’s what this course actually delivers.
Just a crystal-clear framework that shows you how to think and sound like a creative improviser, right away.
If you have no idea where to start, have been fumbling through basics, or are just tired of feeling stuck right out of the gate, this is your fix.
You will get real clarity and understand how the Blues connects to just about every jazz tune you will ever play.
You're in the right place if:
✅ Jazz feels like a foreign language and you have no idea where to start.
✅ You’re coming from Classical and are struggling with where to start with jazz piano.
✅ You want a clear, step-by-step, structured process to start playing jazz.
✅ Feel overwhelmed with too many options and don’t know what will actually move you forward.
✅ Want to start improvising and playing jazz with confidence, not just playing aimlessly.
STANDARD
$97
Bonuses and Discord access not included
Complete step-by-step course, 4 modules, 1 hour of lesson videos
PDF Worksheets with exercises for each module
Lifetime access
PRO
$127
MOST POPULAR
BONUSES: ($60 value)
• Ultimate Jazz Piano Listening Guide
• Listening with Purpose Guide
• Jazz Terms Glossary
• Private Discord Community Access
Complete step-by-step course: 4 modules, 1 hour of lesson videos
PDF Worksheets with exercises for each module
Lifetime access
