Novu Jazz Academy Reviews 27

Took away learning more about voicings/ writing than improvisation (which was what I originally intended). However what I learnt on this topic was invaluable and was an enjoyable experience and if the opportunity presents itself I would love to continue learning writing/ jazz harmonisation under Charlie.

I have played piano for years now, and I used to gig a good bit. I found Charlie online through social media, and I have been impressed with his program. I've taken the online lessons, and I just completed the 10 week program. I really liked that Charlie is able to curtail lessons based on where you are and what you want to learn. He has a lot of great tools and expertise, 'tricks of the trade', and it's really helpful when learning new concepts. I learned a lot about the theory behind voicings, spread voicings, exceptions to those voicings, etc. We covered 3-4 jazz standards, and I was able to use concepts learned there to really improve my playing. Outside of the music piece, Charlie is professional and has great communication skills. He has been very accommodating for my schedule changes, and he has been upfront and straightforward with all of our business commitments. For anyone who plays and wants to really get better, I highly recommend Charlie. I decided to do another 10 weeks and it was exactly as described, very informative, helpful and just an overall great experience.

I did a 10-lesson bundle with Charlie a couple months ago, and I still find myself thinking about things he said:)
From the very first session, he took the time to really understand where I was coming from - the initial assessment was thoughtful and thorough, which made the whole journey feel intentional.
The vibe during lessons is great: relaxed, focused, and super dynamic. He knows how to adjust the pace and direction based on what you need in the moment.
Charlie is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and professional - and he really knows how to meet you where you are.
There’s something refreshing about learning from a real person rather than an online course - especially someone like Charlie, who brings the “rules” of jazz into a living, breathing context.
He helped me make sense of things that felt scattered before, and gave me tools that actually feel musical, not just theoretical.
If you’re looking to deepen your playing and understanding of jazz, I highly recommend working with him.

I've been learning from Charlie here and there throughout the past couple of years, and I've come out of every lesson with a deeper knowledge and appreciation of piano, jazz, and just music in general.

Charlie is classically trained, but he goes even beyond that to expand his own personal knowledge and experience in all aspects of music. This translates perfectly in his style of teaching and he is able to uniquely tailor your learning experience based on what you want out of the lessons and what he thinks would be best for you to learn.

Highly recommend to anyone dedicated to learning piano, jazz, and just increasing their love and understanding for music!!

Overall, my experience with Novu Music Academy and Charlie Tran has been incredibly positive, helpful, and enjoyable! In music, especially jazz, it’s difficult to make consistent progress without a good mentor. Charlie is an amazing musician and an even better teacher. He is always positive, motivates me when I’m struggling, and pushes me to improve in every class. He tailors his lessons to align with your personal goals and is always available to help and answer any questions or concerns. I first started with the 10-week program and was so amazed at the difference in my playing before and after that I immediately enrolled in the 15-week one. Additionally, the academy website is in my opinion one of the best platforms to learn every aspect of jazz without the need for weekly one on one sessions. It’s a massive library full of very specific lessons that can be self-tailored for anyone, no matter their skill level. I plan to continue with my classes to grow my love and appreciation for music every day!

"If you practice something slowly, you forget it slowly. If you practice something fast, you forget it fast" - Itzhak Perlman. Taking lessons with Charlie reaffirms the importance of practicing slowly. Charlie was there every step of the way bar by bar, beat by beat, and he finally gave me the ability to play jazz piano I never thought I would have been able to do in such a short period of time. Charlie highlighted the importance of voicings and how it makes you sound with a very rich lively sound. I thank him for teaching me cause it really helps to understand more pieces of music of all genres. Great Teacher! Fully Recomended!

Charlie is knowledgeable, patient, and fun. I highly recommend take his Jazz courses. He gives valuable insight on ways you can improve your jazz piano playing no matter what level you're at.