Information, inspiration, resources and opportunity. These are the elements of great mentoring.
Critically-acclaimed vocalist, and award-winning Producer, songwriter and educator Jeff Baker has developed a curriculum and program that has earned students 10 ‘Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards,’ over 100 Top honors at festivals and competitions throughout the United States, five million dollars in college scholarships, and placement in the very best college arts programs in the country including: Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Berklee, CalArts, Miami, North Texas, Northern Colorado, USC, and the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music.
Jeff is currently living in Boise, ID and has limited availability for Artist Development Sessions, Songwriting lessons, mentoring, jazz+contemporary vocal lessons, workshops or consultations. Jeff has partnered with the Recording Academy+Forte platform for all Artist Development Sessions or is available for consultations via the platform Smeeple.
Questions? You can email Jeff directly at thejeffbaker@me.com or at jeffbaker@nextmusiccompany.com
Collective
One to Another
During his time in Portland, OR, Jeff Baker built one of the most successful Jazz+Contemporary Voice Programs in the country. In collaboration with Valerie Day, Darrell Grant, and Portland State University “PDX Collective” became the first ensemble in the schools history to be named Finalists at the Monterey Jazz ‘Next Generation’ Jazz Festival, and recorded their debut album ‘One to Another’ at the legendary Studio X in Seattle, WA.
“I studied vocal jazz with Jeff Baker for a total of three years. During those three years, I learned how to transcribe, improvise, make lead sheets, and countless other skills that prepared me for the New England Conservatory of Music, and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Jeff is a masterful teacher and vocalist who understands how to inspire his students to work hard, and always seek out new things to learn. I never realized how high the bar was set because he believed in me so much that I had no reason to doubt myself. He’s not only a teacher, but a mentor and friend.”
Farayi Malek | Downbeat Award Winner | GRAMMY Nominee
“Jeff Baker has been, and continues to be an incredible teacher, mentor, and friend to me.
I can’t stress how much his presence has impacted my life in the best of ways. I am continually thankful for the ways he has opened my mind, heart, and soul to a profoundly beautiful new world of music.”
Harris Long | Downbeat Award Winner
“Jeff Baker always told me, ‘Once my students don’t need me anymore I’ve done my job’.
Jeff was a teacher who I looked up to both as a teacher and as an individual, he taught me to be independent. He honed my singing skills with a practiced hand. Jeff Baker shaped the way I approach both music and life. He gave me a deep insight into the inner working of the jazz idiom while always promoting the love of the art form. If it was not for Jeff Baker, none of my accomplishments would have been possible.”
Sekayi Anika Sumbureru | Downbeat Award Winner
“Jeff Baker has garnered an esteemed reputation as being a dominant force in jazz vocal instruction and performance. I have rarely seen such a proficiently skilled, mature, and inspirational vocal teacher and director as I have observed in Jeff.”
Paul Contos | Former Education Director | Monterey Jazz Festival