Hello and welcome to my website.
I am a freelance trumpet player and teacher in London. I also teach improvisation, compose and produce my own music for television, film and other media, and programme music for private and corporate events.
I am available for recording sessions, live gigs, workshops....in fact just about anything trumpet related, so feel free to get in touch at info_johnhoare.com or call me on +44(0)7771 566 891
Upcoming solo gigs...
Feb 8th - The Spin Jazz Club, Oxford with the Spin Trio 8pm £9
To buy tickets click here
Video clip of John playing at Lyon Film Festival 2009. Watch the full performance on the video page.
I have performed / recorded with numerous artists, notably Jamie Cullum (tours, Live at Blenheim Palace DVD, Live at Brecon Jazz Festival), Roisin Murphy (Ruby Blue Tours), the Super Furry Animals (various tours) Ilya (They Died For Beauty and Somerset albums), Shirley Bassey (Remix album), Duke Special (I Never Thought This Day Would Come). Many performances for TV and radio including live at Glastonbury Festival, V Festivals, BBC Proms, Live at Brecon Jazz and John Peel sessions.
Although most of my playing is in the jazz or commercial field, I have also performed extensively as a classical (legit) player. I was principal with the National Youth Orchestra at age 17 and have performed many of the major works for trumpet.
John's studio project "Jupiter Muke" is a cinematic jazz-funk group mixing live instrumentation with electronic and world elements. The first EP entitled "Epic Listening" was recorded in Sweden in 2007. It features vocalists Joanna Swan and Georgia Mancio doing some incredible vocalnastics. It's sound is a combination of 70's jazz funk, flim soundtrack and even some kitch easy listening.
The music has received radio support from amongst others Gilles Peterson on Radio 1. It is also published and available for licensing through Five Missions More. To buy the EP as a download, click on the image
JH4 is John's long standing jazz quartet. They debuted at the Jazz a Vienne Festival, France in 1997. Although formed as an instrumental band, JH4 often collaborated with singers. For a couple of years Jamie Cullum held the keyboard chair, and often featured as a singer as well. The band also featured the rarely seen singer Nina Navaroni, as well as Martina Topley-Bird.
The band recorded an album for Flat Five Records entitled "Less is More" (GBHCD06), a collaboration with British landscape artist Richard Long with music composed by John and pianist Michael Young. Long provided the artwork and the inspiration. The band performed extensively in the UK and beyond and even did an entire week at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho in 2005. More recently the band recorded an album "Space" with singer Mishka Adams (Candid Records CCD79847) where John was co-writer and producer.
JH4 are available for jazz club dates as well as events and functions, with or without a vocalist.
I do not subscribe to any one "method" entirely, but believe each student is unique with his or her own set of challenges. There are various principles that can help improve a player but to what extent they are applied is dependant on many factors; lip mass, jaw alignment, teeth, aptitude etc. I will help you work towards being as economic as possible in your playing.
Most commonly, trumpet players at some stage struggle with endurance and range issues. In most cases this is due to a combination of over-blowing, the use of too much pressure and under utilisation of the tongue. Tackling these three factors can transform your playing in a relatively short time. It worked for me after many years trying to do it a harder way, and it is working for my students right now. See my testimonials.
When you have never tried improvising before, it can be quite a daunting prospect. You are essentially having to compose on the spot. Improvisation is no dark art, and not just for the gifted few. Sure there are musicians who will more readily express themselves, but really it is very much like learning a foreign language, and anyone can learn to do it in a logical way.
I can easily help you get started in improvisation and I have lots of neat little ways to gently get the process going - simply, yet effectively.
It is extremely fun once you get up and running - give it a try!
As well as beginners, I also help advanced improvisers who want to further develop their language. Also, if you are a saxaphone player, flute player, clarinet player, I can help you too as the principles apply across the board.
I first had a lesson with John about a year ago after hearing him play a jazz gig and chatting to another of his students.
I went for lessons with John purely to improve my Jazz improvisation. I decided before I went I would not let him near my embouchure. I knew that my puffed out cheeks and "smile" for the higher notes approach would quickly catch his attention. I also knew that a top Trumpet player from the R.P.O and a top 60's session Jazz player had failed miserably to sort out these issues. After seeing John's techniques rapidly improve my improvisation skills I decided very skeptically to let him tackle my embouchure. A few months of hard work later, I am now playing with a new embouchure, I am now no longer scared to play above G on top of the stave and i'm actually able to play to G an octave above this! (and getting higher by the week). My Trumpet playing is now much more economical with my arms doing less work and my toungue doing much more, this gives me much more stamina with the same amount of practice time. John is a great trumpet player and equally good teacher who shows amazing enthusiasm towards his students. He seems to get great joy out of my achievement. I am now enjoying playing trumpet again and would recommend John to anyone.
St ephen Clyde BMus(hons)
John has been invaluable in helping me get back to playing and enjoying my music after I quit trumpet for 8 years. From my first lesson in January 2008, I was impressed by John's extensive technical and theoretical knowledge coupled with a rare sensitivity in approaching each student as an individual. He puts no pressure on me, yet encourages me to improve - to WANT to practice, not just do it out of guilt! His playing inspires me and he never talks down to anyone. I would unreservedly recommend John to anyone playing the trumpet, whatever your skill-level.
Dave Bima
John's enthusiasm was infectious. This, backed up by an amazing knowledge of Jazz, led to a very impressive workshop day. The parents came to the performance that evening and were amazed at the standard that had been reached in just one day. We are looking forward to having him back this year.
David Brown, Director of Music, Cumnor House School
The cost for a 1 hour lesson at my studio in East Dulwich, SE London is £30. Lessons can take place at alternative locations by negotiation, but the hourly rate will be higher depending on travel time.
Learning new techniques and allowing muscle memory to develop requires time and dedication and will not be achievable in just one lesson.
Therefore, wherever possible, I feel it is best for a student to commit to a course of lessons, and offer the following incentives for doing so......
Buy Now
£150 with PayPal
Commit to 6 lessons, pay for 5
Commit to 12 lessons, pay for 10
Commit to 24 lessons, pay for 20
£300 with PayPal
£600 with PayPal
Below are a few resources for my students or anyone else for that matter, to download.
They are of various levels and should be used in conjunction with lessons to understand them and gain the true benefits
Warm up slurs (JH).pdf
Range Exercise 1.pdf
Towards the lip trill.pdf
Adapted Clarke Study.pdf
Musique Complète
Jupiter Muke
Trumpet Herald
Piers Thurston
Claire Rennie
Music for events, composition, production & fixing.
John's production work
Forum for all things trumpet related
Life coach and NLP Practitioner
Leading Alexander Technique Practitioner
For many years I have been fixing musicians and bands for events and gigs, both privately and publically. Mainly working within the jazz field, I have a vast array of contacts in my including many of the leading performers on the jazz scene.
I have also been Programme Director for Camberwell Crypt Jazz Club, The Bear and Bar 19:20 in Clerkenwell and The Sun and Doves, all in London.
If you are looking for music at your event, no matter on what scale, please get in touch and I will be happy to discuss your requirements. I can provide you with numerous solid references.
www.musiquecomplete.com
"We work with John Hoare on all our corporate, consumer and media events. John and his team of musicians are professional, adaptable and always deliver on the brief.
Whether working on our numerous high profile award ceremonies, the annual Mini Masters celebrity golfing event or supporting such artists as Bryan Ferry or Tony Hadley, we know we are in safe hands with John Hoare. I can't recommend his services highly enough and have 100% confidence in John as our dedicated music supplier".
Mark Emms
CEO
Three's A Crowd Plc
www.3sacrowd.com
I have known John Hoare for quite a few years now, since he put together a Band for the Annual Dinner of the British Bobsleigh Association, of which I was a Board Member at the time.
That particular evening was huge success, and John and the Band had a lot to do with that. He brought together some great musicians, all of whom are now well-known stalwarts of the UK Jazz environment.
Since then, I have asked John to arrange and provide bands for a wide range of events, from a Charity Festival for 600 guest in my garden, to my 50th birthday, when he brought the then unknown Gwyneth Herbert along to provide vocals.
I have no hesitation in recommending John: he is thorough beyond measure, and pulls from a great pool of talent, to deliver a great evenings entertainment!
Eamonn O'Nolan - Entrepreneur
