Charles has been an exceptional jazz piano teacher. As an adult beginner with a passion for jazz, I knew I was in good hands from the moment I heard his impressive recordings. His deep understanding of the genre and ability to guide me have been invaluable. His skill is evident, but more importantly, he focuses on my learning by addressing technique and covering a wide range of musical aspects like ear training. Charles's in-depth knowledge of jazz is a highlight. He recommends key recordings and clarifies the listening process. His clear instruction makes assignments easy to follow, and I eagerly anticipate each lesson. I'm grateful for the vast amount I still have to learn from Charles. His passion for teaching is infectious, and I hope to continue learning with him for years. Thank you, Charles, for being such an inspiring and supportive teacher.

I came to Charles as a long time intermediate pianist and jazz lover who couldn’t figure out why my playing didn’t sound good despite listening to all the right recordings, transcribing solos, watching all the Barry Harris videos, and buying online jazz courses promising to make me better. I’ve been studying with Charles over a year now and have seen tremendous improvements in my playing and in my understanding of jazz. Charles has an uncanny ability to break the fundamentals of jazz down in a way that is digestible and has helped me understand the nuances of what makes the music sound authentic. On top of this, he has a palpable passion for the music and for teaching, which he expresses with an enthusiasm and energy during lessons that is nothing short of addicting. Studying with him has transformed me as a jazz player and listener — I can’t recommend him enough.

Charles’ teaching for me has been instrumental to my progression. As a musician already getting tuition from multiple different professional musicians, be it through conservatory or extra academies, I get a lot of information thrown at me. Charles's way of approaching improvisation is methodical and is a great way to digest all the information the jazz world throws at you. It has helped me learn more from the albums I listen to, from my interactions with other jazz musicians, and most of all from Charles's own teaching. With him we have focused on the teachings of Barry Harris, particularly in the filler note and rhythmic harmony variety. We have also split soloing into three different categories which has helped me play less waffle and make what I play have more substance and context. Thanks to Charles my progression skyrocketed and continues to improve to this day. I now have context for the information I receive on a daily basis and can practice what I learn in a useful and practical manner. Due to this I am happy to say I have the great opportunity to expand my horizons and look outside of my home country, the UK, for more learning opportunities in the USA. My current position is largely, in part, due to Charles's teachings and how he has helped me digest the world of jazz around me.

Charles is really a great teacher, always looking out for the student and his or her development. He doesn’t expect the student to understand right away and with patience he contemplates how to explain the concept, putting in unusual effort to teach. He taught me most of what I know and knows seemingly every facet of music. He still tries to figure out how to teach and explain things on a person to person basis, showing the markings of selflessness and growth. We worked on various skills including counterpoint, harmony, and arrangement leading me to win the Charles Mingus Festival arranging award. He also helped me with auditions and my first album “Evans on Evans” tremendously. Charles has been good at managing the psychology of music and life. Often times I get stressed and overwhelmed and he coaches me through it.