On Lessons:

​"Jason put a ukulele in my hands during one of my son’s drum lessons, and I was immediately hooked. I had been trying to find a way back into music after a decades-long hiatus and could not have asked for a better guide. Jason will absolutely teach you all the technical aspects of an instrument, but his true superpower is sharing his joy and enthusiasm for musical discovery in a way that is beautifully aligned with each student’s interests and skills. These lessons have such a great way to bring fun and playfulness into a stressful season of life. I leave each one excited for what’s coming next!"
-Abigail Haydon, Carrboro, NC
"Jason is an exceptional teacher for students at any age and skill level. While Jason's musical talent is impressive, the real reason to learn from him is his teaching style. Jason is very reflective and thoughtful about his educational approach, adapting to the learner and the lesson. When formality and rigor are called for, Jason will work with you on exercises from books he has basically memorized. When creativity and expression are called for, Jason will lay the books aside and jam with you. I've worked with Jason for several years now and it's been a fun, productive, enlightening experience all along the way. Highly recommend!"
-Jeff Russ, Chapel Hill, NC
"My son has had such a wonderful experience taking drum lessons with Jason! My son leaves every lesson feeling confident and inspired. We are so grateful to have found him for our son’s first experience learning to play the drums and we can’t recommend him enough."
-Tracy Whittington, Pittsboro, NC
"Jason is phenomenal. He is really committed to being a safe place for his students and he adapts his teaching to the way each student learns best."
-Mateo Snider-Kimney, Faquay Varina, NC
"Jason listened carefully to my goals in learning to play drum kit as an adult, and has kept them in the forefront as we've proceeded. He is always encouraging, while offering constructive feedback, and he makes and keeps learning fun. I have studied with him both in person and online, and enthusiastically endorse him."
​-Sharon G, Takoma Park, MD

"Jason is an inspirational teacher and coach for aspiring drummers of all ages. He'll take you through the fundamentals and, moving on to the full kit, make it fun. As someone dedicated to the art of teaching, he brings a long and productive musical background -- and a serious love of music -- to his mission. Knowledgeable in theory but not bound to it, Jason is the kind of teacher I wish I'd had when I was growing up."
- Keith Sinzinger, Washington, D.C.
"Jason has been an amazing drum teacher for our 8-year old son. He brings his passion for music to his teaching, allowing our son both to explore music and focus on learning core skills. Jason clearly cares about his students’ musical development and I appreciate how he tailors his lessons to our son’s ability and interests. We are extremely happy with our experience with Jason and recommend him to anyone considering music lessons for themselves or their children."
-Erika Carlsen and Yuen Huang, Takoma Park, MD
"During COVID my wife and I decided to learn to play the Cajon. Being a bit older, we couldn't find anyone our age willing to teach us so we reached out to Jason and never looked back! We've met weekly with Jason via Zoom and have enjoyed every minute. Jason is a skilled percussion instructor that has a means, a method, and a message to help you access your inner drummer!"
-Roland Rotz, Carpinteria, CA
"Jason is the man!  He is patient, skilled and knowledgeable. Our 8-year old really looks forward to his weekly drumming lesson and clearly relates to Jason's easy-going and affirming teaching style. He's been taking classes for a few months now and we can really tell he's getting it and building on the fundamentals that Jason is teaching him. As Jason told us, our son might not decide to play drums down the road but it's a great way to start learning the core building blocks of music and rhythm in addition to learning a unique discipline. We would recommend Jason to anyone who is interested in wanting to play the drums!"
-Will Johnson, Takoma Park, MD

On Workshops and Residencies:

"Jason's programming is responsive, engaging, and intentional in every way. He utilizes his teaching skills to navigate classroom management with ease and his musician skills to bring high quality programs to participants. Working with him means reliable programming that gives students the opportunity to step into creativity outside of their typical scope of life."
-Micky Eilish, School Outreach Director at the ArtsCenter
"Jason is a fantastic music and sound facilitator. He brings tremendous energy, knowledge and skill to his programming and in a very hands-on way. He encourages participants to look at the material world around them and find new appreciation for the sounds created by everyday objects. He does this through activities that are deeply engaging for both younger and older audiences alike. Jason has endless talent and is chock-full of creative ways to help young people explore their world."
-Claire Cocciole, Director of Programming at KID Museum, Bethesda, MD
"He really knew how to interact with children, redirect them, and teach in a way that sticks. He used many strategies that we as teachers use to teach vocabulary. Our team was VERY impressed with his ability to interact with students and teach through play."
- Elementary school teacher, Orange County Schools, NC
"In a series of recent visits to students in Civic Circle after-school workshops, Jason gave students the opportunity to try their hands at creating digital music using a variety of free computer software programs. He also explained how the STEM skills he teaches are applicable to a wide variety of other media platforms, a useful tool for any student exploring civic expression in the 21st Century."
-Eliza Carney, President and Founder at Civic Circle, Silver Spring, MD
"I’ve worked closely with Jason for a number of years and am always amazed at how well he interacts with both kids and adults.  His warmth and sense of humor imbue everything he does and you won’t find a more fun way to experience music and sound than Music Discovery Lab."
-Karen Giacopuzzi, Owner of Gadget Lab, Silver Spring, MD
"Jason's Music Discovery Lab workshop at the Petworth Community Market with Knowledge Commons DC was truly a 'hit'! He taught us how to be curious about sounds, to listen carefully, and not to be afraid to experiment with ordinary household objects. He also showed us how we could improvise and play music with others. During the workshop, he worked with a multi-generational crowd--ages 2 to 70. But, whatever the age of the musician, he had great feedback and practical advice for honing their skills. Some of the musicians were shy to get started and he made them feel at ease, and soon they were tapping away. After this workshop, I am now looking at all the items I have at home differently--what would produce the most awesome sound?"
-Sonia Booth, Teaching Coordinator at Knowledge Commons DC, Washington, D.C.
"I attended Jason's Music Discovery Lab workshop at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. I didn't have much hands on experience with percussion instruments coming in, but this wasn't a hindrance to following along with the exercises Jason led us through. Jason is a very easygoing and enthusiastic instructor and makes learning fun. He started out with a basic hand clapping drill, and then demonstrated some basic principles of rhythm, texture, and timbre using a combination of traditional instruments and found objects. Each participant was encouraged to use a basic rhythm as a starting point and expand upon it incorporating extended techniques with the equipment available. My favorite part of the workshop was collaborating with four other players in an 'avant-garde drum line' using a snare drum and finger cymbals to create an interesting assortment of unexpected sounds."
-Amber Dunleavy, Falls Church, VA
"I had the pleasure of attending workshop at Pyramid Atlantic. His approach to creativity and experimentation in rhythm was refreshing and it gave me new ideas that I can use on my own drum set. I have also been searching and listening for hidden percussive sounds ever since. It was a fun, hands-on workshop, and I would recommend it to people of all ages, regardless of their musical inclinations."
-Rick Kowalski, Washington, DC
"Jason's Music Discovery Lab was delightful.  My 7 year old son loved it.  Jason was encouraging, patient, and inspired creative exploration of all things in the room - including a bucket of water!  Who knew water could make music?"
-Denise Mortimer, Takoma Park, MD

On Instruments:

"Have had so much fun experimenting using this with my digital-modular set. It's so cool to use this as a starting place for a wide range of experimental and surreal noises and textures. Lovely quality and lots of fun little details."
-Kait Brugger, Etsy
"This is easily one of the best purchases I've made for my music in a while. There are so many sonic possibilities in this box. I love this thing! It has inspired me greatly."
-Caleb Hughes, Etsy