Trumpet and trombone lessons

at Seattle Jazz Academy

Learning a brass instrument—such as trumpet, trombone, or euphonium—opens the door to rhythm, expression, and a deep connection to jazz tradition. At Seattle Jazz Academy, students of all ages receive focused brass instruction from professional jazz musicians who are active performers and dedicated educators.

Our brass lessons emphasize strong fundamentals: tone production, technique, reading, rhythm, and harmonic understanding. Students learn how these skills come together in real music, developing confidence through guided improvisation and ensemble playing. Each Practice Room is structured, supportive, and grounded in the language of jazz.

Whether you are new to brass or returning with years of experience, our trumpet and trombone programs are designed to meet you where you are and help you progress with intention. Beyond private lessons, students are invited into ensembles, jam sessions, and a vibrant jazz community where learning happens through collaboration and listening.

Audrey Strangland

Trumpet and Trombone Lessons

Audrey is a top-call trombonist in the greater Seattle area. As daughter of two band directors, she was immersed in music from a very early age and played an array of different instruments before finding her voice through the trombone. She was heavily influenced by the duets of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, as well as Louis Prima and his band.

Audrey studied bass trombone at Central Washington University, and held positions in CWU Jazz 1 as both bass and lead trombonist. She is currently gigging, recording and teaching all around the Pacific Northwest. She teaches private lessons, gives clinics to local middle school and high school jazz bands, runs the Femme Ellington Big Band at Seattle JazzED as well as leading a music class for babies and toddlers.

Audrey is currently busy playing trombone with a variety of groups such as Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Orquesta Nueva Era, The Pazific, the Alex Dugdale Big Band, Banda Vagos. She is also gaining attention as a wonderful singer as she leads her own jazz trio, and her R&B group “Audrey and the Stangs.”

Carrie Jennings

Trumpet Lessons

Carrie Jennings is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist based in Seattle, WA. She has been performing and teaching music for over a decade, sharing her love of the arts with audiences and students across the West Coast.

Born and raised in Nevada, Carrie was involved in the performing arts from a young age as both a musician and a dancer. Her passion for performing took her to Colorado where she received a BM in Classical Performance from the University of Denver. While spending ten years immersed in the Denver music scene and touring the West Coast with indie-soul band Mama Magnolia and soul-R&B artist Wes Watkins, Carrie has been honored to open for acclaimed artists including The California Honeydrops, Snarky Puppy, and Booker T. Jones. She’s performed at notable venues including Mission Ballroom, Coors Field, Mishawaka Amphitheatre and at festivals including South by Southwest, Bumbershoot, and Sawtooth Valley Gathering. She also founded a North Indian classical dance school with her mentor Dr. Sarah Morelli and danced professionally with Leela Dance Collective. After moving to Seattle in 2022, Carrie launched her solo career as a singer-songwriter and released her debut EP “Good Tension” in October of 2023. Since then, she has been performing her own original music with her husband, Thomas Jennings, and her new band, Queen of Hearts, throughout the Pacific Northwest.

As both an artist and educator, Carrie believes that art is an essential component of our human experience, and that time devoted to any type of creative practice represents a deep investment in ourselves. She believes that this type of self-exploration cultivates awareness, joy, connection, and transformation. This fuels her desire to be a teacher. She is passionate about goal-oriented learning, leading by example, and mentorship, and is thrilled to be a part of the Seattle Jazz Academy community.

Walter Cano

Trumpet and Trombone Lessons

Walter Cano is a Seattle-based trumpet player and educator active across the city’s jazz community. As a performer, he works in settings ranging from small-group straight-ahead jazz to large ensemble and contemporary projects. His credits include a Grammy-nominated collaboration with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, the premiere of *The Big Blind* with Kurt Elling and the Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band, and a performance with Audra McDonald for *Black, Brown and Beige* at the Dr. Phillips Center. Walter’s experience also includes Broadway’s *Be More Chill*, as well as regular work in the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and appearances at venues such as Benaroya Hall and The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Walter brings a sound-first approach to the instrument and a practical, rehearsal-ready musicianship that translates directly to student growth. His teaching emphasizes the fundamentals that support real-world playing: tone production, articulation, range and endurance, time feel, reading, style, and improvisation grounded in listening and vocabulary building.

As an instructor at Seattle Jazz Academy, Walter’s priority is to meet students where they are and help them build the skills to thrive in lessons, combos, auditions, and performances, while staying connected to the history and community that make this music matter.