Dann Zinn is one of the most renowned saxophone and jazz teachers in the Bay Area. He has been awarded the National Foundation for The Advancement of The Arts award three times. He also has been selected for the Whos Who Among Teachers book several times. He has taught the finest young students in the Bay Area and continues to have students who regularly travel hundreds of miles for lessons.

Here are some Unsolicited, Anonymous, University Course Evaluations!

• The best quarter of sax lessons ever. Dann is the best teacher I've had in any subject ever
• Dann Zinn is by far the most amazing instructor I've ever encountered, and luckily, he happens to teach my instrument major. He is very encouraging yet disciplinary enough that slacking is actually what you fear. The course is easy if you put in the required practice time(at least 3 hours a day) When you don't, you feel like puking at the private lesson because you simply cannot perform the assigned material. The course is thorough. Other: Be afraid. Be confident. Relax. Practice, practice, practice. Scales suck if you don't do them every day. Dann Zinn is Dope.
• Dann Zinn motivated me to practice. When I didn't practice, he knew it and when I did, he knew it too. I liked how he gives me assignments and tries to let me find out how to do it I think I learn it better if I try and find out myself, rather than being told how to do it. It was beneficial that I learned ‘practice patiently' from him.
• Well structured for something that is very much like independent study. Dann is very patient and understanding. He makes sure progress is being made, but allowed me to learn from my mistakes.
• Highly knowledgeable. Great teacher.
• Very attentive to students needs and concerns; an inspiration.
• Tough class: Great player/teacher
• I consider this to be my most valuable half hour of the week. Dann is quite an inspiring teacher. He always has good advice, and he has really taught me the value of hard work.
• Definitely the most difficult class I have ever taken. I have NEVER been pushed so hard on sax in my life. “This is a good thing.” Dan is the best and most technical sax instructor I have ever had.

Here are just a few of his acclaimed students:

Kenny Shanker- winner full scholarship Manhattan School of Music, Grammy Band lead alto, Downbeat Magazine award winner, currently playing professionally in New York City.

Dayna Stephens- winner Jimmy Lyons Scholarship Berklee School of Music, Henry Mancini Summer Institute Award, chosen for the Thelonious Monk Institute Program, Downbeat magazine award winner, currently playing professionally in the Bay Area, CTA recording artist.

Hitomi Oba- multiple award winner, currently playing professionally in Los Angeles.

Pat Carroll- winner Jimmy Lyons Scholarship Berklee School of Music, Downbeat Magazine award winner.

Remy Le Boeuf-NFAA award winner, multiple Downbeat Magazine winner in both high school and college categories. Full scholarship winner to Manhattan School of Music. NYC recording artist.

Frank Silva- Jimmy Lyons winner.

Bobby Jamieson-Partial scholarship recipient at USC. Downbeat award winner.

Mark Zelesky-Dave Brubeck fellowship recipient.

Jesse Scheinin-Awarded four year, full ride to Berklee starting in 2007. Downbeat award winner. SF Jazz Festival High School All Star Band, Monterey Next Generation Band.

Thomas Wilson-Awarded four year, full ride to Berklee starting in 2007. Lead tenor in the All State jazz band,Monterey Next Generation Band.

John Pallowitch-Grammy Band, BOA, Monterey Next Generation Band, All State Lead Alto, SF Jazz Festival High School All Star Band, Downbeat Magazine award winner-all this in 2006-2007, and he's only a Junior!!

Jonathan Stein-Bass student-picked for the very exclusive Brubeck Jazz Colony. SF Jazz Festival High School All Star Band.

Coming Soon

A series of technique books dealing with tone studies, chromatics, scales, intervals, and arpeggios. These exercises are grouped into various systems. This enables you to ‘crosstrain' and keep the information vital, new, and dynamic, while still dealing with the fundamentals of good musicianship and craftsmanship. These systems can help to organize practice time and get the most out of yourself and your instrument.

Also Coming Soon

“The Ins and Outs of Playing In and Out” A book dealing with playing ‘out’ in a very controlled way. This method manipulates the harmony as much as any bop stylist, but with very different sounds, using chromatics, arpeggios, large intervals, and pentatonics. Stay tuned.