# Jay Sweet (musician)

Jay Sweet (born April 26, 1976) is an American musician, educator, writer, podcaster, and researcher from Howell Township, New Jersey. His music career includes performances and recordings with notable artists such as Ted Curson, Norman Simmons, and Ed Jurdi (The Band Of Heathens). As an educator, Sweet has taught thousands of students during his respective tenures at Rutgers University, Middlesex College, Monmouth University, and as the director of the Sweet Music Academy.
In addition to his careers in music and education, Sweet is an established writer with several published articles and reviews for Oxford University Press, Annual Jazz Review, Hal Leonard, Jersey Jazz Magazine, and DownBeat. He has also authored multiple books, including the world's first official biography about jazz bassist Ray Brown (Ray Brown: His Life and Music).

## Music career

After graduating high school, Sweet moved to Boston to study jazz performance and composition at Berklee College of Music. While in Boston, he collaborated regularly with singer and guitarist Ed Jurdi (The Band of Heathens) and played on Jurdi’s self-titled debut album, which was released in 1999. In 2000, Sweet released his first studio album, The Chase.
After leaving Boston, Sweet returned to New Jersey and became an active performer in the New York tri-state area, sharing the stage with notable jazz musicians such as Norman Simmons, Ted Curson, Bruce Williams, Jim McNeely, Bob Ackerman, Carrie Jackson, Gerry Neiwood, Vital Imerelli, and Chris Pinnela. Sweet also joined the award-winning band Platinum and its sister group, Platinum Soul, where he has been a member for nearly 20 years.
He is a prominent figure of the Jersey Shore jazz music scene and continues to perform regularly as a bassist and guitarist. Jay's newest project, Atmospheric Trio, released its first album, Following Polaris, via Adhyâropa Records on January 24, 2025. The group features Kenny Tam on piano and Dan Weeks on drums, with Sweet on bass.

## Education and teaching career

Sweet attended Berklee College of Music, where he studied Bass Performance and Composition with several acclaimed instructors including Whit Browne (bassist with Dizzy Gillespie, and Oscar Peterson) and John Lockwood (bassist with Joe Henderson and Freddie Hubbard).
After receiving his degree from Berklee, Sweet continued his education by attending Rutgers University (Newark) where he received his Masters in Jazz History and Research. In 2001, he was awarded the Benny Carter Jazz Research Award for his extensive research on bassist Ray Brown. As part of this project, Sweet interviewed legendary jazz figures such as Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, Phil Woods, Ed Thigpen, James Moody, and Christian McBride.
After working for several private music schools, Sweet founded the Sweet Music Academy in Howell Township, New Jersey, where he and his staff have successfully instructed over 4,000 students since 2004.
Currently, Sweet teaches private bass, jazz history, American music history, and music appreciation classes at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. He has also taught related courses at Middlesex College and Rutgers University.

## Writing and podcasts

In addition to his careers in music and education, Sweet has authored two books on music history, A History of American Music: An Origin Story 1750-1950 (released 2021 by Kendall Hunt) and The Music of 1964: The 50 Most Impactful Albums (released in 2024 by Innovative Ink, a Kendall Hunt publisher). In 2025, Sweet released the world's first official biography about jazz bassist Ray Brown with Equinox Publishing entitled Ray Brown: His Life and Music, concluding over 20 years of detailed research and correspondance with Ray Brown's colleagues and estate.
As a contributing editor to Jersey Jazz Magazine, Sweet has interviewed and published feature articles on jazz legends including George Benson, Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Joshua Redman, and Esperanza Spaulding. He has also written several articles and reviews for Oxford University Press, the Annual Jazz Review, Hal Leonard, and DownBeat.
Sweet's podcasts, 30 Albums For 30 Years: 1964-1994 and The Jazz Real Book, contribute to his influence in the music community. Both music history and analysis podcasts, as well as a majority of his interviews with jazz legends, can be watched on Sweet's YouTube channel and are available to listen on all major podcast streaming platforms.

## Discography
### Studio albums as a leader

* The Chase (2000)
* The Pyramid Trio (2006)
* Jay Sweet Trio (2014)
* Americana (2017)
With Atmospheric Trio:
* Following Polaris (2025)