For all that the internet is full of crap (here too), sometimes you’re reminded what it’s really for. Soak this up folks. There’s so much that could be said about this and so much to learn from it, but ultimately…
Blog Archives
Camels and Robots
Or putting rhythm sections out of business… Nah, of course, I’d never do such a thing. There’s no substitute for the real deal. But then practising isn’t the real deal either and I was asked a while ago about how…
Tagged with: Band in a Box, camels, Caravan, jazz, piano
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, c) Musicianship, e) Rants & Ramblings
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, c) Musicianship, e) Rants & Ramblings
Tacet
I recently heard the tail end of a radio interview with actor Simon Russell Beale. The discussion was about a new theatre production he’s doing which involves him actually playing the piano – yes, actually playing. Debussy, I think it…
Right, Said Fred
I’ve been working with a student recently who’s concerned about getting more out of her piano soloing. And my suggestion has been to commit piano heresy – practise with the right hand alone. Before the ghosts of generations of piano…
Circling the Square
I’ve been asked to post something on piano fingerings for jazz. I’ll do my usual – half-answer the question and then talk about something I think is far more important. With precomposed music, you work out a fingering in advance…
Tagged with: fingering, jazz, piano, scales, Taubman
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, c) Musicianship
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, c) Musicianship
Frankly My Dear… He Gives a Damn
If you haven’t heard of pianist Dave Frank, this is your lucky day. He’s a formidable, eclectic performer; a former Piano Prof at Berkelee, before he founded his own school in NYC; author of two books and a DVD (published by…
Drop 2 More
I wrote about Drop 2 last year here and I’ve had some feedback (a few people really loved the picture of the Golden Retriever with four tennis balls in her mouth – so here she is for a well-deserved encore).…
Tagged with: drop two, harmony, jazz, piano
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, b) Harmony & Comping
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, b) Harmony & Comping
The Silver Bullet
Adios then, Señor Blues. We did a couple of numbers as tributes to Horace Silver on the gig last Monday. Didn’t even know someone had written lyrics to Nica’s Dream. Cool though. Horace came up in the bebop era, but…
Tagged with: Horace Silver, jazz, piano, tribute
Posted in b) Harmony & Comping, c) Musicianship, i) Reviews
Posted in b) Harmony & Comping, c) Musicianship, i) Reviews
A Rose by Any Other Name…
…would smell as sweet. (That’s yer actual Shakespeare, folks.) But sometimes the rose isn’t what it seems. So when is a rose not a rose? When is a fifth a fourth (or eleventh) and a third not a third? Having possibly thoroughly…
Tagged with: Ellington, Girl from Ipanema, jazz, modal interchange, piano, secondary dominants, sharp 11th, sharp 9th, Take the A Train, upper structures
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, b) Harmony & Comping
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, b) Harmony & Comping
Marian Reforms
Marius “Butch” Nordal probably needs no introduction from me, but if you haven’t heard of him I strongly advise you to check him out. He’s got a lot of stuff on YouTube – his nom de toob is radiokid2, but…
Tagged with: altered chords, jazz, Louie Louie, Marius Nordal, melodic minor, piano, upper structures
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, i) Reviews
Posted in a) Soloing Scales & Modes, i) Reviews
...appetising young books for sale...
Pents book is recommended reading on Gary Burton's Berklee course.
Jason Lyon on Music 