Oscar Peterson Begins “A Foggy Day” with this Stylish Solo Break (LOTW #156)
Oscar Peterson is one of the kings of jazz piano. Here is his stylish solo break on the tune “A Foggy Day” from his album Exclusively for my Friends. https://youtu.be/PWA00sT7Q2w CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick Of The Week you would like us […]
Nat King Cole’s Scorching Turnaround on Sweet Georgia Brown (LOTW #155)
Your average music consumer likely knows of Nat King Cole as a swooning singer from the golden era of jazz, but man could that guy play! Before his time in the limelight, Nat was known as an influential pianist with virtuosic abilities. Here is a cut from “Sweet Georgia Brown” as played by Nat and […]
The Nat King Cole Piano Slide Lick (LOTW #154)
Nat King Cole was one of the greatest artists of our time. As a pianist and vocalist, he inspired a generation of musicians in the 1940’s and 50’s, bridging the gap between the swing and bebop eras. This week’s lick showcases a fun trick he would often use, involving a glissando up multiple octaves of […]
Aaron Parks’ Twisting Lines on “Old Milestones” (LOTW #153)
This cut from Aaron Parks’ trio comes from a recording he made in Japan where he decided to turn on his Iphone to record the set. What ensued was a complete album of eclectic trio playing full of twists and turns! The trio plays the jazz standard “Old Milestones,” and after a chorus of drums, […]
Insanely Beautiful Intro by Shai Maestro (LOTW #152)
If you haven’t already listened to Shai Maestro, this track will blow your mind! Shai came up in Avishai Cohen’s trio and is known for his complex rhythms and beautiful classical stylings. The intro to “Sleeping Giant” from his first record, Shai Maestro Trio (2012), is a rhapsodic, Brahms-like passage which leads into a fearsome […]
5 Tips to Learn Tunes Like a Pro
Expanding one’s repertoire is an essential part of becoming a better musician. By learning new tunes of varying styles and difficulty, you can expand your palette of musical skills and deepen your musicianship. Here is a list of 5 tips to keep in mind while learning new tunes Check out the Records Save the sheet […]
Bud Powell’s Scorching Intro to “All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm” (LOTW #151)
Bud Powell lays down a scorching intro to his burning original tune, “All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm.” He ends the intro with an altered line made from a tritone substitution. This is some classic Bud playing through some two-five-one’s at a breakneck pace. See if you can keep up! https://youtu.be/HcNrywHyplI CLICK HERE TO GET A […]
Eric Reed’s Nasty Triplet Solo on Monk’s “Evidence” (LOTW #150)
Eric Reed comes out swinging on his album “The Baddest Monk.” Listen how he interprets Thelonious Monk’s classic tune “Evidence” with a relentless triplet feel. This excerpt comes from the last A section of the melody, then all bets are off as he heads into the solo. Watch out! https://youtu.be/DsFSWC20tqM CLICK HERE TO GET A […]
Bill Evans’ Opening Line from “Peri’s Scope” (LOTW #149)
Hear how Bill Evans opens up his solo from this classic track off of “Portrait in Jazz” (1960). Once he drops into the solo, he instantly starts creating melodies which stem from the line at the beginning. See for yourself why this solo is one of the greats! https://youtu.be/7GaIillNoLM CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION […]
Classic Sonny Clark Lick (LOTW #148)
Sonny Clark opens up the track “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” from his album Sonny Clark Trio (1957) with this short but sweet lick. Sonny is known for his swinging time feel and classic content. The rest of this album is a gold mine of jazz language! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx6pi9fNzgo CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION […]
