Bud Powell’s Blazing Opening Line on “Cherokee” (LOTW #246)
Here is an excerpt from bebop legend Bud Powell’s take on the standard tune, “Cherokee.” Bud plays some blazing lines on this track, the rest is definitely worth checking out to see how it’s done! Enjoy! https://youtu.be/1nXmijlCZZU CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LICK BOOK (UPDATED MONTHLY) If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick […]
Major 7th Bebop Lines and Approaches (Part 3)
Major 7th chords are the resolution to a 2-5-1 and with that comes new bebop lines and approaches. Learn how to utilize the major 7th in your improvisation and how to start picturing your bebop line from start to finish through a 2-5-1. Enjoy!
“Melody for C” by Sonny Clark (LOTW #245)
Sonny Clark is widely known for his work as a sideman, but is often underappreciated as a composer. Here is a beautiful theme from a tune called “Melody for C” from the classic album “Leapin’ and Lopin’” (1961). Enjoy! https://youtu.be/4Vt9L_fz28o CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LICK BOOK (UPDATED MONTHLY) If you have questions or suggestions […]
Dominant 7th Bebop Lines (Part 2)
In this podcast episode I’ll dive into bebop approach notes and bebop lines you can play over dominant 7th chords. Dominant 7th chords tend to give students problems for some reason. With this episode you’ll learn all the bebop movements you and need and how to connect them so you can create some killer improv over dominant 7th chords in tunes.
Thelonious Monk’s Iconic Melody: “Trinkle, Tinkle” (LOTW #244)
Thelonious Monk was known for his trademark angular and unorthodox melodies. Perhaps his most iconic melody, “Trinkle, Tinkle” is instantly recognizable. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/I70XQDG78Ko CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LICK BOOK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick Of The Week you would like us to do, please leave them in the comments down […]
How to Achieve Melodic Mastery in 5 Steps
We’ve talked about learning tunes here in previous podcast lessons, but here we’re going to focus on how to master playing the melody of any standard tune in 5 easy steps. By the end of this lesson, you will know the melody of a standard and not only be able to perform it convincingly, but also interpret it in an authentic and original way!
The Famous “Take the A Train” Intro by Duke Ellington (LOTW #243)
Have you ever wondered what Duke played for his famous intro to “Take the A Train?” Look no further, because here it is! Enjoy! https://youtu.be/4TExhD3tlXk CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LICK BOOK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick Of The Week you would like us to do, please leave them in the […]
Popular Bebop Approaches for Minor 7th Chords
Learning bebop can feel completely overwhelming. There are so many approaches over so many chords and then connecting them is a whole other ball game.
To help you out, I’m going to show you the most POPULAR bebop approaches I use on a daily basis and at all my gigs. Today I’ll cover minor 7th chords and specifically what I play over each chord tone. Enjoy!
A Lovely Intro by Red Garland on “It Could Happen to You” (LOTW #242)
Red Garland was a master of playing intros. You’ll fall in love with this intro, just like the lyric says: “It Could Happen to You!” This LOTW comes from the classic Miles Davis Quintet album “Relaxin” (1956). Enjoy! https://youtu.be/C_Po-sLiufM CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LICK BOOK If you have questions or suggestions for a Lick […]
Jazz Piano Tutorial: The “Blues-a-Day Practice Challenge”
The blues is a fundamental element of jazz piano. What would happen if you played a blues every day as part of your jazz piano practice routine in 2022? By playing a blues-a-day, you can challenge yourself to learn melodies, voicings, and improvise in different keys. This will expand your musicality, and make you ready for just about anything!
