Oscar Peterson’s Ornamental Solo Break (LOTW #233)
Oscar Peterson is not only a master of playing changes, but also adept in his use of ornaments. He expresses his own unique style by utilizing chromatic neighbor tones, repeated notes, and enclosures which add an extra flair to his improvised lines. Check out this opening solo break from an early version of “I’ve Got […]
Solutions & System To Learning Jazz Piano (Episode 3 of 3)
When I think about the things that hurt my progress the most through out my jazz piano pursuit there are 4 things that come to mind.
And I dont mean, me sitting on the couch with my hand on my chin wondering.
I mean like BAM!
These 4 things DIRECTLY come to my mind because they’re so blatantly obvious now that I can see them and know of them.
In episode 2 of my new mini series I’m going to explain what these 4 things are.
They’re STILL, to this day, very heavily rearing their ugly head and the more you can be aware of them…the better off you’ll be so you don’t go through what I did for 15 years.
Enjoy!
The 4 Hidden Mistakes in Jazz Piano Education (Episode 2 of 3)
When I think about the things that hurt my progress the most through out my jazz piano pursuit there are 4 things that come to mind.
And I dont mean, me sitting on the couch with my hand on my chin wondering.
I mean like BAM!
These 4 things DIRECTLY come to my mind because they’re so blatantly obvious now that I can see them and know of them.
In episode 2 of my new mini series I’m going to explain what these 4 things are.
They’re STILL, to this day, very heavily rearing their ugly head and the more you can be aware of them…the better off you’ll be so you don’t go through what I did for 15 years.
Enjoy!
The One Thing That Almost Crushed My Jazz Piano Dream (Episode 1 of 3)
I get kind of bitter when I talk about it.
I try not to but I really can’t help it.
Because this ONE thing was extremely close to robbing me of my jazz piano dream.
And to this day, I feel my body tighten and clench when talking about it.
This is Episode 1, of a 3 part mini series I’m releasing that’s going to take a step back.
It’s going to hopefully help you rethink your own jazz piano education and journey, as I share all the downfalls, doubts, frustrations and pains I’ve gone through on mine.
Enjoy!
Hank Jones Trades Some Hot Lines with the Drums (LOTW #232)
As the oldest of the Jones Brothers, Hank Jones always seemed to be the knowledgable older brother. An accomplished solo pianist, sideman, and leader of his own groups, Hank’s artistry shined through in various settings. Here is an excerpt from a trading section with Kenny Clark on drums over his own composition “We’re All Together” […]
The Art Of Practicing Part 1: Improvisation
The age old question. How do you practice improvisation? Practice lines and licks right?
Not exactly. Believe it or not, most of the work and practice should be done outside the tune. Just like baseball players. They work on batting practice outside of games, so when the games do come, they can hit better. In this episode I’ll show you my system I still use to this day to practice improvisation.
McCoy Tyner’s Opening Line from “Autumn Leaves” (LOTW #231)
It is always interesting to see how great jazz improvisers interpret classic standard tunes. In this case, we are looking at McCoy Tyner’s rendition of “Autumn Leaves,” one of the most played songs in the jazz idiom. Check out his use of chromatic notes, as well as the whole tone scale. The rest of this […]
3 Step Solo Piano System You Need To Know
Rarely does the crucial information you need to make progress expose itself easily. I went through years of nebulous education learning without no clear path. In this podcast lesson, I break down the MOST important 3 steps you need to practice and work on in order to achieve a pro level solo piano sound.
Wynton Kelly’s Minor Madness on “Whisper Not” (LOTW #230)
We all know that Wynton Kelly can show us how it’s done when it comes to playing the blues. How about minor bebop vocabulary, you might ask? Well… he’s got that covered too! Check out these expert minor ii-V-I lines from Wynton over Benny Golson’s jazz standard tune, “Whisper Not” from his album “Piano” (1958). […]
Ear Training Strategies for Reharms
Learning the different jazz piano educational paths and how to combine them is powerful knowledge that could make or break your ability to reach your goals. Most of the time students try and learn everything else and have no real clue what to focus on in order to get better. They also don’t know WHY they aren’t really improving. In this episode you’ll learn all about this and leave with a deep understanding of jazz piano paths for improvement.
Enjoy!
