How to Prepare for Auditions
With performance examinations coming up in many music schools across the country, I thought I’d address a question I’ve often heard, which is: How do I prepare for my performance jury? Whether you have an audition or a jury coming up for school, we’ll be discussing some best kept secrets for how to prepare! Know […]
Bill Evans Rips Through Solo Breaks on “Night and Day” (LOTW #143)
On his record with Stan Getz in 1973, Bill Evans rips through some solo breaks over the tune “Night and Day.” Check out the way he navigates these chord changes with bebop vocab and throws in a triplety sequence in the middle! https://youtu.be/DXjNLVu0GNk CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have […]
JPS Ep:150 – This Chord Will Instantly Make You Sound Like 70’s Herbie!
Here is a quick way to achieve a 70’s funk sound, straight out of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters record! Follow along as we explore the use of this chord from “Watermelon Man.”
JPS Ep:149 – Rhythm Changes Bridge Improvisation: Use This Today!
We continue our rhythm changes series and approach these refreshing new ways to improvise over the 4 dominant chords in the bridge of rhythm changes. If you thought the bridge didn’t provide much harmonic content to improvise over…think again! Let’s get to it!
Insane Brad Mehldau Line from Art of the Trio (LOTW #142)
Have you ever wondered what’s going on when Brad Mehldau goes off into one of his virtuosic solos? Take a closer look at this line from Art of the Trio Vol. 2 Live at the Village Vanguard (1998). https://youtu.be/AQrfq0jM7gs CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions or suggestions for […]
Developing Modern Repertoire
As Sterling mentioned in his last post, jazz music was built on the popular songs of the day, using them as vehicles for improvisation. There is no reason it should be any different today. There is music being created all around us just begging to be improvised on, but sometimes we get stuck in the […]
JPS Ep:148 – 4 Secrets To Improvising Over Rhythm Changes
Rhythm changes can seriously screw you up. Once you attempted and failed, you probably don’t want to try again. BUT…with these 4 secrets that will allow you to easily improvise over rhythm changes, you’ll be loving this form and itching to play it as much as possible! Here we go!
Greasy Benny Green Triplet Line (LOTW #141)
Listen to Benny Green swing his butt off with the Ray Brown Trio on the album Live at Scullers in 1996. He digs into the triplet feel with drummer Greg Hutchinson. Check this out to get more grease in your playing! https://youtu.be/Ajx0j0wHVJ0 CLICK HERE TO GET A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE LICK If you have questions […]
JPS Ep:147 – How to Play “Block Chords” (pt. 2)
In this lesson we’ll continue learning how to play “block chord” voicings in the style of George Shearing. We will be working on minor voicings in the key of F, specifically with the tune “Lullaby of Birdland.” George Shearing often played this tune with these very voicings, so it is a great model from which to start!
Killing Post-Bop Jazz Piano Lick (LOTW #140)
This week’s lick is a piece of post-bop vocabulary you can pull out when you want to take this to the next level. It is a quartal (4th based) line that moves in 4ths ascending by major second intervals, resulting in a cycle that repeats. Give this lick a try and see where it leads! […]
