Blues Through The Ages
Would you like a fantastic method for comparing pianist’s styles and learning about how harmony and improvised melody have developed? Then look no further than the 12-bar blues. Understanding and analyzing the blues has a lot of benefits. That knowledge gives you a framework for studying each and every great jazz pianist who has come […]
Jazz Piano School Ep. 117 – Gospel Reharms You Can Use Today
I absolutely love gospel. I’ve been listening to it since I was a kid because I love the way it makes me feel! The chords and harmonies pull at my heart and soul strings because that’s what it’s meant to do! Give us an uplifting feeling, get us through hard times. The chords used in the chart do exactly that. I explain what types of chords do what and how you can use them in all different kinds of music to reharm whenever you want.
Basic Reharmonization: How To Harmonize A Melody & 5 Basic Reharmonization Techniques
A good way to begin working on basic reharmonization is to practice harmonizing a tune and coming up with a different chord for every note of the melody. Let’s take the first 8 bars to the tune “If I Should Lose You” as an example. Here are the basic chord changes and melody as you […]
TUNES, TUNES, TUNES!!
We’ve all been there. You get to the session, the cats are all on stage playing, and you just want to get up there and hang with the best of them. It’s finally your turn, and the call is… “Lover, Come Back to Me.” You’re thinking, Is that even a real tune?! I’ve never heard […]
Shaping Lines Rhythmically — Changing Rates: 8ths, Triplets, and 16ths
Staying in one rhythmic zone – whether it be eighth notes or double time sixteenth note lines – can sound monotonous over the course of an entire solo. A way to bring about rhythmic freshness is to alternate between eighth note, eighth note triplet, and sixteenth note phrases. The key is to make the transition […]
Jazz Piano School Ep. 116 – 6 Easy Ways To Improve At Improv With Rhythm
There are a ton of ways to implement rhythm into improv but…I’ve found these ways to be most effective at quickly upgrading your sound. Practice them alone at first before implementing them all into your solo at once. They’re powerful tools so use them wisely and work hard. In no time your improvisation will be completely different…and for the BETTER! Enjoy!
Jazz Piano School Ep. 115 – How To Develop A Solid Foundation As A Beginner Without Holes
So I’m going to say it…Jazz Piano is EASY…but…only after you have a plan to follow. I found this out the hard way after basically searching and guessing for most of my career until I finally developed my own plan. In this episode I talk about the foundation and TREE based concepts that splits off your foundation based on your specific goals. There is not much playing and demonstrating here but I truly believe the concepts I explain are much more valuable in the long run. Enjoy!
Why Solo Piano Can Be Even More Fun Than Playing With a Band
Getting Started with Playing Solo: When you’re first starting off, playing solo piano can be a daunting task. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be. As jazz scholars, we are often taught to play with a band before truly exploring the art of playing by ourselves. This is probably because when you get right down to […]
Shell Voicings for Solo Piano
What are shell voicings? Shell voicings are LH (left hand) voicings for piano which form the foundation for any third-based harmonic accompaniment. They can be found in the repertoire of great pianists such as Bud Powell, Sonny Clarke, and Phineas Newborn, to name a few. Where do they come from? These voicings define the harmony […]
Jazz Piano School Ep. 114 – The Top 7 Crucial Elements For Improving At Solo Piano
I think we can all agree Solo Piano is a NASTY BEAST! Even Bill Evans said it best to Marian McPartland, that he felt that he had a long way to improve, and this was AFTER he had recorded his first solo album which is ammmmazzing. Anyway, in this podcast I review the 7 most CRUCIAL elements to improving your solo piano and ensuring you’re getting the sound that you want, dream of, and hear on albums! Enjoy!
