Use Rhythm Instantly To Sound More Professional
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn If your improvisation feels flat or unexpressive, the problem usually isn’t your notes — it’s your rhythm. In today’s Black Friday lesson, I show you the exact rhythmic concepts that instantly make your playing sound more confident, musical, and professional. You’ll learn:• The 3 rhythmic habits great players share• How to create […]
Improvisation Paths: Blues, Bebop, Modern
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Once you understand the fundamentals of improvisation, you get to choose your sound. In this lesson, I break down the 3 major improvisation paths: Blues — soulful, emotional, vocalBebop — classic, harmonic, flowingModern — open, colorful, cinematic You’ll hear how each approach transforms the same 2-5-1 progression, and why the musicality stays […]
4 Secrets to Slow Swing Piano
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn BLACK FRIDAY OPENS 11/28 — Lifetime Access to Jazz Piano School👉 https://jazzpianoschool.com/black-friday-2025/ Slow swing is one of the most beautiful — and most misunderstood — styles in jazz piano. Most players rush, overplay, or fill too much space, and the groove disappears. In this lesson, I break down the four secrets that […]
How to Add Bebop Language to Your Jazz Improv (Next Step After Levels 1 & 2)
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn If you’ve been practicing rhythm and chord tone improvisation from Levels 1 and 2, it’s time for your next breakthrough — adding bebop language. In this jazz piano lesson, I’ll show you how to connect your chord tones with bebop approach notes and enclosures so your lines sound more authentic, fluid, and […]
Fill Style Comping (Part 2): Jobim “Girl From Ipanema” Brazilian Comping Analysis
In part 1 of this series, we analyzed Oscar Peterson’s fill-style comping on “Sweet Loraine” alongside Herb Ellis’ 4-in-the-bar style comping. In part 2 of this 3-part series, we are going to examine how to comp alongside a guitarist on a Bossa nova tune. When comping in a Brazilian group, the guitarist serves as the […]
Fill-Style Comping (Part 1): Oscar Peterson “It’s Only A Paper Moon” Comping Analysis
Fill-style comping can be a very effective tool when dealing with a crowded accompaniment space: when comping in a traditional big band setting when comping alongside a guitarist’s brazilian rhythmic comping when comping alongside a guitarist’s “4 to a bar” comping In part 1 of this 3-part series, we are going to examine Oscar Peterson’s […]
Accompanying Singers – Hillary Kole “Duets”: How To Set Up A Solid Intro
Hillary Kole’s You Are There (Duets) is a fascinating study in how to accompany a jazz singer in a vocal-piano duo setting. The record contains 13 vocal-piano duets with many different pianists, including Kenny Barron, Dave Brubeck, Benny Green, Hank Jones, Steve Kuhn, Freddy Cole, Cedar Walton, Alan Broadbent, Monty Alexander, Michel Legrand, and Mike […]
Comping – What is it? Why is it important?
People talk of the great jazz pianists: Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Brad Mehldau, and what do they remember? Most often it is their lines and soloing ability. What most people don’t think about when it comes to these great musicians is their ability to accompany or play within a group. What is […]
Nancy Wilson and Tips for Playing with Singers
By Joanna Sabater Since Nancy Wilson recently celebrated her 78th birthday, we’re going to learn about her life and impact on jazz. We’ll also talk about some tips for playing with singers. After winning a talent contest in High School, Wilson got her start headlining a local show in Columbus, Ohio called Skyline Melodies. After graduating […]
Educational Perspectives of a Jazz Pianist by David Hazeltine
By David Hazeltine I was 11 years old when after 3 years of basic music instruction, I began my weekly lessons with Will Green, a very accomplished blind, Jazz pianist and organist. His style of teaching was completely hands on, meaning he taught me exactly how to play tunes with precise voicings and bass notes, […]
