August 11, 2010 in Learning Jazz
When you play over a minor ii-V chord progression, such as the first two chords of Stella by Starlight (which you expect to resolve to the minor i, D-, but it goes to a ii-V in Bb instead) one fun sound to play around with is the melodic minor scale.
Over the ii-7b5, use a melodic minor scale a minor …
August 9, 2010 in Learning Jazz
This is one of the greatest solos of all time! I’ve always loved this solo, but when I started transcribing it I noticed how perfect it is. Each idea logically flows into the next, and the development of motives is genius. The first lick in bar one, for instance, is developed for entire rest of the chorus and into the …
August 6, 2010 in Learning Jazz
An analytical approach to finding colorful blue notes
by Andrew Meronek
To view as a pdf-Blues_Notes_and_the_Harmonic_Series (.pdf)
Jazz is a music of dancing, virtuosity, anger, laughter, and many other things, including color. There is one specific kind of color that I believe is worth considering when we choose where to play those oh-so-spine-tingling blue notes: those notes where we find …
July 27, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Do you need to brush up on your jazz history a little bit? Here’s a nice reference guide by my friend Brent Jensen. Brent is a saxophone recording artist for Origin Records, and he teaches jazz at the College of Southern Idaho.
I’ve included the Style Periods in a text format, as well as doc and pdf files.
JAZZ STYLE …
July 22, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Teaching improvisation can be a daunting task. How do I teach kids how to invent a solo from thin air? I am the lead instructor at the Great Basin Junior Jazz Camp this week (I am also on faculty for the big camp, which is held a different week), and I created this handout to do just that. I do …
July 19, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Here’s the updated version of Charlie Parker’s three chorus solo on Blues for Alice. Make sure to listen to the recording and learn it with that. You should never learn a transcription without listening to it a lot! I hope you enjoy!
Bird’s Solo Transcription-Blues for Alice (.pdf)
Blues for Alice-Bird’s Solo-C Instruments
Blues for Alice-Bird’s Solo-Trumpet
Blues for Alice-Bird’s …
July 14, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Have you ever wanted to increase the rhythmic interest of your improvisations? Try using hemiola and over-the-bar-line rhythmic patterns to try some new ideas. I have been teaching at the Great Basin Jazz Camp all week, and I consulted with several other faculty members on this article. Tom Goicoechea is an excellent young drummer on our faculty. He was a …
July 13, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Learn Jazz Standards is a website for all instrumentalists, and even vocalists; however, given that piano is my primary instrument, I will occasionally put some piano articles up. Also, piano is the most useful instrument for all musicians. There is a reason that all music majors take “piano proficiency” rather than “banjo proficiency!” All jazz musicians should study harmony on …
July 12, 2010 in Learning Jazz
I’m on faculty as a piano player at the Great Basin Jazz Camp at the College of Southern Idaho this week. Bruce Forman and Carl Saunders are the artists-in-residence at the camp, and Dr. David Joyner, Wayne Bliss, and several others are here as well teaching. It’s been a great learning experience, and I’m having a great time teaching and …
July 5, 2010 in Learning Jazz
Charlie Parker
by Reckon from Flickr.com
I have been searching online for other jazz blogs of various kinds. I came across a website that gives a list of the top jazz blogs on the internet. This is a nice list to explore, and I wanted to share it:
http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/Jazz#pr
-Camden…
