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3 Tools to Learn Tunes

July 2, 2010 in Learning Jazz

There are 3 important resources to help you learn tunes: recordings, fakebooks/chord charts, and play alongs. All three are helpful, if you understand their proper place. The following article deals with the place of each resource when you learn tunes. Have you ever heard a great jazz musician say that they believe in learning jazz standards from the recordings and not from the fakebook? When I first heard this as a young player, I was a bit mystified. Some great players even advocate throwing away your fakebook. Great. I just spent $40 on a book I’m supposed to throw away. [...]

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Seven Steps to Heaven-VIDEO by Brent Jensen, Step 1 (B)

June 15, 2010 in Learning Jazz

Here’s the rest of the video Brent Jensen, Origin Records recording artist and Professor of Jazz, did to explain step one of his Seven Steps to Heaven handout on learning and mastering tunes.  Enjoy! Brent Jensen’s Recordings null Brent has made some awesome recordings! It’s just fun to hear a sample of what he has recorded. Also, any purchases of these songs or albums made through this site will help Brent Jensen, Origin records, and this website will even get a little kickback from anything you order through Amazon. We appreciate your support so we can continue the website! Thank [...]

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Seven Steps to Heaven-VIDEO Guest Post by Brent Jensen! Step 1 (A)

June 14, 2010 in Learning Jazz

Brent Jensen, Professor of Jazz at the College of Southern Idaho and saxophone recording artist for Origin Records, has graciously done a handout for us explaining how to improve your improvisation. He also explains several of the steps in videos! Here’s Step 1 (A). Stay posted for more videos! Brent Jensen’s Recordings null Feel free to listen to some of this awesome material Brent recorded. He’s got some great stuff! It’s just fun to hear a sample of what he has recorded. Also, any purchases of these songs or albums made through this site will help Brent Jensen, Origin records, [...]

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On the Sunny Side of the Street

June 5, 2010 in Jazz Standards

This is such a great standard tune, written in 1930 by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. At least, that’s what history tells us. Rumor has it that Fats Waller may have penned the tune and sold the rights, but who knows? At any rate, we know that it’s a great standard to blow over. This tune is done in many keys. I’ve listened to many recordings, and I’ve heard the tune in C, Bb (these being the most common), Ab, G, Eb, and even D. Instrumentalists seem to gravitate toward the key of C, so that’s what I’ve put on [...]

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All the Things You Are

May 26, 2010 in Jazz Standards

One of the most popular standards of all time, All the Things You Are has some great changes that can be tough to navigate at first. Try checking out the roman numerals on this one to help figure out what is happening in this tune harmonically. Brent Jensen features this tune is his VIDEO series “Seven Steps to Heaven” describing how he approaches learning tunes. Check that out! The link is at the bottom of the page. All the Things You Are changes All the Things You Are-C Instruments (.pdf) All the Things You Are-Bb Instruments (.pdf) All the Things [...]

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