Inspiration for improvisers
Eric 
By Eric
Charlie Parker’s iconic take on the Blues form, commonly referred to as the “Bird Blues,” is a staple of the modern jazz repertoire and a rite of passage for every serious improviser… However, this particular tune can pose a challenge for even the best players, and oftentimes it’s reduced to predictable theory devices. That’s why …
By Eric
As players today, we have a ton of resources to draw from in the practice room. But when it comes to the more musical areas of improvisation, something is missing. And for many of us, that x-factor is imitation… You see, relying solely on a theory approach can make the process of improvising and playing …
By Eric
We all know about Charlie Parker the revolutionary soloist, but we often overlook Charlie Parker “the composer.” Bird wrote a number of songs over popular song forms that quickly became jazz standards, especially these 10 heads he wrote over the Blues… And like his many mind-blowing solos, Charlie Parker’s compositions can give us a unique …
By Eric
In the jazz lineage, there are certain solos on every instrument that stick out and withstand the test of time. Landmark moments of improvisation that serve as a guiding light for any musician striving to learn the language and find their musical voice… And the world of jazz trumpet is no exception – from the …
By Eric
Developing as an improviser means knowing the history of the important players and recordings that came before you – and a crucial part of this musical history centers around jazz trumpet players… Today we’re going to dive into the world of jazz trumpet, giving you a stream-lined guide so you can quickly find the players …
By Eric
Getting to the next level as an improviser means moving beyond the basics of chords and scales. Specifically, it’s all about focusing on the harmonic relationships in the jazz repertoire – what we call jazz chord progressions. You see, there are a finite set of harmonic relationships that pop up in the majority of popular …
By Eric
When you think of intricate and flowing chromatic lines, you probably think of Miles Davis. In particular, those amazing musical phrases he often played with his second great quintet in the mid to late 1960s… This clip of “Agitation” is a perfect example of this magic with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, and Ron …
By Eric
As a listener, it’s thrilling to hear world-class musicians improvise flawless solos over crazy tempos & impossible progressions. But one of my favorite things, is listening to my musical heroes play simple tunes… I’m talking about the regular old jazz standards that we practice all the time. It’s all about those times in the club …
By Eric
One of the hardest parts of improvising is the expectation that you need to be creative all the time. The pressure to continually come up with new and interesting ideas in every solo… And as hard as you might try, the reality is that you’ll end up at a creative wall at some point or …
By Eric
In your daily search for musical information you’ve probably come across a “lick of the day,” various short musical excerpts from world famous jazz solos that are neatly written out… These brief phrases from the likes of Charlie Parker to Roy Hargrove seem to hold the musical secrets you’ve been seeking out for years – …
By Eric
As a musician you know should be learning tunes…After all it’s the backbone of how you play with other musicians, speak the language, and share your musical ideas. But, the big question is: How exactly should you go about doing this? Right now you might be wondering this as you work to build your repertoire …
By Eric
Have you ever felt like you’re missing a piece of the puzzle when it comes to improvisation? As if you’re following all the rules, yet still not playing the music you want to… Every musician has felt the sting of this frustration, especially when listening to all those important records and amazing players. It seems …