Dizzy Gillespie’s Prerequisites for Successful Jazz Musicians
Over the years, in learning this music and working on improvisation, I’ve encountered a lot of educational information: how to learn, how to practice, which scales to use, how to learn bebop in a week, etc. Looking back, the hardest part can be deciding which method is best or which information to trust. Sometimes the ...
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Learning to Be Your Own Teacher
The difference between many subjects and jazz improvisation is that the latter has no single correct and well-defined path. Every person takes a different route depending how they learn, how they hear, what they want to sound like, and countless other factors. Because we all are shooting for different musical goals and have different ways ...
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Combating The Enemies of Progress
We have met the enemy and he is us – Pogo We all want to get better and we always will. There’s never a point where a musician thinks, “Well, I think I’m good enough now. Guess that’s it.” What’s stopping us? What’s holding us back from becoming the player we wish to be? The ...
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The Path to Finding Your Own Voice
The notion of being original and innovative goes hand-in-hand with the idea of improvisation. The inspired act of being in the moment, creating on the fly with others in a group setting, and ultimately developing an original voice are all central ideas when it comes to jazz and improvisation. Musicians everywhere, from beginning improvisers struggling ...
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50 Jazz Interviews to Get You Inspired
Interviews are a great way to hear and see how jazz musicians think, feel, and articulate their ideas. You can learn a lot just by watching them… Today we’re sharing with you 50 jazz interviews to get you inspired! Herbie Hancock & Wayne Shorter John Coltrane An Interview in Japan from 1965 Coltrane interview with ...
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Speaking to the Listener: 4 Ways to Perform More Effectively
We’ve all seen concerts that have affected us greatly and left a lasting impression on our musical perception and even our lives. Performances that seem to transcend the stage into another form of communication and stick with us long after the show has ended. It’s as if certain groups or performers have an uncanny ability ...
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Mythbusting the Top 5 Myths About Jazz Improvisation
Learning how to improvise is not nearly as clear as people think. And what makes it worse is that there are quite a few myths about it. Today, in no particular order, we’re going to dispel five myths about jazz improvisation for you right now! Myth #1 When it comes to improvising, you either got ...
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100 New Years Resloution Ideas to Get You Amped For 2011
Stuck in the same monotonous pattern? Not excited about playing lately? It’s time to start with a clean slate and welcome in the new year feeling motivated. Here’s 100 ideas to reinvigorate your energy for the music. Read through the list and pick one that gets you excited. Then, just do it. Transcribe your first ...
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3 More Gems From Harold Mabern
In my first 3 Gems Harold Mabern Told Me, we learned how much Harold stresses: relying on your ear, being greedy for the music, and the difference between inspiration and motivation. Harold’s full of incredible knowledge. Here’s 3 more gems from Harold to dwell on… 1.) Good music is good music Harold would play all ...
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50 Jazz Education Clips That Rock
Here’s a collection of some of the best jazz improvisation educational video clips I’ve found. They include: Pat Martino, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, Hal Galper, Joshua Redman, Bill Evans, John Scofield, Chris Potter, Billy Taylor, Joe Henderson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mulgrew Miller, Oscar Peterson, Terence Blanchard, Walter Bishop Jr., and Kenny Werner. Enjoy! Pat ...
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Marathon Training For The Musician
August is finally here and with the approaching end of summer looms the shadow of the fall marathon season. Across the country runners are stepping up their training for races that they’ve been preparing for since the beginning of summer. As I have started to prepare for my own race, I’ve thought about how the ...
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A Word From Investor’s Business Daily
When I was younger, my father constantly cut out articles from Investor’s Business Daily that he found interesting or inspiring, and casually placed them throughout the house where I would stumble upon them. Not wanting to take parental advice, just like any other kid, most of these articles ended up in the circular file cabinet, ...
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