What is a jazz musician's most important tool? Is it their ear? Their technique? The concepts at their disposal? All of these are extremely important, but without this one specific tool, they’re all useless… The...Read More
What is a jazz musician's most important tool? Is it their ear? Their technique? The concepts at their disposal? All of these are extremely important, but without this one specific...Read More
John Coltrane is probably best known for Countdown and Giant Steps, or his earth-shattering intensity on A Love Supreme. But often overlooked is the depth and beauty of his phrasing and lyricism... When I first...Read More
John Coltrane is probably best known for Countdown and Giant Steps, or his earth-shattering intensity on A Love Supreme. But often overlooked is the depth and beauty of his phrasing...Read More
If you’re serious about reaching your musical potential or stepping up your jazz improvisation game then the majority of your time as a musician should be spent in one place: The practice room. It’s where...Read More
If you’re serious about reaching your musical potential or stepping up your jazz improvisation game then the majority of your time as a musician should be spent in one place:...Read More
What do you play over a minor ii V? Minor ii Vs are notoriously tricky. As compared to their brother, the ii V in major, the ii V in minor adds quite a few more...Read More
What do you play over a minor ii V? Minor ii Vs are notoriously tricky. As compared to their brother, the ii V in major, the ii V in minor...Read More
Here's something that I don't tell many people...I’ve practiced my instrument huddled inside a closet, surrounded by dirty laundry. I’ve worked out scales after dark sitting in the back seat of my car. I’ve practiced...Read More
Here's something that I don't tell many people...I’ve practiced my instrument huddled inside a closet, surrounded by dirty laundry. I’ve worked out scales after dark sitting in the back seat...Read More
Let me guess...You’re smart. You know your stuff. And you have a sparkle in your eyes when you talk about music. You take lessons and you play in a band, and when you find a...Read More
Let me guess...You’re smart. You know your stuff. And you have a sparkle in your eyes when you talk about music. You take lessons and you play in a band,...Read More
Ever feel like something is missing from your solos? You spend hours learning tunes and transcribing solos from your favorite recordings, you've memorized the chord progressions and diligently practiced the tricky fingerings, but when you...Read More
Ever feel like something is missing from your solos? You spend hours learning tunes and transcribing solos from your favorite recordings, you've memorized the chord progressions and diligently practiced the...Read More
You're a trumpet player. You play the piano or the guitar. Maybe you’ve taken up the saxophone. Out of a dozen different instruments, this is the one that you’ve chosen to amplify your musical voice....Read More
You're a trumpet player. You play the piano or the guitar. Maybe you’ve taken up the saxophone. Out of a dozen different instruments, this is the one that you’ve chosen...Read More
I'm guessing you've heard of Miles Davis. That you know Louis Armstrong and have listened to Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. But have you ever stopped and wondered why you know these names? Some of...Read More
I'm guessing you've heard of Miles Davis. That you know Louis Armstrong and have listened to Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. But have you ever stopped and wondered why you...Read More
It's been a few weeks since the new year when we posted articles on setting goals and making musical resolutions. Did you make some resolutions this year? If so, how are they holding up? Maybe...Read More
It's been a few weeks since the new year when we posted articles on setting goals and making musical resolutions. Did you make some resolutions this year? If so, how...Read More
I can’t. We’ve all said these fateful words at one point or another. Fill in the blank for your own situation. “I can’t (____)”...draw, run long distances, wake up early, stop eating cheesecake. Every day...Read More
I can’t. We’ve all said these fateful words at one point or another. Fill in the blank for your own situation. “I can’t (____)”...draw, run long distances, wake up early,...Read More
Have you ever felt like you're stuck with the same old licks when it comes to improvising? Or that you're trying to create a solo from a strict set of scales. The truth is many...Read More
Have you ever felt like you're stuck with the same old licks when it comes to improvising? Or that you're trying to create a solo from a strict set of...Read More
You’ve been thinking about it all day. As you ate breakfast. On your commute to work. And while you were sitting at your desk watching the seconds tick by. You need to practice. You need...Read More
You’ve been thinking about it all day. As you ate breakfast. On your commute to work. And while you were sitting at your desk watching the seconds tick by. You...Read More
Ask any musician or teacher what you should practice to develop exceptional jazz improvisation skills, and you usually hear words like "Scales" and "Modes" or "Guide-tone lines." Sometimes even "Transcribing"... This is all useful information....Read More
Ask any musician or teacher what you should practice to develop exceptional jazz improvisation skills, and you usually hear words like "Scales" and "Modes" or "Guide-tone lines." Sometimes even "Transcribing"... ...Read More
Your mother probably taught you not to steal…That taking something that wasn’t yours was wrong or that pocketing an item from the shelves of a store could land you into a world of trouble. But what...Read More
Your mother probably taught you not to steal…That taking something that wasn’t yours was wrong or that pocketing an item from the shelves of a store could land you into a...Read More
We all have those days in the practice room…days where you can't seem to get anything right. Where you're fighting your instrument and you want to scream... I'm sure you know the feeling of a...Read More
We all have those days in the practice room…days where you can't seem to get anything right. Where you're fighting your instrument and you want to scream... I'm sure you...Read More