Inspiration for improvisers
By
As improvisers we are always looking to create new harmonic concepts or to find new ways of soloing over traditional changes that are innovative and creative. Actually, for the past sixty years jazz musicians have been playing the same basic set of standard tunes, each generation making their stylistic mark on the history of the …
By
Becoming fluent with jazz language is the key to unlocking your musical freedom when you improvise. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle. The lost ship. The thing everyone ignores… And it’s totally counter-intuitive… You copy, to sound original. You practice the same line over and over, to be creative. You use limitation, to find …
By
Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Language, Jazz Standards
After countless hours in the practice room, you’ve finally managed to transcribe one of your favorite players. You figured out a particular line that caught your ear, and now you’re learning it in all keys. You’re making great progress! But even after all this work, when you go to improvise you’re still playing the same …
By
Composition, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques, Rhythm
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 heard the album Kind of Blue, I was blown away. And I still am to this day. There is so …
By
Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives
Do you ever feel like you sound mechanical, predictable, and boring, like a robot? Nobody wants to sound like a robot. We’re human. We have thoughts, ideas, emotions…and we want to express these things in our music… How do we break out of this rigid playing style and feel free when we play? Here are …
By
Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips, Playing Techniques
For a lot of musicians that are working to improve, it is easy to spend most of our practice time working on really complex harmonic and rhythmic concepts while fundamental skills, that we all basically know, are pushed to the back burner. This happens easily if you think about it; after progressing to and achieving …
By
There are certain composers in the jazz tradition…ones that have such a uniquely personal style that their compositions seem to take on a life of their own, becoming part of the jazz pantheon long after the lifetime of the writer. Composers like Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, and especially Thelonious Monk come immediately to …
By
How to Practice Jazz, Inspiration, Jazz Musicians
Clark Terry is one of the legends of this music. He’s played with every big name in jazz over the last half-century from the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, to Ella Fitzgerald…the list could go on forever. With such a rich performing career spanning over six decades, he continues to play …
By
How to Practice Jazz, Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Standards, Perspectives, Transcribing
Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar:You walk into a jam session ready to play a tune that you’ve been sounding great on. As the band finishes up a set you gather up your courage, walk up to the stage, and call this tune you’ve been working on memorizing all week. But at the last …
By
Many times we forget about the musical skills that we should be developing until it’s way too late. Right in the middle of a gig you’re put on the spot and in a moment of panic, you realize “$@!*, I should’ve been getting this together in the practice room!” The bottom line is that when …
By
Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Education, Perspectives
You have to know the rules before you can break them. You’ve probably heard this well-intentioned phrase before. It’s as common and overused as “Practice makes perfect” or any of the countless other sayings that we encounter when it comes to learning a musical instrument. As students of the music we get bombarded by these …
By
Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Education, Perspectives
In 6 Disastrous Mistakes You’re Making In Learning To Improvise, we detailed some pitfalls that cause people to waste tons of time and cause years of frustration. Let’s get right into it…here are six more mistakes that will hinder your musical success if you let them… 1.) Ignoring the fundamentals Why are you trying to …