This lesson is similar to a study in triad pairs, however, in this melodic example, one of the 3 note cells is a sus (1,4,5)…
Read Full Blog PostGig w Erik Jekabson
Here are a few mp3s from a recent gig with trumpeter Eric Jekabson. Eric and I met in New York just over 10 years ago…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 71: E Modal Melody
Sometimes I find it helpful to spend time working on the modes and 7 main chords in just one key. This helps to strengthen my…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 70: Etudes
This lesson features several etudes I’ve written over standard chord changes. Back in the 80’swhile doing an undergraduate degree at Indiana University, David Baker would…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 50: Wide Intervals
Here’s an easy way to begin to introduce some wider intervals into your improvisation while still maintaining melodic and harmonic integrity. This exercise uses a…
Read Full Blog PostGigs With Alan Ferber
The composer and trombonist Alan Ferber visited Kansas City recently and we played 3 very fun gigs together, including one with the People’s Liberation Big…
Read Full Blog Post-Lesson 70: Augmented Melody
In this lesson we look at a short melody derived from the (classical) augmented scale ( 1, b3, 3, 5, b6, 7, 1 ) and…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 69: A Major
Sometimes working on just one key for a while can be beneficial. Today I practiced a bit on concert A major – on tenor sax…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 68: -7b5 nat 9 nat 13
This is a simple melody that uses the 2nd mode of harmonic major over a -7b5 chord (or half diminished) in one key (concert F#-7b5)…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 67: min triad add 9
This ii-7, V7, I melody that uses minor triads with an added 9th (or 2nd) i.e. 1,3,5,9 or 1,9,3,5 etc… The first part of the…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 66: Minor Major 9
This is a simple minor major nine melody I started hearing in my head a few days ago. It’s nothing special but I enjoyed singing…
Read Full Blog PostGig w John Stowell
John Stowell, a wonderful guitar player from Portland Oregon came out to Kansas City and we played a clinic, gig and session together. Here’s a…
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