Here’s a nice blue’s idea (or “lick”) played by Tina Brooks (tenor sax) over the chord changes to Confirmation on Jimmy Smith’s album House Party…
Read Full Blog PostModern Jazz Vocab. Vol. 3
Improvising over the minor ii-7, V7, i chord progression can be challenging for both the beginning and advanced jazz musician. Modern Jazz Vocabulary Vol.3 contains…
Read Full Blog PostJoeless Shoe “Midsole” CD
This is the third album from the jazz trio, JoE-LeSs shOe. The title Midsole makes reference to the fact that the album was recorded during a…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 89: Altered Melody
This is a simple Altered Melody that works on a dominant 7th chord with a #5, #11, #9 and b9 and comes from the 7th…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 88: Bach Theme
In this lesson we’ll look at and play a theme from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier Book 1; Fugue 10 in E minor. What I find…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 87: ii-7 V7 Melody
Lesson 87 is a simple ii-7 V7 melody that you’ll probably recognize. This line will work over both a ii-7 or a V7 so it’s…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 86: Bird Line (2)
Playing bebop melodies through all 12 keys can be a great practice that will help develop your ear, your analytical mind and your technique. Sometimes…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 85: Intervallic Ideas
Studying with George Garzone was always extremely inspiring and challenging. One seemingly simple assignment he gave me when I studied with him at Berklee in…
Read Full Blog Post3-ish “Events”
Events is the follow up album to our first 3-ish’s release, Baobab (2009). Events features new original compositions by all three band members and a few re-inventions of…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 83: No Tongue
When studying with George Garzone in the mid 1980’s, I learned to practice and play without using any tongue. In my experience, playing without any…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 82: Maj7 #5 Pentatonic
In lesson 82 we will look at an easy 5 note (pentatonic) scale that works well when improvising over a Major 7 #5 chord. This…
Read Full Blog Post~Lesson 81: Well You Needn’t
Here’s a one chorus solo I played over the chord changes to “Well You Needn’t” by Thelonious Monk for the “Jam Of The Week” facebook…
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