Last week we talked about developing some natural sounding, original lines over the tune, Moment's Notice. Really getting inside the changes instead of learning how to plug things in is very important over this particular set of changes. This week we are taking things a step further and introducing some new challenges along with the material from last week. Think of this as the next step once you are comfortable performing the tasks from last episode. Make sure you do this stuff slowly and … [Read more...]

This week features one of the most difficult tunes in the jazz canon. At first glance, Coltrane's, Moment's Notice doesn't seem that hard. Then you start playing over it, maybe even at a fast tempo, and everything changes! This tune is not your run of the mill improvisation experience. The difficulty comes from the chromatic movement contained in the ii-v progressions. This episode is all about how to successfully navigate these difficult changes in a way that makes sense and sounds natural … [Read more...]

This week is all about the history and popularity of the iconic chord changes to I Got Rhythm. David wrote us a great email that forced me to do a little bit of research and thinking about this pervasive set of chords that has become so famous over the years. Enjoy! Would you like to support the creators of this podcast? If so, please head over to our Patreon page and show your love by donating $3 or more each month. You get incredible benefits and this keeps the podcast coming at you … [Read more...]

This episode is going to show you the secret to perfect technique. No seriously, this episode WILL show you everything you need to know to achieve the true heights of technique on whatever instrument you play. The question is, are you willing to put the time in that's necessary for this system? This is something that was shown to me by a teacher a long time ago and I've recently been using it a lot in my practicing. The results are nothing short of incredible if you do it the prescribed way … [Read more...]

This week we take a look at some material by the great trumpeter, Woody Shaw. We focus in on what and where he uses tension to create a fantastic sound with the altered scale. There were two lines from his solo on There Will Never Be Another You that demonstrate a fantastic concept we should all be thinking about. Playing 'inside' and then contrasting it with playing 'outside.' This episode has some great stuff for people of all ability levels so be sure to grab the PDF and incorporate some of … [Read more...]

This week is all about a great documentary featuring Clark Terry. This film will change your life and allow you to peer into what made Clark such an important figure to so many. Would you like to support the creators of this podcast? If so, please head over to our Patreon page and show your love by donating $3 or more each month. You get incredible benefits and this keeps the podcast coming at you regularly. Thanks so much! … [Read more...]

Last week we talked about what secondary dominants are. This week we talk about how to use them effectively and give you some strategies for your playing. We know that dominant chords are great places to create tension, and when using secondary dominants, we can create tension in more places than if we only use primary dominants. We will use the blues to explore these cadence points (as usual) and I think this episode will really take your playing to the next level. Enjoy! WANT THE PDF THAT … [Read more...]

This week I got a great email from one of our listeners, Larry. He wanted to give me his perspective on my NY Monday podcast and I think he brought up some great points I wanted to expound upon. Would you like to support the creators of this podcast? If so, please head over to our Patreon page and show your love by donating $3 or more each month. You get incredible benefits and this keeps the podcast coming at you regularly. Thanks so much! … [Read more...]