This month we are going to transcribe a solo from one of the greatest musicians to ever live, Ella Fitzgerald. I'd like you to work on her scat solo over the famous composition, Take The A-Train by the great, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78vRYUMHlJU … [Read more...]

This week we are talking about a very important topic that adds on to our series studying jazz articulation. Ghost notes are crucial to both making lines a bit more natural to play, adding texture, and for many instruments, making lines much easier to accomplish! I'm providing 3 examples this week and pointing out where I would naturally ghost or de-emphasize notes to make things swing much more. This is a concept that every jazz musician should master and you can consider this your jumping off … [Read more...]

This month, we are going to take a look at the amazing Jerome Kern standard, Yesterdays through the lens of the articulation principles we have been discussing in the past 3 episodes. We have a three chorus etude and our aim is to get a bit more adventurous as we move through the composition. One important thing to remember, is to keep the basic principles of swing in mind for the entire etude. Just because we are mixing things up a bit, doesn't mean we can ignore the basics. Enjoy the etude and … [Read more...]

This week we begin talking about the off-beat accent. This is crucial in the understanding of how to play swing music and once you start to grasp this concept, you'll hear all of your favorite musicians doing it. We move from a very obvious example, to more subtle as we move through the episode. It's important to remember that all of the other concepts we have talked about still apply, even when taking this new idea into account. Enjoy the episode! WANT THE PDF THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS … [Read more...]

This month is less about listening to an album, and more about tuning in to something on Facebook. Chris Potter, the masterful jazz musician, has been doing performances/clinics on FB live and they are amazing! Check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/chrispottermusic/videos/543492763036120/ https://www.facebook.com/chrispottermusic/videos/3406314779385209/ … [Read more...]

This week we dive deeper into the principles of jazz articulation. Last episode, we covered some general thoughts on how to articulate in a swinging, legato manner. This week, we start to bend the rules a bit and talk about how injecting some staccato notes into our lines can be a great way to add life and character to our lines. We use these notes sparingly and in a calculated way to create the effect we are after. Enjoy the episode and let me know if you have any questions! WANT THE PDF … [Read more...]

This month's project is all about one of my favorite trumpeters, musicians, and composers, Kenny Dorham. We are tackling his solo on the amazing jazz standard, Mack The Knife. Enjoy and have fun with this month's project! 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 … [Read more...]

This week's episode begins a series on articulation and some core concepts related to this important topic. This was a listener request and something I have been meaning to do for a while. Articulation is something that can completely change the texture and feel of our lines by changing a few subtle things. I'm excited to dive into this topic with all of you and I hope you enjoy the first episode! WANT THE PDF THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS EPISODE?? Head over to our Patreon page and when you … [Read more...]

This week we are taking all of the concepts we learned about the bebop scale and applying them to one of my favorite jazz standards by Duke Ellington, In A Mellow Tone. Your job this month will be to find all of the instances of the bebop scale used in this etude and see how they are incorporated into the bigger picture. I'm a fan of the chord progression here because it largely follows the circle of fourths and relies heavily on the dominant chord (a great place for the bebop scale!). Enjoy the … [Read more...]

Welcome back to the third in our series on the bebop scale. This week, we start to combine the bebop scale with some other devices. Specifically, vertical playing or outlining chords. It is important to balance our vertical and horizontal playing so we don't get stuck doing things one way or another. When we study bebop scales intensely, we tend to play more horizontally. By studying this weeks episode we can avoid that trap and make sure our lines stay varied and interesting. Enjoy the … [Read more...]