Pianist Terry Seabrook’s Jazz Tip of the Month No. 6 Encoding The Chord Changes With Some Colour Here’s a nice little idea to help the amateur improviser find the scales to use over the “changes” in a chord sequence. (“Changes” is a word meaning the chords, as they “change” from one to the next) […]
Pianist Wayne McConnell asks: Is Jazz Worth My While? The problem with learning jazz is that you really have to want it. There is no quick fix for learning this complex art form. There is no one scale and no one way of doing things. The best jazz musicians are able to take what has gone […]
I recently ran a composition weekend at Brighton Jazz School. We had a very productive and inspiring few days and the students came up with some wonderful ideas. The article below came from that weekend and I hope it inspires you to get writing… Starting the creative process Since most of us are […]
Keith Jarrett is without doubt one of the foremost musicians of the 20th Century. His ability to craft melody in a way which brings out the beauty of Classical Music, the dazzle of Bebop, the feeling from the Blues and all with a touch that is so personal and unique. Above his many attributes (dazzling […]
I’m sure every one of us has used YouTube at some point to check out video footage of the jazz greats. I’m a bit of a YouTube junkie myself but I have often pondered on the notion of the new generation of jazz musicians who have mostly only heard the greats through YouTube videos. […]
What’s the best advice that you can give to a musician just starting out? Listen, listen, listen. Listen to recordings. When I was 14, 15 I only had a handful of records. By the time I was 16 I had Empyrean Isles and Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock, which had led me to Kind of […]