This week the long running YouTube gig has come to an end - live at Emmett's place is finished in its current format. In our house, we have had some great evenings/nights watching Live at Emmet's Place on YouTube . This is a gig hosted by the jazz pianist in his Harlem apartment. He features singers and instrumentalists as guests with his trio, and for some time ran a different gig each week - more recently, monthly. We've loved watching the gigs and there was always a grea

In this study I have 'mapped out' the chart with different solo ideas. This can be a helpful way of organising your ideas and provide focus within your solo. Of course, spontaneity is very important, but improvisation is also about having resources - sometimes even a plan. The truth is, even the greatest of players (to a lesser or greater extent) will have 'solutions' for various conundrums that arise in improvising over the changes. You only have to listen to realise that.

Here is a more evolved version of the original workout.... With bebop, the bass and drums define the 4/4 time-feel, with the piano's left hand feeding and enhancing the rhythm of the melody in the right hand. I would encourage you to become familiar with the relationship between the rhythm of the melody and the left hand chords, and how the two relate. Try to vary the rhythm of the left hand - I've quickly sketched just one possible way of breaking up the left hand rhythm. Th

This is an arrangement of the Sonny Rollins tune, Doxy. The left hand employs the root note of each chord, followed by the third and seventh of the chord - emphasising the 4/4 time-feel. This creates a rhythmic accompaniment similar to stride piano but more simple to execute. Three techniques are touched on here; practising/locating the third and seventh, 'shell voicings', and block chord voicings. Enjoy!

Here is another Transcription, of Charlie Parker's Bird of Paradise - All The Things You Are.

For all my site visitors - here is a free arrangement for you! It is one I give to my piano students to learn. Usually, I prefer to teach pieces without using music concentrating on musical concepts and aural awareness. In my arrangements for students I try to deliberately incorporate concepts and techniques that we learn in the lessons. Here, there are several concepts involved! Left hand plays root and 7 or root and 3rd (- a shell voicing), as accompaniment to the right ha

This study for my SETU students covers common jazz improvisation phrases, or 'licks'. While some jazz musicians criticize licks for making music sound formulaic, I find them essential for understanding jazz language. Basic licks, or common musical motifs, serve as the foundation for a richer musical expression, and they are very useful for beginners to get a handle on things. The key is to understand and practice using these licks in various contexts and to experiment with th

Here is a resource, I hope you like it. Actually, one of the first transcriptions I attempted many moons ago! Could have picked something a bit easier!