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 great vibe because it...

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. The left hand...

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. There may be better...