Would you like to play at the Grammys?

Josh Shpak is playing at the Grammy Awards this year, and he is in his high school jazz band just like you.  Here is his audition video for the Grammy band.  Pretty cool, eh?  I love his flow of ideas, and how he makes the most of every phrase.  He's got that Lee Morgan-esque punchy articulation when he wants to pop it in there, and best of all, he is interactive with the rhythm section.  He's listening to them, they are listening to him, and they are feeding off of eachother.  You can do this!  It just takes a lot of practice, a lot of experimentation, and group of friends who are as excited about making music as you are. 

Who knew Mr. Bean could conduct?!

Happy Holidays everyone!  As I prepare in the darkness of my band room to embark on another "secret mission" I just want to quickly pass along how very proud I am of each of you.  You've come a long way musically to be accepted in the group, and you continue to prove at each rehearsal that you deserve to be there.  Now...if you can follow my conducting like this brass band follows Mr. Bean then we will be all set.  This is classic...

"Jazz is an accident...glad to have happened"

If you follow one piece of advice on this blog, it's to go rent the movie "This Is Spinal Tap."  It's satirical awesomeness.

Your jazz prescription...transcription.

Dear Blog,
Will reading a transcription mess me up by forcing me to play someone elses idea, effectively eliminating my creativity?

No.  Not more than watching Tony Hawk riding a skateboard limits your creativity at the skate park, or reading books limits your ability to write.

Look at it another way...these transcriptions are from musicians who have dedicated their lives to play at a certain level.  They would all like to leave their mark on the world musically and in turn, they all bring something to the table...some new harmonic idea, some rhythmic concept, some melodic change, a feeling, their culture, whatever it may be.  If you can pick up on that, and maybe set your sight in a new direction, or expand on what you heard, you are on your way to doing your own thing.  What makes you unique?  You are unique, you know...just ask your mom. 

Check out this site HERE.  It has tons of transcriptions, the recording AND the analysis so you can break it, break it, break it on down and see what each musician is up to.   

Caravan...not your mom's car

This post is about the song "Caravan" by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington (jazz's greatest composer).  I've always dug this tune.  It has that mystical middle eastern vibe thing happening.  Even my own mother, who drove a Caravan, can identify this as being jazz.  It's exotic.  It's spicy.  It makes you want to sit cross legged on the floor of your tent and dip bread into some hummus or roast a lamb or something.  Check it out HERE.
Someone pointed out one time that Duke wrote for the musicians in the band, rather than just writing for some fictional band.  In other words, he played to the strengths of the people he was working with.  Look at this score HERE, he even has nicknames penciled in there - Tricky, Cooty...what's yours?  

Esperanza Spalding...Letterman's "coolest guest"

I know what you are thinking...can you, my favorite blog, provide me, the viewer a.k.a. me, with a 23 year old female jazz/soul singing bass player?   How about a guy on a keyboard with a blowtube to back her up? 

You know I can!

"You fear jazz."