Free Blank Staff Paper!

If Beethoven's arrangement of "Grosse Fugue" for piano four hands can sell for 1.95 million dollars (pictured here at left), you might want to start writing down some of your ideas. If you want to write down your ideas, you are going to need paper, and that's where I, your blog, can help you out...
CLICK HERE for free blank staff paper.

Enter the exit music.

No need blow the dust off this one. This is Brad Mehldau on the piano. This is a Radiohead cover called "Exit Music (for a film)". Why not? Jazz doesn't have to be the standards of yesteryear. When I jog I listen to "Rage Against the Machine" (not sure why, latent aggression or something), and I was thinking wouldn't that be interesting for big band? I was also thinking maybe some rap with a small jazz band backing it up. Why not some Dave Matthews (Yorktown alum) tunes, or even Justin Timberlake reharmonized or something. Do you have a band, try this, and let us know how it works out for you. Maybe put us in your liner notes if you're famous...Mrs. Kluga and Mr. Whalen's blog shaped my life's direction. ;)

Everybody digs Bill Evans! You might too.

This is Bill Evans, one of the greatest jazz pianists who ever lived playing a tune called "Waltz for Debby". Bill is known largely as a master of the inner voicings in chords - meaning he adds tension notes to chords that are not quite as cliche as in standard voicings. He also moves from chord to chord in interesting ways, creating melodic lines that most professional pianists would have to sit down and write out in order to play. He does it at light speed, which adds to his charm. Check out how they listen to one another, and compliment each other's playing.

Thelonious Monk!

During Bill Clinton's campaign, he was asked by a reporter from MTV who his favorite musician is. He replied "Thelonious Monk." The reporter followed up with an amazing question... "Who is the loneliest monk?" Check out Monk's technique on piano, you have never seen anything like it. This is a blues head called "Blue Monk." It's a good tune to know, and you might want to learn it by ear. After you check out this clip, follow up with the clip above featuring the not so hip Hans Groiner.