The general topic here is jazz comping— some general concepts thereof, getting into what I think is missing from a lot of students’ playing, even as they do the basic thing pretty well. The following […]
Category: playing
Expanding a concept – 01
This is connected with all the fill related jive we’ve been dealing with lately. I share it with you to illustrate a thought process, not a particular set of licks. These are some things I […]
Very occasional quote of the day: go ahead
“Don’t be afraid. Go ahead and play.” – Charlie Parker, quoted by Miles Davis, interview by George Avakian
Reading a lead sheet
Some notes on a chart I had to play yesterday, on a festival gig with a pianist I’ve worked with quite a bit, Jasnam Daya Singh. He’s Brazilian, and quite a heavy composer. For a […]
On weird gigs
Having just played a weird gig, let’s talk about weird gigs. The kind gig where everything seems basically in place, but for whatever reason, nothing is happening. There’s nothing grossly wrong, but nothing feels right […]
Very occasional quote of the day: play what you hear
“Play what you hear, and if you can’t play it, then practice it.” – Barry Altschul, Modern Drummer interview by Rick Mattingly, November, 1982 Periodic reminder that, creatively, the fundamental equation is real simple. Of […]
How to stop – 01
Kind of a mundane item here— a multi-parter, believe it or not— mainly for teachers, about handling ordinary materials in a more real-life musical way, including how to stop in the conversation. Younger students and […]
What it is: reading music
The world is teeming with resources. I was just involved in an extended, very contentious online discussion on the topic of reading music— Is it good to be able to read? Is it better to learn, […]
Categories of what we’re doing
Following is a very half-baked item that has been in my drafts for a long time. It’s a broad-ranging subject, and not the kind of thing you can just bang out, and have it be […]
Very occasional quote of the day: too loud
Another choice item from a 1981 column in Modern Drummer, in which Scott K. Fish talks to a lot of great bass players, about drummers: “Faults I hear in drummers? Mainly that they play too […]
Limitations of loops
There’s a good post about playing along with recordings, that everyone should read, over at Ted Warren’s Trap’d blog. Since he commented about playing with loops vs. whole tunes— and I do a lot with […]
Very occasional quote of the day: listening
“Listening is the whole thing. I’ll tell you exactly how I play. My whole approach to playing is reaction. I don’t listen to myself play. I’m not aware of myself because I’m too busy listening […]