all-levels

Bb Rhythm Changes - had a great improv class this semester. It's a joy to teach when the students come to class inquisitive and motivated to learn. Throughout the semester some of the improv concepts that we worked on included Four Note Groupings (FNGs), Major 7th #5 Superimposition, Tension Resolution, Motivic Playing and Reharmonization Concepts. Yesterday the students were asking what to play on Bb rhythm changes so we selected Bird's Anthropology and applied some of the concepts that we covered in the semester.

Here's a variation on the first chord etude. Notice the different voicings used here to give the harmony some different motion.

Mark Carlsen on upright bass and myself on vibes playing at Li's Asian restaurant in Haverhill, MA this past Saturday. Fun gig playing and hanging with Mark. We've been playing these kinds of duo gigs for a long time. It's always a fun night playing tunes and hanging with family and friends on the breaks. Sometimes I like these gigs more than a concert. The music is loose, you can try things and experiment/stretch. As long as we can play what we want and no one bothers us, I'm happy.

Here is part two of the guide tones etude. Notice more have been added, with approach tones getting in and out of them.

Chinese translation for Chinese students
每過一段時間，就自己錄影，檢視自己的手法，
看看有沒有不好的習慣已經養成了。
確保自己沒有在養一個壞習慣。

Chinese translation for Chinese students

要如何確保每天完整練到、學到東西！！！
就是假裝有觀眾在場！
像是，如果你練了一個項目兩個小時，比如blues，
在這兩個小時結束後，不管如何，你要確保自己假裝有一個小表演，所以把剛剛練的東西不能停下來的一次演完，就算有錯誤，也讓它過去。
如果你做每天這個練習，會有很大的幫助，

Hey,

i saw on youtube (again) tony practicing this song...it was so inpiring, so i did try to pull out my own version...far from perfect but it has some nice moments in it.

tarik