🎵 Play A Great Rhythm Changes In 3 Months – Week 6

Last week, we introduced one of the most important concepts in jazz improvisation:

👉 Connecting the harmony through the 3rds and 7ths.

Those guide tones gave us a clear picture of the rhythm changes progression while keeping the melodic language relatively simple.

This week, we take the next step.

👉 We're keeping the same guide-tone foundation, but embellishing the lines.

I have been using an AI notetaker. When I practice I talk about things out loud. Then the app (Plaud) sums up everything and distills it down. Here's what it gave me today: 

I know some people are not into AI. But I love it. It writes my code now, records meetings and notes and my thoughts and just sums everything up for me! 

Here's my version of this cool solo by Milt Jackson on Bag's Opus.

🎵 Play A Great Rhythm Changes In 3 Months – Week 5

Over the first four weeks of this series, we've focused entirely on harmony:

• Learning the form
• Internalizing common voicings
• Exploring different textures
• Developing comping rhythms and syncopation

This week, we shift gears.

👉 We're introducing line exercises.

Just like Week 5 of the blues series, we're beginning with one of the most important concepts in jazz improvisation:

👉 3rds and 7ths.

I am pleased to announce that my solo vibraphone book has now been published. The book is called "A Piazzolla Portfolio - 5 Nuevo Tango Pieces" arranged for Solo Vibraphone by Jerry Weir.  The five pieces in the book are:

I didn't know that Terry Gibbs played with Benny Goodman. He's playing a Deagan Imperial, which was known for a great warm tone. I had one in high school that I bought for $290. The guy I bought it from was convinced it had only 2 1/2 octaves, which was why he was selling it so cheaply. I showed him it had 3 octaves, but then my dad kicked me in the foot and said, "It's not polite to argue."

🎵 Play A Great Rhythm Changes In 3 Months – Week 4

Over the first three weeks of this series, we've built a solid foundation:

• Learning the form
• Internalizing common voicings
• Introducing basic comping rhythms
• Developing a feel for the harmonic movement of rhythm changes

This week, we take another step forward.

👉 We're introducing more syncopated comping rhythms.

I have more, but for now here's the chord melody. Next I just play around for a couple of choruses. 

Get this down! 

🎵 Play A Great Rhythm Changes In 3 Months – Week 3

Over the first two weeks of this series, we've focused on building a harmonic foundation:

• Learning the form
• Internalizing common voicings
• Hearing the movement of the harmony
• Developing familiarity with rhythm changes

The rhythm was intentionally simple so all of our attention could be placed on the chords.

This week, that changes.

👉 We're introducing comping rhythms.

Many of the voicings in this lesson will already be familiar from Weeks 1 and 2. That's by design.

This is an exercise of blues solo. One chorus written using chord tones on the beats, and (mostly) blues scale and bebop dominant scale tones as passing notes.