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Tip for voicing Maj7#11 by Behn Gillece

Working On A Cool Tune Pt. 1 - Careful (Jim Hall) by Behn Gillece

This is for a student of mine. But you guys can have it also. 

Transcribe it and then think about what I'm playing and what the chord is. Can see the b9s #5s etc.

Check out the attached PDF!

This is video, audio and a pdf all with etudes for the tune Turn Out The Stars by Bill Evans. 

It's a complicated tune, but I always think even the complicated tunes spell all the harmony out. It all makes sense musicially. 

The videos are below: 

I am always working with students on their hands. Quite a few have problems and bad habits. Well for that matter we all at some level usually have a problem or two and a bad habit or two! 

You HAVE to get your hands together and working well if you're going to play more interesting and complex music. 

i.e. Donna Lee is much more complex technically then Blue Boss or One Note Samba. 

In this exercise, the line is a little closer to a walking bass line with quarter notes. Keep the notes legato, and shoot for keeping the pedal down as much as possible with clean dampening in between the notes. Check out the attached PDF!

? Working on Time Pt. 8 – Full Form Flow and Bridge Contrast

In Pt. 8, you’ll play through the entire form of Antônio Carlos Jobim’s Wave, applying developed comping ideas across all sections. The lesson focuses on maintaining time, dynamic control, and feel throughout the tune—especially as the bridge opens up and invites a more legato approach.

Check out all the edits in this video! Just the idea of thinking about playing accurately messes me up! But target notes are important. Classical mallet players use them all the time. 

Here's another sort of technique. I just call this Bill Evans Style. I'm sure all pianists do it but I noticed it listening to him.