Today's JAZZ playlist

[BassKulcha]

If you ever really want to understand music theory, get down to Barry Harris' workshops.

Hey, thanks for the heads up J. It's clear that Barry Harris is a cultural (and educational) treasure—it's a special skill to be able to play *and* teach teach well.

I'm about five years of lessons behind really understanding much of this, but I love seeing the creative process in motion...

 

[john111/LZ]

Bill Laswell Sacred System Vol Two

 

[Ilikevinyl]

Hank Crawford / More Soul
1961 Atlantic

 

[savv]

Ralph Towner - Anthem (ECM)

 

[jgannon]

Hey, thanks for the heads up J. It's clear that Barry Harris is a cultural (and educational) treasure—it's a special skill to be able to play *and* teach teach well.

I'm about five years of lessons behind really understanding much of this, but I love seeing the creative process in motion...

You know, I don't think so. If you know the music through your listening, you're not as far off as you may think. Learn your basic reading, and learn your scales. Know the kinds of chords on each degree of every major scale. There are 12 major scales. In a major scale, the chord built on the first note is major. The second is minor. The third is minor. The fourth is major. The fifth (known as the dominant) is major. The sixth is minor. The seventh is diminished. And the eighth degree of the scale is major, as it is the same as the first chord. If you understand that, you would be ready to absorb a lot of what Barry says. Knowing basic voicing of chords, would also be very helpful too. Then you'd be ready to go. You'd be learning tunes too, not really by reading either.

BTW, these wonderful films capture Barry and his playing so well. A lot of times I hear him on record, and as great as his playing is, sometimes they don't fully capture his sound and aura. Coleman Hawkins' album "Sirius" is one exception. Barry's solo album "The Bird of Red and Gold" is another. But I love watching these old films, because they really do capture Barry.

I am getting my youngest son some piano lessons right now too. I hope your daughter and you continue on with it. One thing Barry says, is that when people learn the piano, they aren't taught that when they learn a chord, it comes from a scale and is related to all the other chords on that scale - and that that chord is found in different scales. When people learn a pop tune from a piece of sheet of music, they should know that instead of treating the chords as isolated events. Also, well-trained classical pianists often don't see the larger pattern of chord changes that are universal throughout all different styles of music, in the music they are playing. The great composers could though. They could improvise. They weren't mere reciters.

 

[johnebravo]

You know, I don't think so. If you know the music through your listening, you're not as far off as you may think. Learn your basic reading, and learn your scales. Know the kinds of chords on each degree of every major scale. There are 12 major scales. In a major scale, the chord built on the first note is major. The second is minor. The third is minor. The fourth is major. The fifth (known as the dominant) is major. The sixth is minor. The seventh is diminished. And the eighth degree of the scale is major, as it is the same as the first chord. If you understand that, you would be ready to absorb a lot of what Barry says. Knowing basic voicing of chords, would also be very helpful too. Then you'd be ready to go. You'd be learning tunes too, not really by reading either.

For anyone who hasn't already seen it, the first volume of the Jamey Aebersold series, "How to Play Jazz and Improvise", really covers a lot of ground with regard to theory, but presents it in a very straightforward, practical way, always with an eye towards understanding how it applies to jazz. It's less than $20, and comes with a play-along CD like every volume in the series.

 

[Asimov]

Harold Mabern-Pisces Calling

 

[E.Auer]

It's "Late Evening Jazz" on WRTI.org for me tonite, as I'm swamped with work and have no energy to actually pick my own music haha.

Eric

 

[arclight73]

 

[bluemonkey]

Freddie Green: Mr. Rhythm

 

[arclight73]

 

[fuzzywobbles]

 

[arclight73]

 

[arclight73]

24/96khz ALAC -

 

[Montycat]

It's been a long day. I wish I could say I could listen to all of this tonight but I think I'll only make it through Porgy and Bess.

Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess by Buhduh, on Flickr

 

[juncers]

Don Ellis - Out of Nowhere
Ray

 

[onepixel]

 

[Asimov]

Harold Mabern Trio - Straight Street

 

[eljr]

This one just keeps getting better and better.

Jamie Saft / Bobby Previte / Steve Swallow
Loneliness Road

Release Date May 26, 2017
Genre
Jazz

 

[jgannon]

Fantastic Barry...