Course: Learn jazz piano: Improvising on Jazz Standards

We introduce the important jazz standard “All The Things You Are” and look at playing it with the tune an octave higher. You can download the “All The Things You …

We introduce the “Clock of Keys”, discuss its use as a simplifying tool and apply it to the turnaround. You can download “The Clock of Keys”, “Blues Turnaround in C”, …

Here are some suggestions for “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be” and “Now’s the Time” Keith Jarrett Solo “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” (1987) Charlie Parker “Now’s …

At the end of Week 4 you should be able to :- Possess a definition of Improvisation in modern jazz Understand the difference between “noodling” and good improvisation Understand the …

Please consider sharing your recordings and I particularly recommend Soundcloud for doing this. Week 4 Exercises Echo the hot licks played in section 10.3 on C7 Play and improvise on …

This step includes some tips on the exercises for this week.

We illustrate improvising on “Now’s The Time” over a Standard Blues Sequence with a playalong using different devices in the left hand. Click here for a playalong for “Now’s The …

We discuss improvising on “Now’s The Time” over a Standard Blues Sequence with a playalong using different devices in the left hand. You can download the “Now’s The Time” chart …

We illustrate improvising on “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” over a Standard Blues Sequence with a playalong. Click here for a playalong for “Things Ain’t What They Used …

We consider playing the tune “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” over a Standard Blues Sequence in the middle of the piano. You can download the “Things Ain’t What …

We introduce the chords underlying the Standard Blues Sequence, the one most frequently utilised in modern jazz.

I discuss the distinction between something I call “singing the line” and “playing the sing” and its significance.

I illustrate something I call hot licks, in this case on the chord C7, where I play a phrase and you are required to echo it back.

I look at the distinction between something called noodling and good improvising, and discuss the significance of using gaps when improvising.

I give you my definition of what is improvisation in modern jazz and discuss some of the terms used.