Learn how to play major-key turnarounds with these practical, step-by-step exercises. I'll show you the I–VI–II–V and III–VI–II–V chord progressions, how to add secondary dominants, the difference between short and long turnarounds, and some exercises to help you navigate these chord changes with...
Here are 3 great-sounding licks over dominant 7 chords in the Mixolydian sound. The first two use vocabulary directly from my new eBook and course, "36 Essential Jazz Licks," and the third is a fun bluesy lick inspired by Herbie Hancock and Oscar Peterson.
Learning to play a walking bass line with your left hand is one of the best ways to strengthen your jazz piano foundation. In this lesson, you’ll learn a simple, practical approach to creating walking bass lines that outline harmony, improve your time feel, and add another dimension to your solo ...
If you’ve spent any time around jazz, you’ve probably seen the lists:
- The “10 Essential Jazz Albums.”
- The “100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.”
- The “Beginner’s Guide to Jazz.”
While those lists can be helpful, I’ve always thought they miss something important. The albums that get you...
Your jazz harmony doesn't have to be boring! These 8 ideas will help you find new ways to deepen your understanding of Minor II V I chord changes and help you gain more confidence in navigating chord voicings and harmony.
Improvisation can feel overwhelming, even when you’re technically playing the “right” notes. One concept I’ve been using in my own practice and with students is called “anchor phrases.”
It’s a fun, manageable, and creative way to blend the language of jazz improvisation into your own playing.
When we practice improvisation, it can be easy to get caught up chasing new things.
- New scales.
- New licks.
- New chord substitutions.
Those things can be great, but in that quest, it can be easy to overlook one of the most powerful tools we have as improvisers: The melody.
The melody is t...
Playing in 3/4 time can feel awkward at first. I’m going to show you a simple way to make comping in 3/4 feel natural using a few essential rhythmic ideas. You'll learn 3 simple patterns to help you internalize swing feel in a jazz waltz.
I’ll demonstrate these rhythm patterns using the standard...
