Improvisation
So you REALLY think staring at chords helps you improvise better?
Learning to play jazz starts with the exploration of chords. You learn D minor to G7 to C major and all sorts of permutations of that progression and many others.
Memorization and jazz improvisation
I received an email this morning from a classical pianist eager to improve her jazz skills. Her question involves memorization, which she considers her ‘weakest area’.
Don’t blame the tool if you use it for the wrong task
There are lots of ‘tools’ available to someone learning to become a better jazz player. Are they good or bad? It depends on the context.
Abandoning the safety of the well-worn muscle memory of musical you
That was a comment by an attendee at my live webinar this week held for subscribers of my course Improvisation Savvy.
Answering the question that will lead to the best musical version of you
I love jazz because it showcases the expression of the individual. Sure, we play in groups and communicate with each other as we play, and at its finest, the group is the sum of the individual members creating something special from the mix of each of their unique artistic souls. Think steaming delicious stew.
An important musical lesson Sheila Jordan can teach us all
I’m producing video marketing for my Jazz Master Savvy product and I was reminded of a priceless clip from my interview with the great singer Sheila Jordan. In fact, I put her clip into one of my ads as an example of some of the gems from my library of interviews and other conversations.
Left versus right brain in the process of learning to improvise
The left and right hemispheres of your brain have a complex relationship, and that relationship facilitates how you function in every aspect
Michael Lake
Jazz/latin trombone, author, multimedia artist, marketer
The new book by Richie Beirach and me
Throughout the past year, Richie and I have been writing a book on jazz education. It is called Teaching and Learning Jazz: From tradition to
How you can play so much better right now
There is a fascinating process that I constantly see played out. Instantly, it can elevate the ability of players. They are amazed and delighted that
The finishing fetish
Before a rehearsal tonight, I was speaking with a couple of friends/bandmates about some of my improvisation methods They’ve been following a few of my lessons and
