Bobby Shew on proper breathing for brass players
Bobby Shew is a well-known trumpet great. What people may not know is that he is also a world-class teacher. I had an opportunity to sit down with Bobby and ask him questions for close to three hours. We covered a lot of topics, but the nearest and dearest to his heart was on his method for breathing called the Wedge Method.
Steve Swallow and Dave Liebman on finding one’s musical personality
I had the thrill of interviewing bassist Steve Swallow last week for the next Jazz Master Summit. As I expected, Steve was a wealth of information about everything from bass pickups to zen.
Remembering Bill Evans on September 15
Ron Carter on how he’s practicing right now
I interviewed Ron Carter yesterday for the next Jazz Master Summit. He was gracious and full of insight. We spoke on a variety of topics, not the least of which was that second Miles quintet and how they did what they did on stage as well as their preparation for recordings.
Celebrating One Hundred Years of Bird free ebook
I recorded a conversation yesterday with Richie Beirach and published the result into an eBook paying tribute to Charlie Parker. After all, Bird’s 100th birthday was very recent
Randy Brecker on practicing during the COVID-19 lockdown
I remember sitting in the back of a large music classroom at the University of Redlands in California almost three years ago. Jiggs Wigham was talking about all things trombone at that year’s International Trombone Festival. Jiggs said something early on that has stuck with me ever since. He said, “I hate to practice.” I […]
Richie Beirach’s 10 essential tips for jazz mastery
I’ve had the honor over the past few months of getting to know the great jazz pianist, Richie Beirach. Richie’s best friend, Dave Liebman, introduced us after I interviewed Dave for the Jazz Master Summit event and then asked him to help me reach out to Richie to do the same. As I would soon […]
When Richie Beirach first met and played with Hank Mobley
Richie sent me his reflection of meeting Hank Mobley for the first time. I was up at Don Sicklers loft one afternoon working on some stuff with Don, and Hank came. Don introduced me, telling Hank that I was a jazz pianist and was playing in a band with Dave Liebman. Hank smiled and said, […]
Joe Lovano talks about the courage to have your own unique musical voice
In my interview with Joe Lovano, I asked if he thought there was an element of courage to developing and playing with one’s musical voice that is different and personal. I asked that question because it seems to me that playing like others in the manner that is generally accepted as “how your instrument should […]
Richie Beirach’s thoughts on comping for Dave Liebman
Richie Beirach’s great lesson from Chet Baker
As I collect interviews for the Jazz Master Summit, I want to post a few interesting excerpts. I think these will help demonstrate some of the value, entertainment, and musical wisdom you won’t find in other places. One example was the tribute to Lyle Mays I asked of Mark Eagan last week. I had the […]
Mark Egan remembers Lyle Mays
As part of the upcoming Jazz Master Summit, I interviewed Mark Egan, the bass player of the quartet that recorded those early Pat Metheny albums The Pat Metheny Group and American Garage. That group consisted of Pat, Mark, Danny Gotlieb and Lyle Mays. At the end of my interview with Mark, I asked him to […]
