Cover image of Self-Discipline Superpower

How self-discipline can make you a better jazz player

My book Self-Discipline Superpower is sparking some interesting conversations. Thank you to those who have added to that conversation. I’ve been thinking……

Recent posts...

Boy flying
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 something...
Quick and easy mastery of jazz?
I woke up this morning to an email from an online jazz instructor claiming, in essence, that 1. large amounts of practice is NOT necessary for impressive...
Musician blurred hands at the piano
The compound results from better habits
I've written about habits and even dedicated a lesson to the topic within my Improvisation Savvy course, but it is the compounding effects of habitual behavior...
A football surrounded by confetti
Some lessons from a Super Bowl halftime of old
As proof that I've been on this planet longer than a couple of decades, watching the relentless hype before and then half-way through the Super Bowl last...
Robot pushing buttons
Just tell me the buttons to push
My recently turned 18-year old son is a passionate photographer. He's got himself a little business where people pay him for senior photos, family portraits,...
A prosperous New Year
Thoughts for a prosperous New Year
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start."       - Nido Qubein Happy New Year to you!
The four stages of competence
Mastering a skill involves an integration of awareness and competence. Being aware of your current level of competence is necessary for improving any skill...
Picture of Michael Lake

Michael Lake

Trombonist, author, composer, marketer

Courses and books

Pocket Jazz

The Pocket Jazz course is a completely redesigned series of online videos of no more than three-minutes each. Most of the lessons also contain short excerpts of tips and wisdom from masters like Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and many more.

Teaching & Learning Jazz

From this book, Richie Beirach and Mike provide great stories of jazz wisdom, a reflection on university jazz education including how to choose a school, an analysis of the Hollywood view of jazz education, a look at the psychology of education, and many other previously unexplored essential topics for both teachers and students.

Available in soft cover and digital editions.

Trombone Improvisation Savvy

Trombone demands different physical abilities from other instruments, but certain skills are universal such as connecting your instrument to your musical mind. Learn from exercises and audio files specifically focused on trombone that will help you improvise much better.