I have been a professional jazz musician (saxophonist) for over 30 years. Ive played with and for The Stan Kenton Orchestra, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Jessica Williams, Steve Homan, Lou Rawls, Richie Cole (my buddy),Monk Montgomery, etc. I also possess a doctorate in music and am a certificated music teacher.
I teach jazz improvisation in a comprehensive approach. I start with where the student is at and build from there. While the standard jazz pedagogy stresses the chord scale theory, I dont. Most of those jazz pattern books and jazz theory books are steering young jazz players in a wrong direction. Most of them are written in order to make money not to educate--SURPRISE! Its also called instant gratification--"just float over a dorian mode on a minor modal tune or soar on a blues scale on blues changes".
Bird never heard of the diminished-whole-tone scale or the blues scale (give me a break!) So how did Bird do it There is really one scale: the chromatic scale. From Bach to Bird nothing has changed in the fundamentals of music. Yeah, you need to know some music theory and your chords and scales and sure patterns help and can be fun but that aint jazz. Practice your hippest pattern inside and out and then take it to the gig where you fall on your face. "Huh! Man, I learn all my chord scales, hip patterns and the changes to the tune and when I play I still suck and cant swing!" Sound familiar
Study linear improvisation with me and see how this is method greatly improves your playing. Learn how to develop your own exercises like professional musicians do in order to develop their own distinctive sound.
Interested in Improv Lessons I charge $45 a lesson and I come to your place. Drop me an e-mail (bphelps@maxxconnect.net) or phone 206.545.1625.
Boyd Phelps
Location: Seattle
its NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
