[Monday Notes n.10] One day clarinetist Benny Goodman was confronted with a joke: during one of his concerts, the young guitarist Charlie Christian was brought on stage. Distrustful of this uninvited guest, Benny Goodman started playing an old tune called Rose Room, convinced that he would catch the intruder off guard and force him to…Continue readingCharlie Christian and the electric guitar, Rose Room
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Count Basie, One ‘O Clock Jump
[Monday Notes n.9] Count Basie’s music has its roots in Kansas City and in the blues. His contribution to the development of jazz was remarkable, both for his innovations in the rhythm section and for his use of riffs, i.e. repeated phrases, very simple and effective, which can be adapted to different chords without the…Continue readingCount Basie, One ‘O Clock Jump
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Coleman Hawkins, Body and Soul
[Monday Notes n.6] Although a European invention, the saxophone was widely used in jazz music and it was jazz musicians who developed its sound and technique. Coleman Hawkins, the father of the tenor saxophone, experimented with many techniques during his career: slap tongues, glissando, staccato, vibrato on long notes, wide register excursions. To better understand…Continue readingColeman Hawkins, Body and Soul
[Monday Notes n.2] Music has often tried to imitate and describe the reality. A famous example is Antonio Vivaldi’s La primavera, where the violins imitate birdsong. In jazz, too, there are descriptive compositions, and a favourite theme is that of the train, set to music by Duke Ellington and his orchestra in Daybreak Express.Continue readingDuke Ellington Daybreak Express, the sound of the train
[Monday notes n.1]Antonio Carlo Jobim often relied on Vinicius de Moraes to compose the lyrics to his songs, but not in this case. The lyrics of Aguas de Março are in fact written by Jobim himself, who personally composed both the English and the original Portuguese versions. The song is here performed by Elis Regina…Continue readingElis Regina & Antonio Carlos Jobim, Águas de Março harmonic analysis
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How to learn 100 jazz standards
Do you want to learn a number of jazz standards by heart but don’t know where to start? Perhaps you’ve tried jamming with more experienced musicians and realised how important it is to know a number of jazz tunes by heart. In this lesson I will provide a comprehensive guide to building a repertoire of…Continue readingHow to learn 100 jazz standards