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Great job on Giant Steps. I could hear the changes clearly. Could use more keyboard volume.
tpt, I didn't know Satellite either until this week. It's the same changes as giant steps, but applied to How high the moon. So it moves to 2 different keys. These coltrane tunes all follow the same kind of major 3rd recipe, yet all present their own set of challenges. And then you have to find out what you want it to sound like.
Regarding your question. I have a list of tunes I've memorized that are most often called in DC jam sessions. When a tune is called ahead of time, I make an effort to memorize it, at least the changes. I'm happy to share that list.
Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves, Days of Wine and Roses, All the things you are, Out of Nowhere are all good tunes to start memorizing.
I am looking for some advice. I have just taken early retirement and naturally I now have more time to play the piano
In fact I have time to do some practice, but the question is what should I practice. I have been playing for 38+ years but in that time I have mainly just played through standards, or used the piano to compose tunes or do a bit of arranging - arrangers piano it used to be called. Having said that, since I joined this forum I have been working on the actual piano playing side a a bit more but I really feel like I want to go further. You guys inspire me.
I am even thinking of trying to find somewhere to play , which is a daunting prospect to me as I have only played the piano in public twice and both times was way back in 1977
So if I am going to take that plunge I need to be prepared. I do have ideas of what I need to do but I would be interested to hear from the group. For instance what is the "must have" repertoire that every jazz piano player should know?
I am not going to go down the teacher route at this point but all suggestions would be welcome and appreciated.
Cheers
jazztpt, you're such an impressive player already and you're able to make it up on the fly it seems, so I think that's enough to start as far as solo piano.
Of course it's a different strategy when you do more combo like I do. There's a different focus and it becomes more about practicing interaction and ears.
Have you figured out what performance aspect you want to focus on or jazz style?
I personally have more fun with a band setting and jam sessions. The reason is that solo piano is frustrating due to being relegated to the background. When in a combo, especially the kind I'm in where people come to watch us specifically, and we are not background music, it's such a special kind of feeling.
Hi JW That was cool you could solo for so long. Maybe you could have placed your Zoom further from the drums. I thought your articulation when you restated the head was very nice and I liked your outro. Seems like it was a fun night.
My biggest problem is actually getting the courage up to have a go in public plus there are not too many places that play "modern jazz" where I am , it's not really a big part of the culture here. I am in the wrong country in the wrong era, I should have been born 30 years earlier than I was :-)
Anyway , I am going to work at it a bit and see what happens.
And thanks Jazzwee for your compliment though I don't feel that way myself in any respect.
For instance what is the "must have" repertoire that every jazz piano player should know?
I think the ability to learn new material quickly and/or sight-read charts is probably more valuable than a deep pocket of memorized tunes, though that said, the two kind of go hand-in-hand. Here's a list by Mark Levine that I keep bookmarked: http://www.phildegreg.com/pdf/Levine%20repertoire%20list.pdf
If so, I'm assuming it's in English ? I see Fred Hersch wrote the Forward, so again assuming it's an English based translation even though the Publisher is French. I wrote both the author & publisher regarding this but haven't heard back.
Long time KB fan here. Have many of his transcriptions...RH and changes only though. This looks like much more. Not an inexpensive publication so wondering if anyone had it or had heard about it.
Also wondering if there's anywhere in the US to order it from.
Thanks.
2005 NY Steinway D Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P-515
Hi JW That was cool you could solo for so long. Maybe you could have placed your Zoom further from the drums. I thought your articulation when you restated the head was very nice and I liked your outro. Seems like it was a fun night.
Thanks Cus! (and Knotty).
The place is so small that the Zoom has to be behind me pointing at the ceiling. No other option. If I put it in front of me, the audience will smack it with a drink. I am so close to the audience that I could probably high-five them. LOL. So hopefully the sound is heard better live but I have to live with the limitations on the recordings.
Dave, it's in English and French - I don't have it close by at the moment & I forget if it's French and English or 2 different eds. Either way the text is minimal and not all that essential. The transcriptions are absolutely first-rate. It's a great book ...one of those things where you play through a few pages and pick up 19 new ideas!
Changing subjects, a question about Freddie Freeloader. In the head, the first time through, the last two bars are Ab7, but the second time through the last two bars are Bb7.
What do people do when soloing? To my ears, all of the soloist on the original recording use Ab7 for the last two bars; I don't hear any Bb7.
Thanks chris. Frankly, the head is kind of blah for a piano trio, but my bass player wants to play the tune. I also enjoy soloing on a medium to slow tempo blues, so that part is O.K. Years ago I learned Wynton Kelly's solo (from a transcription, not my own) and it's a classic.