Steve Swallow’s Falling Grace is a beautiful and harmonically fascinating composition that offers some wonderful opportunities for exploring both improvisation and chordal playing.

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One of the most interesting aspects of this tune is its unusual form, featuring a 14-measure A s...

Where did the language of bebop really come from? In this lesson, I explore the fascinating possibility that Charlie Parker drew inspiration from the contrapuntal writing of Johann Sebastian Bach—particularly the logic and motion found in Bach’s inventions.

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By looking at bebop...

In this lesson, I address one of the most challenging—and rewarding—skills for jazz guitarists: comping while soloing in a duo or trio setting without a piano.

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Many players find this situation intimidating, as the guitarist becomes fully responsible for both harmony and melody...

Learning Tunes Beyond Memorization
A Practical Guide to Developing Musical Recall
Why do some tunes stay with you for a lifetime while others seem to disappear after only a few weeks?

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Many guitarists learn tunes by memorizing fingerings, chord shapes, and one comfortable posi...