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I discovered this while practicing a bunch of Benny Golson tunes. He uses this progression in his tunes often but the one that got me thinking was Whisper Not. I decided to see what would happen if I took it through all keys and used it as a vehicle for practicing minor ii-V's. ...

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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. By looking at bebop t...

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This lesson has everything. Modal playing, new ways of looking at major II-V's, re-harmonizing the first 4 measures and much more. Full lesson contains a 10 page PDF with backing track.

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In this video, I discuss every possibility of major triads over alternate bass notes. Examples would be E/Bb or D/Bb. For those of you who have trouble understanding how to treat these types of chords, this lesson is for you. A great PDF with full explanations of all of the theo...

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This is such a beautiful tune. I go through it with you from top to bottom and discuss every decision made to create the arrangement. I offer alternative ways of playing several of the sections and give many examples. I also talk through how many of these harmonics decisions hav...

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In my latest video lesson, I delve into the standard jazz composition "I Remember You," The lesson covers topics such as the use of secondary dominants, and emphasizing a departure from conventional chord scales to foster a more nuanced approach to improvisation.

Enhancing the ...

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In this lesson I discuss a modal approach to playing these chord changes. I show you how to weave the the bridge section by connecting chord scales in a stepwise manner. Other topics include the diminished scale, tritone subs, triad pairs and voicings in 4ths. Included are 15 pa...

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Dive into the world of Bossa Nova with my latest lesson, meticulously crafted around the timeless classic, "Triste" by the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim. In this comprehensive video, I delve deep into the heart of the original composition, using it's original key and chord chan...

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In this lesson, I systematically go through the modes I use most often when improvising. They would include major, dorian, mixolydian, locrian, locrian#2, phrygian augmented, diminished, lydian b7 and the altered scale. There is much more in the 45 minute lesson. Includes 12 pag...

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What an amazing tune! You have a wide open modal section and then a fairly complex set of chord changes to navigate. Cedar does an incredible job of connecting key centers using diminished based tritone substitutions. This was a fun one to put together, enjoy! Superb playing on ...

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What an amazing lesson on chromatic II-V's! As usual, great examples on the included PDF. I also discuss ways to use chromaticism regardless of the tune your playing and give several examples to demonstrate this. A really enjoyable lesson. Backing track with Ulysses Owens included.

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In this essential lesson I show how I use small melodic patterns to allow me to weave through the five positions I always use. The best part of this is that in every position, the fingerings remain the same. It's simple but mind blowing when you realize what this can do for your...

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If the diminished chord has been giving you trouble, you must check out this lesson! I show you how to use the diminished scale on diminished chords and the auxiliary diminished scale on dominants. I discuss ways of making diminished ideas sound less like patterns and more like ...

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A monster of a tune by Joe Henderson. In this lesson I talk about triad pairs, melodic minor, pentatonic b6 and the minor 6 pentatonic. The PDF contains great examples of all the topics mentioned. A really great lesson on a modern modal tune.

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In this lesson I talk about modal playing and how to deal with ii-V's that don't resolve to their expected destination. Much more as you'd expect in this 45 minute lesson🎸 Backing track included featuring Ulysses Owens Jr 🥁

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Dive into the heart of hard bop with my lesson on Clifford Brown's classic tune, "Daahoud." This video focuses on unraveling the language of jazz, with a spotlight on this tune's unusual turnaround. Grammy award-winning drummer Ulysses Owens provides a stellar backing track, ens...

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In this lesson I discuss the two biggest challenges to playing this tune; time feel and connecting 4 different key centers. Ballads have always proved to be the biggest challenge to jazz musicians, in this video, I show you ways to create continuity while addressing ways to inte...

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Join me in this video lesson as I dive deep into the classic Cole Porter tune, "All of You." I cover everything from the susb9 chord to the minor 6 pentatonic, as well as techniques for comping and soloing. This lesson includes a detailed PDF with both notation and tab, plus a b...

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A deep look at Miles Davis's tune Nardis using the Bill Evans 1961 recording as a reference. This tune isn't just about phrygian, there are many more harmonic elements in the tune that are rarely touched on. I explore them all. An epic composition that will broaden your understa...

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An excellent lesson on both modal and ii-V playing. Both sections present challenges, in this video, I address ways of overcoming them. Includes 10 pages of examples and a backing track featuring Ulysses Owens on drums!

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Black Orpheus: A Guitarist’s Guide to Harmonic Minor 🎸

Luiz Bonfá’s Black Orpheus is a beautifully simple tune that serves as a perfect introduction to the harmonic minor scale in jazz. This lesson explores how the tune’s changes highlight ii-V progressions in both major and mi...

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A great lesson on the classic Wes Montgomery tune Four on Six. 13 pages of transcribed chordal and linear examples. I walk you through the entire tune from beginning to end. PDF in notation and tab.

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Dive into my latest lesson video, “The Anatomy of a Compelling Jazz Line," where I explore what makes a jazz line truly special from both linear and bebop perspectives. Delving into the essentials of interest, momentum, and meaning, this lesson breaks down the key ingredients th...

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There is an abundance of Pat Martino lesson material to be found on the internet. This lesson is not about me presenting Pat's material in the way that he did, rather, I am showing you how I adapted his methods into my playing. My goal when I began to understand Pat's method of ...