“Don’t just play something, sit there”… Jim Hall’s Jazz Koan. Following on from Lennie’s advice re hipness and non-action, thank you to my friend (guitarist) Jason Broadbent for Jim Hall’s counsel “Don’t just play something, sit there”! On further research those close to Jim Hall suggest he actually said “don’t just do something, sit there” but the pointContinue reading ““Don’t just play something, sit there” Jim Hall’s Jazz Koan.”
Category Archives: jazz education
“The hippest thing you can do is not play at all. Just listen!” Lennie Tristano
“The hippest thing you can do is not play at all. Just listen!” Lennie Tristano… Sage advice to all improvisors, myself included. This reinforces the view that the practice of improvising is so close to that of mindfulness/presence and attention. Regardless of our private and personal views regarding religion and faith traditions, our musical practiceContinue reading ““The hippest thing you can do is not play at all. Just listen!” Lennie Tristano”
Jazz isn’t dead and it doesn’t smell funny either!
Some idle moments surfing YouTube proved to be not so idle when I came across this wonderful performance from Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry… The unbridled joy of this playing provoked a deep response… All this talk about the death of jazz, oh dear. It’s time for a reality check and an appointment with ourContinue reading “Jazz isn’t dead and it doesn’t smell funny either!”
American jazz educator Charlie Banacos – quotes and more
I was surfing the website of David Valdez and came across the tributes to and Ph.D about the American jazz educator Charlie Banacos. This man was a very significant figure and worth investigating if like me, you are unaware of his work (see CasaValdez for more information)… Just for starters some of the saying attributed to him: “IfContinue reading “American jazz educator Charlie Banacos – quotes and more”
Thelonious Monk on How to Play Jazz
Everybody has their opinion about how to play the music. Monk was a one-off, a totally individual and realised artist, but he thought about it, in his own way too. This manuscript is freely available on the web (I found it at Sean Driscoll’s excellent blog – check it out). Makes a change from chords andContinue reading “Thelonious Monk on How to Play Jazz”
Simon Purcell 