“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: learning jazz
“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”
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”
Graham Collier 1937 – 2011
Jazz education in the UK owes an enormous amount to Graham Collier (alongside Eddie Harvey and Lionel Grigson) without whom our current positions and extent of provision would been considerably harder to achieve. As well as being an instigator of projects for young jazz musicians, Graham was an articulate and politically astute advocate for theContinue reading “Graham Collier 1937 – 2011”
Simon Purcell 