I'm going to adjust the RF Jazz Workshop's schedule a little bit. I'd like to continue the 1st and 3rd Mondays at the new Roaring Fork High School band room, as usual, but change the format a bit.
First of all, I'd like to make clear that, at this point, the Workshop is just that. It's not a rehearsal for a band. It's more like a group lesson in jazz improvisation. If you all get inspired to make some connections, and start a group, that's awesome! I hope that the Workshop will help equip you with some foundational skills to make your group sensational.
OK. Now for the schedule. I'd like to have the High School students and adult beginner/intermediates meet from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM. Then from 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM, have a group practice session, which I'll lead. I'm going to treat it as I would my own practice sessions, focusing on a creative approach toward working on scales, tunes, and improv. If you'd like to sit in, you're welcome. It'll be geared toward advanced stuff, so watch out!
See you on April 7th!
OK. OK. It's been a long time. Here's what's new.
We've been doing the workshop all Fall and Winter, and have been steadily working towards learning theory and ways to put it to practice. We've been doing a lot of ear training and practicing scales.
Tonight we had a parent bring pizza, so we sat around, and talked theory. We looked at chord symbol nomenclature, and the common substitutions and alterations for the Major, minor, and Dominant chord/scales. Then we put the dorian minor scales to use in a three chord 24 measure exercise. We had each player play entirely solo, with no accompaniment, and try to make clear melodic, and rhythmic statements in minor.
Tomorrow, Tuesday night, we're playing at Steve's Guitars, in Carbondale, from 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM. Bob Levey will be on drums (and Bob's brother will sit in on drums, too), Mark Gray will play bass, Justin Pfeiffer will play piano, and I'll play trumpet. Should be fun. Hope to see you there.
