Jazz Piano School

Latest Episodes:

#BLM - Blues Tribute (Ep: 196) Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

This week I, Brenden Lowe, owner and founder of Jazz Piano School make a statement about how we as a company stand for #BLM. We also are gathering blues tributes from as many people as possible in honor of George Floyd, BLM, jazz, the blues, and the resilience, fortitude, oppression, suffering, courage and bravery the African American people went through to deliver the great music of jazz. If you have questions or suggestions for a podcast lesson you would like us to do, please leave them in the comments down below.

Bud Powell Solo & Analysis - Rhythm Changes Part 2 (Ep: 195) Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

This week we continue our analysis of Bud Powells solo over Anthropology. We also learn about WHY taking small, bite sized, improv lego building blocks from transcriptions and solos is MUCH more beneficial than just learning the enter solo from the get go. After we analyzed the individual parts, THEN we can learn the entire solo. But if we fail to understand what is happening, then the only thing that happens is we copy what someone else has done when we're improvising instead of spontaneously improvising from our own soul. Which would you rather do?

Discover the "Lost Art" of the Shout Chorus! May 27, 2020

Show notes

You know what can really take things to the next level? A good old-fashioned shout chorus! The best pianists such as Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, and Nat King Cole utilized shout choruses in their trios. Sometimes they took sections and ripped them straight from their favorite jazz big band arrangments! Check out some of our favorite shout choruses in this week's podcast.

Bud Powell "Anthropology" Transcription Analyzed (Ep: 193) May 20, 2020

Show notes

Bud Powell was clearly and innovator of his time and greatly contributed to the language of jazz we all use today. In this podcast episode I'm going to analyze Bud Powell's solo over "Anthropology" but at the same time teach you HOW to deconstruct improvisation solos into what I call "Lego Building Blocks". This strategy will not only help you be able to use the ideas quicker, but will allow you to combine them with others in order to create your own solos more effectively. I absolutely love helping students with this because I use to learn licks and lines and simply plop them right into my solo. And guess what? It was CLEAR that what I had just played was NOT spontaneously improvised by myself. It sounded fake! So this "Lego Building Block" strategy is sure to help you with that problem.

3 Harmonization Strategies Every Jazz Pianist Needs (Ep: 192) May 13, 2020

Show notes

If you've been looking for a way to spice up your chord progressions, try this fun harmonization exercise! This podcast will show you how to take the simplest melodies and give them a more interesting underlying chord structure. Your harmonizations won't be the same after this!

Creating Tension with Pedal Points (Ep: 191) May 06, 2020

Show notes

A pedal point is when you keep the same note in the bass while changing the chords on top. Doing this for a series of measures creates a sense of both connection and tension. Using pedal points builds energy so that when the bass note finally changes, the harmonies of the tune seem to burst forth like a waterfall breaking through a dam. This lesson explores how to incorporate pedal points into your own playing.

Mastering the Left Hand (pt. 2) - Fourths and Clusters (Ep: 190) Apr 29, 2020

Show notes

This jazz piano podcast tutorial series will show you how to mix things up and keep your left hand voicings sounding fresh. In this episode, we discuss chords you can use with structures made from fourths and clusters. After this video, you will have the sounds of McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans in the palm of your (left) hand!

Mastering the Left Hand (pt. 1) - Chord Inversions (Ep:189) Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

This jazz piano podcast tutorial series will show you how to work your left hand so your left hand can work for YOU! In this episode, we discuss which chords you can use in your LH voicings, first through exploring chord inversions. We will have your left hand sounding like the best of them all (Red Garland, Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett... ever heard of them??) by the end of this video!

"Walking the Blues" - How to Walk Basslines and Improvise Jazz Piano (Ep:188) Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever wanted to play bass lines on piano and improvise at the same time? Well, with this podcast that idea could become a reality! Follow along as we explore steps to build your own bass lines and work your way toward implementing right hand improvisation over your favorite jazz tunes.

Solo Piano Architecture (Ep:187) Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

When playing solo piano, it's helpful to design the flow of an arrangement. With no constraints, playing solo can quickly become boring to both the player and the listener. By developing concepts to shape your arrangements, you will achieve a greater sense of freedom in your playing and have confidence in performance.

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