Welcome to my Jazz Guitar Blog
Welcome to my jazz guitar blog and lesson site. For the past several months, I've been using it as a repository for the concepts and thoughts that I've found especially useful in my own journey as an improvising musician and as a teacher. Since starting, I've added more content than I can keep track of, and I imagine people visiting for the first time don't have time to wade through months worth of blog posts to find the content that interests them.
Here's a quick table of contents:
- Voicings Every Guitarist Should Know - a multiple post effort teaching useful jazz guitar voicings, from simple to complex. Categorized and explained logically - truly a resource that I wish I had had when I was starting out.
Become a Jazz Musician: Reason #2
As I think about not being primarily a jazz musician, I also find myself thinking about the value of having studied jazz music and having acquired the ability to express myself creatively through music. Hence these "reasons" to become a jazz musician (none of which will be $).
The second reason is one I've been pondering for a while: access to emotion beyond the scope of our daily lives. For the same reason people flock to roller-coasters, to feel danger knowing they won't be killed, I believe many jazz musicians enjoy what they do. It's a way to tap into some basic human emotions - sadness, heartbreak, elation, ecstasy - that don't present themselves very often.
I was sent this article - The Business Case for Reading Novels - by a mentor at Chicago Booth, and it reminded me to write this post. In much the same way that reading novels lubricates neural pathways to empathy, so does jazz music. And perhaps we could make a business case to play or listen to music not simply because we are emotion junkies, but also because it helps us interact with others. If this is true, music could be a very useful tool to boost empathy in ambiguous situations, as it is a far more abstract medium than literature but no less emotionally impactful.
The conjecture that experience impacts music is an obvious corollary and one that I believe deeply. Especially as I get older, an interesting tune or solo tends to be less demonstrative of technical proficiency. Instead, I find myself drawn and striving toward musical narratives that seem to be drawn from experiences that we can relate to. Wes Montgomery was exemplary at this, perhaps because his life informed his music.
The cycle of emotion in and out of music is an exciting one to participate in as a listener and as a musician. It's not often talked about, but I think it's one of the better reasons to pick up an instrument in the first place.
The Christmas Song
Got my favorite shirt on, thought I'd play some Christmas music. Finals are coming up, but I hope to record at least one more Christmas tune before, um... Christmas. Hope you enjoy.
Become a Jazz Musician: Reason #1
About two months ago, I moved to Chicago to attend The University of Chicago Booth School of Business as a full-time student. One of the first things I did was to start attending jam sessions at Andy's Jazz Club just north of the River at State and Hubbard. I was pleased to discover a welcoming scene and some incredible musicians.
In b-school we are constantly reminded of (force-fed) the importance of networking, and while I don't claim that it's the best reason to become a jazz musician (or even close), I have been surprised what a great networking tool my musicianship has been.
It's not only the group of musicians I've met, many of them wanderers like myself, that has eased my transition to a new city. There is something satisfying to the start of new relationships that comes from sharing something unique and personal; I am privileged to share an honest interest with my new classmates when they come to see me play. And I certainly appreciate when they do the same for me, showing me something interesting and unique about them.
Selling Blue Ridge Acoustic and Crate CA-60D Acoustic Amp over at Oz’s Music Ann Arbor
I've got two gorgeous acoustic items on consignment over at Oz's Music just south of Stadium on Packard in Ann Arbor. Didn't end up selling the Eastman.
First is a Blue Ridge BR-140 with a professionally installed LR Baggs piezo pickup. The guitar is awesome, all solid wood, great tone.
Second is a Crate CA-60D acoustic amp with dedicated instrument and vocal (lo-Z and hi-Z) channels. Great transparent sound, with some killer built-in effects, incl. a really nice chorus, delay, reverb.
Here are my own pics:
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/11514206/1/Blue%20Ridge%20and%20Crate?h=a229b4
So head over to Oz's and check them out and see what he's got them priced at. I haven't been in touch with the store since I left these with him, so I have no idea how much they're going for, but I know you'll get a good deal.
Flag that, Craigslist.