#InTheShed
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The Conversation
The Aebersold jam was a fixture for me and my saxophone-playing buddies in high school. But I didn’t realize the depth of what I learned from it until last week, when one of my oldest…
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Does The Saxophone You Play Make You Better?
If I had a dime for each time I was asked what mouthpiece I play…well, I’d have a lot of dimes. At least enough to take a friend to the movies on a Saturday night.…
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Storytelling in Jazz: The Rule of Three
As far back as I can remember, musicians I respect and admire have talked about “telling a story” in a solo. But what does that mean in musical terms? While mentoring a wonderful group of young musicians…
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Juicy Little Details: Gene Ammons and the Art of Listening
I’ve loved this album since I first heard it in high school. “Canadian Sunset” in particular. Ammons’ sound, his phrases, the long tail reverb and how he lets his notes float off into it… So…
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Wynton Marsalis’ 1-Minute Guide to Playing Hipper Rhythms
Want to break free of those endless, meandering strings of eighth notes you keep catching yourself playing? You know, the ones that seem to go on and on and on forever like a run on…
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Practice like Pat Metheny
“I’m just going to take 5 minutes and warm up. I have to; we had a day off.” – Pat Metheny I love watching my musical idols warm up. It’s rare to come across. Maybe…