I miss Mike! My grandfather used to work at his club here in NY called Seventh Ave South. I saw Metheny there and the Brecker Brothers and sooo many greats. Mike was super quiet and really into his horn. I saw Steps Ahead too where he used the electric horn which was really unique
I started playing Jazz in 1964 when I was a youngster, but life's journeys brought me away form this study, although I continued to play other genres of music as a non professional. Now, in my older (retirement) age, I have the time and inclination to return to jazz. Listening to your videos reminds me of my lessons when I was young and is starting to open doors that allow me to express myself in ways I had not anticipated. Thank you !
I don’t play the sax, but I do enjoy listening to it…and up until 1971, I had no idea how many reeds a sax player like Michael would go through to find the reed that he wants to use. In 1971 my friend, Todd, and I moved into Michael’s old apartment on W. 18th St. in New York City, and I was stunned by the number of discarded RICO reeds that were all over the place. Apparently he’d open up a box, try a reed, and if he didn’t like it, it got tossed on the shelf under the counter. If I had collected them all, I could have used them in place of popsicle sticks to build little houses. Michael was very quiet. I didn’t mention all of the reeds laying all over the place….but I did enjoy the new album. It was just coming out with Dreams….”Imagine my surprise,” with Gahon Wilson, doing the cover art. Sometimes I really miss those days.
I used to play tenor back in the ‘60s and heard stories like this about reeds. All players had fine sandpaper and a clipper. Using the first allowed making the reed softer and the latter making it stiffer; if you chipped the reed edge you’d clipper that away then sand it as well. Learning to do this was part of the skill and allowed you to use a reed for a long time. Few if any had the luxury of discarding reeds because they didn’t feel right.
Great lesson Richie! you make the theory understandable and relatable. And Yes, doing just that, writing not one, but six sets of etudes applying progressively the bebop devices you you teach in you course!
A friend of mine was in the A combo at IU when he (my friend) was a freshman. In that band was Michael Brecker. He said Michael would be in the field house all hours of the night playing along with King Curtis records.
Thanks for this excellent lesson and a big thanks for the free PDF. Don't feel alone, I doubt whether there is any guitarist on the planet that can play what Michael Brecker could play on sax. I saw Michael with Steve Gadd when he toured South Africa with Paul Simon in the early 90's. Paul allowed him to do a solo performance and it brught the stadium down. What a GREAT musician. May his soul rest in peace, Amen!
Coincidentally, I actually discovered this concept a couple of weeks ago and for that entire week I just practiced different concepts over 12 bar blues. I ended up discovering a lot of new ideas.
Richie, I haven’t analyzed it yet, but when you talk about non-functional harmony in the context of jazz standards, is it related to Neo-Riemannian theory?
Actually, non-functional harmony covers a lot of concepts but mainly it's harmony that doesn't revolve around a fixed key center, say with a I-IV-V-I. Wayne Shorter had a lot of tunes that were based on non-functional harmony.. Another good example are Allan Holdsworth tunes.
Awesome. This is one of the first times I listen to a teacher reference the chords in a tune and I knew what they were talking about (the IV-bVII7 mm7-8 Stella). Thanks.
This is the template for teaching any creative art. Work quickly, with intent, in a sustained manner. Force out all the cliches and reactions. Build your own language. As a bonus, you get a library of ideas to walk into sessions with.
It may be the laziness talkin', but writing it down could lead to repetitive ruts and stifled creativity? -- I guess if you're in "practice mode" it could be okay, in moderation. .
There have been many great sax players after Trane who have been as good and developed their own voice...Joe Henderson, and the late Wayne Shorter, for example. The evolution of the music did not end with Trane. They used to say the same thing about him in reference to Charlie Parker. If you read the old Downbeat reviews, sometimes they would trash him. But Trane and Parker are entirely different. So are Henderson, Shorter and Brecker...but they are all at the same level. This is not my opinion but a fact that any great saxophonist will tell you. And I've heard it from some of the best.
@@RichieZellon I'm O.K. with that, and you are an expert I see.Jimmy Reed told me he did not like Coltrane...played too fast all the time.He has a church named after him though, top that. The best part is that there is no right answer.Who was the best seller? Now that you can decide numerically speaking, even though it does not mean everything.Archie Shepp was as good as the Train.Who's the undeniable prettiest girl ever?
“Right up there with John Coltrane”. As much as I love Michael Brecker (I’ve seen him live maybe twenty times, was at his master class at Manhattan School of Music), he was one of the most important tenor players of his generation. To say that he was right up there was the father of modern saxophone, John Coltrane, is at best hyperbole, at worst simply false. Trane created “sheets of sound”, Giant Steps changes, et al, without which Brecker and countless other tenor players would not have existed as we know them.
I think you might be taking my words out of context! I did say that Coltrane was one of his primary influences, so you need to take that into account. Likewise, there would be no Coltrane, without Charlie Parker. Would that make the statement, "Coltrane was one of the greatest sax players in history, right up there with Parker", a false statement? I don't think so. It goes without saying that the previous influences are considered the foundation of all growth and evolution.
@@RichieZellonYou said Brecker took improvisation to a whole new level, which is not exactly accurate as much of his playing was firmly rooted in Trane with some Stanley Turrentine soul mixed in. What Trane and Bird before him did totally revolutionized jazz saxophone. They really had no frame of reference as Brecker did because nobody had ever done anything harmonically like Bird or Trane. This is not the case with Brecker, as amazing as he was.
Musicality is "sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music" or "the quality or state of being musical", and is used to refer to specific if vaguely defined qualities in pieces and/or genres of music, such as melodiousness and harmoniousness. -Wikipedia mu·si·cal·i·ty noun noun: musicality; plural noun: musicalities musical talent or sensitivity. "her beautiful, rich tone and innate musicality" the quality of having a pleasant sound; melodiousness. "the natural musicality of the language" -Oxford dictionary By the way, stop being a troll...and get a life!
@@yahnferral9163 lol!! How old are you? FYI, "musicality" was in the dictionary when I went to college 40 years ago. By the way, it was a music college and the word was used frequently!
Great lesson. Your Sadowsky sounds gorgeous
Thanks 😊
I miss Mike! My grandfather used to work at his club here in NY called Seventh Ave South. I saw Metheny there and the Brecker Brothers and sooo many greats. Mike was super quiet and really into his horn. I saw Steps Ahead too where he used the electric horn which was really unique
We all miss Mike!
My experience, as well. Very introspective, but he loosened up after marrying Susan.
I started playing Jazz in 1964 when I was a youngster, but life's journeys brought me away form this study, although I continued to play other genres of music as a non professional. Now, in my older (retirement) age, I have the time and inclination to return to jazz. Listening to your videos reminds me of my lessons when I was young and is starting to open doors that allow me to express myself in ways I had not anticipated.
Thank you !
You're most welcome 🙏
I don’t play the sax, but I do enjoy listening to it…and up until 1971, I had no idea how many reeds a sax player like Michael would go through to find the reed that he wants to use. In 1971 my friend, Todd, and I moved into Michael’s old apartment on W. 18th St. in New York City, and I was stunned by the number of discarded RICO reeds that were all over the place. Apparently he’d open up a box, try a reed, and if he didn’t like it, it got tossed on the shelf under the counter. If I had collected them all, I could have used them in place of popsicle sticks to build little houses. Michael was very quiet. I didn’t mention all of the reeds laying all over the place….but I did enjoy the new album. It was just coming out with Dreams….”Imagine my surprise,” with Gahon Wilson, doing the cover art. Sometimes I really miss those days.
I used to play tenor back in the ‘60s and heard stories like this about reeds. All players had fine sandpaper and a clipper. Using the first allowed making the reed softer and the latter making it stiffer; if you chipped the reed edge you’d clipper that away then sand it as well. Learning to do this was part of the skill and allowed you to use a reed for a long time. Few if any had the luxury of discarding reeds because they didn’t feel right.
Check out Michael Frank's tune -Down in Brazil.2 5 1 heaven!!
Its important for improvisors to slow down and become composers during practice sessions. New vocabulary will expose itself quicker if you slow down.
Absolutely!
Beautiful lesson Rich, you are the best!
Thanks a million!
Great lesson! I think "Follow Your Heart" by McLaughlin was on My Goals Beyond, not Extrapolation though.
Thanks! You're right about Follow Your Heart...oops
@@RichieZellon Though now I remember that "Arjen's Bag" on Extrapolation is basically the same song.
Your talent amplifies the talent of others. Thank you.
Thank you too!
Great lesson Richie! you make the theory understandable and relatable. And Yes, doing just that, writing not one, but six sets of etudes applying progressively the bebop devices you you teach in you course!
Thanks!!
A friend of mine was in the A combo at IU when he (my friend) was a freshman. In that band was Michael Brecker. He said Michael would be in the field house all hours of the night playing along with King Curtis records.
Thanks for this excellent lesson and a big thanks for the free PDF. Don't feel alone, I doubt whether there is any guitarist on the planet that can play what Michael Brecker could play on sax. I saw Michael with Steve Gadd when he toured South Africa with Paul Simon in the early 90's. Paul allowed him to do a solo performance and it brught the stadium down. What a GREAT musician. May his soul rest in peace, Amen!
Were are the PDF's?
Coincidentally, I actually discovered this concept a couple of weeks ago and for that entire week I just practiced different concepts over 12 bar blues. I ended up discovering a lot of new ideas.
Great!
So glad you honored him here. He got into my soul and lives there still 🎶
Mr. Breaker’s solo on The Purple Lagoon from Zappa’s Live in New York is astounding.
I heard him play the drums once. He was good enough to play with Michael Brecker. What a talent.
❤❤❤❤❤
On my to do list 😎
👍
He was no Coltrane or Dolphy but he held his own☮️🎵🎶🎷
Richie, I haven’t analyzed it yet, but when you talk about non-functional harmony in the context of jazz standards, is it related to Neo-Riemannian theory?
Actually, non-functional harmony covers a lot of concepts but mainly it's harmony that doesn't revolve around a fixed key center, say with a I-IV-V-I. Wayne Shorter had a lot of tunes that were based on non-functional harmony.. Another good example are Allan Holdsworth tunes.
Pure Gold!
Thanks!
I really think that for example parker tunes are his etudes
By all means, especially all his blues
Awesome. This is one of the first times I listen to a teacher reference the chords in a tune and I knew what they were talking about (the IV-bVII7 mm7-8 Stella). Thanks.
Too Much Talking!!
4:00 minutes before any playing
In case you didn't pay attention, it's not meant to be a playing or entertainment video!!! It's supposed to be a talking video explaining a concept!!
Thanks for another great lesson Richie!
My pleasure!
Thank you for your teachings.
You're very welcome 🙏
etude? ay dude.
Do-you-have-a-jazz-guitar-chord-study-fingering-book?-thanks
Your pedagogy is perfect. Reminds me of my jazz teache Greg Hatza. Thanks for the lesson. Your channel’s been subd’
Definitely took it to another level! Very interesting thank You Ritchie 😁 Love how all his lines told stories 👍
MB wrote a blues every day ? Don't believe it!
Then he must have been lying in the interview and the book. Who cares what you believe? 🤣
Just downloaded your free book, thanks man, great stuff!
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Production quality is hitting new highs. Great work!
Love the thoughts on writing
This is the template for teaching any creative art. Work quickly, with intent, in a sustained manner. Force out all the cliches and reactions. Build your own language.
As a bonus, you get a library of ideas to walk into sessions with.
Absolutely, thanks!
...not only another great lesson: maybe, one of the very best lessons! Thank you Sir! Regards from Europe, Austria!
Many thanks!
Pure gold
Regret that monk tunes with these tricky 7th#11 chords is not mentionned (maybe I missed it ?)
Take care
Thanks, that's because most of the unusual Monk tunes are more than 12 bars.
Marvelous once again sir! Thx so much!!! 🇱🇷🙏👑😎🥰🐱🎸
My pleasure!
great!
Cool. You’re saying that he practiced this process for a year, not one song done this way, aren’t you?
Correct...I don't know how much he varied the progressions. I'm sure he did, but he kept it down to 12 bars.
Very interesting Richie, thanks for posting this.
Thanks!
this guy has a very dark history this video is very disturbing
Really? By all means educate us...we're all curious to know more!
Just great! Thanks for sharing with us!
My pleasure 🙏
Man Mike was great....trane-great? Nope
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and personal taste!
I’ve come away with so many ideas thank you !
You’re welcome 😊
It may be the laziness talkin', but writing it down could lead to repetitive ruts and stifled creativity? -- I guess if you're in "practice mode" it could be okay, in moderation. .
How could writing a new solo everyday lead to repetitive ruts?
I agree...most of the greats have developed new vocabulary through writing!
Everyone is entitles to their own opinion of course, but I have never heard that Brecker was as good as Coltrane or Parker.
There have been many great sax players after Trane who have been as good and developed their own voice...Joe Henderson, and the late Wayne Shorter, for example. The evolution of the music did not end with Trane. They used to say the same thing about him in reference to Charlie Parker. If you read the old Downbeat reviews, sometimes they would trash him. But Trane and Parker are entirely different. So are Henderson, Shorter and Brecker...but they are all at the same level. This is not my opinion but a fact that any great saxophonist will tell you. And I've heard it from some of the best.
@@RichieZellon I'm O.K. with that, and you are an expert I see.Jimmy Reed told me he did not like Coltrane...played too fast all the time.He has a church named after him though, top that. The best part is that there is no right answer.Who was the best seller? Now that you can decide numerically speaking, even though it does not mean everything.Archie Shepp was as good as the Train.Who's the undeniable prettiest girl ever?
Thanks a lot Richie!!
🙂
My pleasure!
“Right up there with John Coltrane”. As much as I love Michael Brecker (I’ve seen him live maybe twenty times, was at his master class at Manhattan School of Music), he was one of the most important tenor players of his generation. To say that he was right up there was the father of modern saxophone, John Coltrane, is at best hyperbole, at worst simply false. Trane created “sheets of sound”, Giant Steps changes, et al, without which Brecker and countless other tenor players would not have existed as we know them.
I think you might be taking my words out of context! I did say that Coltrane was one of his primary influences, so you need to take that into account. Likewise, there would be no Coltrane, without Charlie Parker. Would that make the statement, "Coltrane was one of the greatest sax players in history, right up there with Parker", a false statement? I don't think so. It goes without saying that the previous influences are considered the foundation of all growth and evolution.
@@RichieZellon Well put!
Mike would be (and was) the first to say he was just walking up the mountain that Parker and Coltrane created. Like his heroes, he was quite humble.
@@RichieZellonYou said Brecker took improvisation to a whole new level, which is not exactly accurate as much of his playing was firmly rooted in Trane with some Stanley Turrentine soul mixed in. What Trane and Bird before him did totally revolutionized jazz saxophone. They really had no frame of reference as Brecker did because nobody had ever done anything harmonically like Bird or Trane. This is not the case with Brecker, as amazing as he was.
@@marike1100 You're entitled to your opinion. In my view and that of many, he did explore new territory regardless of his previous influences.
Too bad Breckers ego ruined some of the coolest stuff that ever happened with him and jaco
Musicality is not a word
Musicality is "sensitivity to, knowledge of, or talent for music" or "the quality or state of being musical", and is used to refer to specific if vaguely defined qualities in pieces and/or genres of music, such as melodiousness and harmoniousness. -Wikipedia
mu·si·cal·i·ty
noun
noun: musicality; plural noun: musicalities
musical talent or sensitivity.
"her beautiful, rich tone and innate musicality"
the quality of having a pleasant sound; melodiousness.
"the natural musicality of the language" -Oxford dictionary
By the way, stop being a troll...and get a life!
@@RichieZellon musicality did not used to be in the dictionary. Correcting grammar is not trolling so thank you.
@@yahnferral9163 lol!! How old are you? FYI, "musicality" was in the dictionary when I went to college 40 years ago. By the way, it was a music college and the word was used frequently!
How come this video has so much trolling. Really really undeserved. And considering the content and delivery, just not cool.