How I would learn jazz 🎹 (if I had to start over)

Reader,

Have you ever reached a point in your playing where you can’t break through, no matter how much you practice?

When I look back at the last twenty years of playing, there are some things I wish I had done differently. In particular, I moved too quickly past some of the essential fundamentals. I dismissed them as easy or boring and was anxious to move into the sophisticated scales and voicings as if those complicated techniques would make me sound like Bill Evans.

But I regret that because, in hindsight, those fundamental concepts I ran right past would later unlock so much of my potential. Mastering the “basic” stuff helped me achieve that breakthrough.

If this sounds familiar, I made a video showing how I would learn from scratch if I could start over.

Upcoming Zoom call on Barry Harris’s methods

One of our Jazz-Fundamentals members has been asking great questions about Barry Harris’ use of 6th chords and his unique way of understanding jazz harmony.

I will host a live Zoom discussion in the coming weeks, showing how Barry might approach The Nearness of You.

If you are interested in joining us for that, please reply to this message so I can include you in scheduling that call.

Keep practicing,

Josh Walsh

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