When do we learn the cool Oscar Peterson voicings?
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Reader, I’ve been working one-on-one with a student for the last few months. Last week, he bemoaned that he hadn’t yet learned any of the cool jazzy chords—that we were still playing “basic s&%t.” As you’ve probably figured out, I’m big into fundamentals. So, when you study with me, we start with fundamental concepts and build up from there. I’ve been working with him on the “staples” of left-hand chord voicings:
Here they are for Ab7: My student has been drilling these like crazy. He knows them like the back of his hand, and he can play them fluently over just about any tune you throw at him. But still, he’s frustrated that I haven’t taught him any of the professional, cool voicings. And so I asked, “Like what?” After some examples, I sent him home to transcribe the opening to Oscar Peterson’s Georgia on my Mind from the Night Train album. And here’s the result. As he discovered, Oscar plays 3-note rootless chords in his left-hand, exactly the same way he’s been drilling them (the last voicing in the examples above.) Sometimes, we just need a little perspective to make us feel better. He already knew the notes, but he didn’t realize that his hero was playing the same thing. I can relate. Recently, I heard a slick run down the piano in a Monty Alexander track, and I thought to myself, “Man, I need to learn that riff.” Then, when I got home, I realized it was just the altered scale. Something about it sounds “better” when you hear it on an album. So, his homework this week is to figure out why. If he and Oscar are playing the same notes and rhythms, why does Oscar sound so much more swinging? I’m not going to spoon-feed him that answer. He needs to record himself and listen back critically. What do you think it could be? Respond and let me know. Keep practicing, Josh
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