Podcasts by Learn Jazz Standards Podcast
The LJS Podcast is the podcast where you get weekly jazz tips, interviews, stories and advice for becoming a better jazz musician! Hosting the show is the jazz musician behind learnjazzstandards.com, author, and entrepreneur Brent Vaartstra, who’s one goal is to answer any question about playing jazz music you may have. Jazz can be a challenging music to learn and play, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. Each episode features a specific musical challenge that jazz students may come across, where it is discussed and answered. Special jazz guests frequent the show, sharing their expertise on an array of different musical subject matter. Listeners are invited to call in with their jazz questions to the podcast hotline, where it could get answered on a future LJS Podcast episode. Join thousands of other listeners getting free jazz education every week!
Further podcasts by Brent Vaartstra: Jazz Musician, Author, and Entrepreneur
Podcast on the topic Musikrezensionen
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Why I'm taking a break from the podcast... from 2023-10-09T08:00
Okay, so this is the second time I'm restarting recording this episode. I want to get this right. So I am taking a break from the Learn Jazz Standards podcast, and I'm going to talk ab...
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How a Hobbyist Musician Created a Pro Jazz Album (feat. Christian Schrader) from 2023-10-02T08:00
"Music and the opportunity for music is all around us. And you can find inspiration in conversation or just the rhythm of something happening around you. And so I would just take these snip...
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5 Ways to Make Practice Not Boring from 2023-09-25T08:00
Do you ever get that feeling when you're looking at your instrument sitting there in the corner and you just don't feel like picking it up? It's kind of a strange feeling because ...
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Revisiting the Fundamentals of Learning Jazz from 2023-09-18T08:00
If you're a complete beginner to jazz, this episode is for you. If you are an intermediate jazz player, this episode is for you. And if you consider yourself an advanced jazz player, this e...
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10 Tips for Learning Music By Ear from 2023-09-11T08:00
So a common piece of advice when learning jazz and becoming a better improviser, learning songs is you should do it by learning it by ear rather than reading sheet music. And there are a plethor...
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9 Jazz Chord Progressions You Need to Know from 2023-09-04T08:00
The best way to learn jazz and improve over time is simply to learn more songs, aka jazz standards. But those jazz standards, those songs are made up of chord progressions.
The good ne...
Free Masterclass: Jazz Standards Mastery Formula from 2023-08-28T08:00
Hey, my friends, Brent here from Learn Jazz Standards. Here on the podcast for the month of August, we've been doing a themed month called Free Masterclass August, where I've been givi...
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Free Masterclass: Orchestrating Your Musical Breakthrough from 2023-08-21T08:00
Hey, my friends, Brent here from Learn Jazz standards. We are continuing our themed month of August called Free Masterclass August, where I'm giving away some Masterclasses here on the podc...
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Free Masterclass: Your Best Jazz Playing Ever from 2023-08-14T08:00
Hey, my friend Brent here from LearnJazz Standards. We are continuing our themed month here in the podcast of free masterclass August, where I'm giving away different masterclasses that we&...
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Free Masterclass: How to Effortlessly Improvise Amazing Jazz Solos from 2023-08-07T08:00
During the month of August, we are doing a themed month called Free Masterclass August. For over the next four weeks, I'll be sharing with you different masterclasses that we've come o...
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How to Learn Lots of Jazz Songs Quickly from 2023-07-31T08:00
Imagine someone calls you for a jazz gig that's to be performed in a couple of weeks and they hand you the list of repertoire, 20 songs, and you don't know any of those songs. What wou...
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The Best Way to Learn a Jazz Song from 2023-07-24T08:00
Here at Learn Jazz Standards, our philosophy is that the best way to learn jazz and improve is to learn jazz songs, aka. Jazz Standards. The fastest the best way to improve is to simply learn mo...
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How to Become A Jazz Master from 2023-07-17T08:00
So, what does it take to become a jazz master? I'm talking about someone who plays jazz at the highest possible level, feels comfortable playing in any situation, and always plays amazing m...
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The Pros and Cons of Practicing In All 12 Keys from 2023-07-10T08:00
So you've probably heard the advice before that learning material in All 12 Keys is a great idea, whether it be for the sake of playing jazz or any other style of music.
You'...
25 Jazz Albums Every Jazz Musician Needs to Know from 2023-07-03T08:00
One of the most important things that you can do is listen to jazz music, and that seems so simple, but literally you are practicing when you listen to jazz music.
You will become a be...
The Dark Side of Jazz Musician Culture from 2023-06-26T08:00
The movie Whiplash came out in 2014 and it's about this young jazz drummer named Andrew Nyman, who is determined to succeed as a jazz musician, and he's driven by his demanding music t...
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Jazz Teacher vs. Jazz Coach - Which One Do You Need? from 2023-06-19T08:00
Have you ever played sports on a team before? Perhaps while you were growing up, and if you've ever done that before, you probably had a coach.
Now, I know for a fact that you hav...
3 Melodic Minor Scale Jazz Improv Hacks from 2023-06-12T08:00
The melodic minor scale is one of those scales that can be used to explain what we call "chord scale theory" in jazz improvisation. It's essentially like the mixture of a minor s...
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About My Bad Relationship With Music... from 2023-06-05T08:00
Hey, I've got a question for you. What's your relationship with music like? Is it good? Is it bad? Is it perhaps a little bit of both?
Well, on today's episode, I'm...
Taking Musical Shots to Increase Your Success Rate from 2023-05-29T08:00
"You miss 100% of the shots that you don't take".
Have you ever heard that old Wayne Gretzky quote? That's the greatest hockey player that ever lived. Or was it Mi...
The 1% Mindset For High Achieving Musicians from 2023-05-22T08:00
Hey. Do you ever feel frustrated by your musical progress because you don't feel like you're improving quickly enough? Or do you feel overwhelmed because there are a lot of different t...
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5 Struggles With Playing Great Jazz Solos from 2023-05-15T08:00
I recently ran a poll of over 2000 musicians playing all sorts of instruments over on our YouTube channel. And the question was, "What do you find most challenging about jazz improvisation?...
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6 Things to Do When On a Musical Plateau from 2023-05-08T08:00
I'm wondering if you can identify with a personality type that I happen to identify myself with, and that is that of a high achiever. Now a high achiever is someone who just naturally alway...
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The Secret to Jazz Improvisation Revealed from 2023-05-01T08:00
Back when I was in college, going to music school, there was a running joke between me and my friends where we would, perhaps after practicing or playing a gig, proclaim that we had finally figu...
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Think and Improve Your Jazz Playing (8 Ways) from 2023-04-24T08:00
What if you could improve your jazz playing, and just by thinking about it? Sounds a little too good to be true?
Well, in today's episode, I'm going to show you how it is actu...
Jazz Talk With Leander Young from Improv Exchange from 2023-04-10T08:00
I got a special episode on the podcast for you today. On the show is Leander Young from the Improv Exchange, and we had a fun little conversation, actually, after I recorded a podcast for his po...
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What are Ghost Notes in Jazz? from 2023-04-03T20:00
Today, on the podcast, we're going to talk about "ghost notes", how to recognize them when you hear them, how to use them, and of course, what are they in the first place.
The 3 Kinds of Jazz Musicians (And the Challenges They Face) from 2023-03-27T08:00
Having observed the playing of thousands of musicians through teaching online with Learn Jazz Standards, I've found that there are, in general, 3 different kinds of jazz musicians and I&apo...
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5 Reasons You Shouldn't Transcribe Jazz Solos from 2023-03-20T08:00
Back when I was in college, I studied with a great jazz guitarist in New York City named Steve Cardenas.
Steve is a fantastic jazz musician, tours around the world with lots of differen...
How to Play Jazz By Instrument (Guitar, Piano, Sax, Trumpet, Bass) from 2023-03-13T08:00
If you play guitar, saxophone, trumpet, bass, and piano, this episode is for you.
On this podcast, we talk about jazz improvisation and things that literally all harmonic and melodic in...
The 7 Categories of Jazz Standards You Need to Learn from 2023-03-06T08:00
Hey, so we know there's a lot of jazz standards out there to learn and sometimes we wonder which ones should we be learning to be able to play with other musicians who play at jam sessions ...
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Using Chord Extensions and Alterations to Spice Up Voicings and Solos from 2023-02-27T08:00
Today, on the podcast, we are talking about chord extensions and alterations, what are they, how can we use them in our comping and how can we even use them in our soloing to spice up our jazz i...
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From The Vault: How to Prepare to Play at Jazz Jam Sessions from 2023-02-20T08:00
I hear from a lot of you that a big goal is to play at a public jazz jam session. But there may be some barriers, either in your mind or your actual playing ability that is stopping you from act...
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Big Thinking Will Transform Your Jazz Playing from 2023-02-13T08:00
Today, on the podcast, I want to talk about thinking big. Thinking big in your jazz playing. What I mean by that is aspiring to be something that you probably could never attain.
Perh...
Fine Tuning Your Jazz Playing with P.B.R. Practice from 2023-02-06T08:00
One of my jazz mentors once said that the secret that pro-level jazz musicians have, some of the best jazz musicians in the world, is they've mastered the art of practicing.
In fa...
My Story of Overcoming Performance Anxiety from 2023-01-30T08:00
So, tell me if you're going to relate any of this:
You want to go play at a public jam session, but you're kind of just afraid that you're not going to sound good and you...
The 6 Lies of Jazz Success from 2023-01-23T08:00
Today, we're talking about the 6 lies of jazz success. Things that you've probably heard before are good things, but it turns out they actually aren't and could be holding you bac...
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The Art of Taking B.A.D Jazz Solos from 2023-01-16T08:00
So, we just got our Inner Circle Retreat this last weekend, and my friends, it was an absolutely amazing time. So motivating and so inspiring. A lot of our Inner Circle members came together. We...
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Becoming a Jazz Expert With Your Tune of Destiny from 2023-01-09T08:00
Hey, listen, there are a lot of jazz standards out there and it can be pretty overwhelming which ones to learn, how often should you learn a new one?
But if we can take all that pressur...
What I've Learned After 400 Podcast Episodes from 2023-01-02T08:00
400 episodes of the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast, wow! So, I'm going to talk about this episode today, everything that I've learned over the last 400 episodes of recording and producin...
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How To Exponentially Improve Your Jazz Playing in 2023 from 2022-12-26T08:00
We are 2 days away from the year 2023, and if you're listening to this episode it very well could be the year 2023. And a lot of people like to use the new year as a new beginning, or perha...
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I Improvised A Jazz Solo in 6 Different Ways from 2022-12-19T08:00
Today, on the podcast I'm going to be sitting down and improvising a little bit over a jazz standard that I like to play and just giving myself an opportunity to explore some new ideas, to ...
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I Redid Episode 1 of the LJS Podcast (4 Habits for Better Practicing) from 2022-12-12T08:00
Alright, my friends, today's episode is going to be a bit cringy for me, but I'm going to do it anyways. We're going to be back to episode 1 of the Learn Jazz Standards podcast an...
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The Pros and Cons of Binge Practicing from 2022-12-05T08:00
Have you ever heard of "binge practicing" before? So, binge practicing is kind of what it sounds like, it's where you are practicing for large amounts at a time.
And you...
32 Jazz Standards I Had My Students Learn from 2022-11-28T08:00
Today, on the podcast, I'll be talking about 32 jazz standards that I had my students in my Inner Circle membership learn for very specific reasons that I want to share with you.
...
The 4 Elements of Mastering A Jazz Standard from 2022-11-21T08:00
Today's episode is what I would consider to be probably the most valuable episode I've ever come out with. And I hope that it becomes one of the most popular episodes I've ever co...
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2 Ways to Improve Your Jazz Solos Today from 2022-11-14T08:00
Today on the podcast, I wanna show you 2 ways you can start improving your jazz improvisation today.
And I wanna share with you a few different people that I know who recently have imp...
Secrets To Becoming A More Creative Jazz Musician from 2022-11-07T07:00
So, what is the secret to playing more creative jazz solos, playing more creative melodies, playing more creative comping, more creative basslines?
You name them. How do we become crea...
The Secret to Feeling Calm When You Play Your Instruments from 2022-10-31T08:00
So, it's the year 2009, I'm in college at that time, going to school in Seattle, Washington. And in Seattle, there is a jazz jam session at this bar called the Owl N' Thistle. Coo...
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Why Most People Won't Learn Jazz from 2022-10-24T08:00
I got a question for you: Have you ever felt intimidated to learn jazz, or intimidated to play jazz with others, or perhaps you're someone on the outside looking in and it all looks a littl...
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The 3 Essential Elements of An Amazing Jazz Solo from 2022-10-17T08:00
Today, on the show, we're talking about 3 elements that make up really, really, really good jazz solos. These are things I'm hearing from the best jazz musicians in the world, things t...
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3 Questions I Ask My Inner Circle Members That I Want You To Ask Yourself, Too. from 2022-10-10T08:00
Today, on the podcast, I'm talking about 3 questions that I find myself continually asking our Inner Circle members that I want you to start asking yourself as well. And I believe that if y...
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What I Think About The Future of Jazz from 2022-10-03T08:00
Today, on the podcast I wanna talk about the future of jazz. We're gonna talk about the future of jazz education, the future of the genre, the style, where it's going.
We&apo...
Quick Win: Turn ANY Song Into JAZZ (Reharmonization 101) from 2022-09-30T08:00
Today, I wanna show you how you take a simple song, like, "You Are My Sunshine", and turn it into jazz. We'll take up 4 levels of reharmonization.
In this episode:
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My Experience Going to Music School (How it Helped and How It Didn't) from 2022-09-26T08:00
So, because I know the audience that generally listens to this podcast, I know that a majority of you, or at least a good percentage of you have never been to a music school before, and so, you ...
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Quick Win: How to Learn Jazz Melodies by Ear from 2022-09-23T08:00
So, what's the best way to learn and memorize the melodies to jazz standards?
Well, today, I'm gonna just walk you through me learning the melody to a jazz standard that I act...
40 Jazz Standards to Know (Broken Down by Category) from 2022-09-19T08:00
Today, on the podcast, I'm talking about 40 jazz standards that you should know and I'm gonna break them down by categories so that you can see which categories you need to fill in som...
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Quick Win: 10 Biggest Lies About Playing Jazz from 2022-09-16T08:00
Have you been told any of these 10 mistruths about jazz? If so, you may have started believing things that are ultimately not helping you improve as a jazz player.
In this episode:
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The Practicing Snowball for Multiplying Your Musical Results from 2022-09-12T08:00
Today, on the podcast, I"m gonna be talking about an important concept that I call, "The Practicing Snowball".
"The Practicing Snowball" is something that'...
Quick Win: Jazz Improvisation For Beginners (How to Get Started) from 2022-09-09T08:00
If you've ever felt overwhelmed at jazz improvisation and unsure of where to get started, today I'm going to show you exactly how it works, make it simple so you get headed in the righ...
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Using"Restrictive Practicing"to Improve Your Jazz Solos from 2022-09-05T08:00
One thing that attracts musicians to jazz is the fact that the possibilities are endless. When it comes to improvisation, really, there are so many different avenues to explore, so many differe...
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Where Should You Learn Jazz (Books, YouTube, Courses, Memberships, Lessons)? from 2022-08-29T08:00
In today's episode, we're gonna talk about where is the best place for you to learn jazz: Is it music books? Is it YouTube videos and podcast episodes like this? Is it courses? Is it m...
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Quick Win: Pro Jazz Musician Reacts to His Playing From 10 Years Ago from 2022-08-26T08:00
What's up, guys? It's Brent here. So I was just surfing the Internet and I found a video of me playing a gig from 10 years ago.
Today, I'm gonna watch that video, give yo...
How to Get Back"Into Shape"After a Break In Playing Jazz from 2022-08-22T08:00
Are you trying to get back "into shape" after being off of playing for a while?
In today's episode, I will be sharing some tips on how to help you get back into the flow ...
Quick Win: How to Learn Giant Steps (Jazz Tutorial) from 2022-08-19T08:00
Giant Steps is notoriously one of the most feared jazz standards for musicians to learn and improvise over, not only because of the complex harmony but also because of the speed.
So tod...
What Prevents You From Achieving Your Jazz Goals? from 2022-08-15T08:00
"What prevents you from achieving your jazz goals?". This was a question we recently polled our community over on YouTube about, and we got a lot of really interesting answers and resp...
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Quick Win: How to Learn Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise (Jazz Tutorial) from 2022-08-12T08:00
Today, we're talking about the classic minor jazz standard, "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise". We'll take a look at the chords to figure out the most efficient way to learn i...
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The One Musical Skill I Would Master (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2022-08-08T08:00
Today on the podcast I have a member of my team, Brett Pontecorvo, to the show with me to discuss 2 questions.
And those questions are:
- What is one musical skill you are/were lac...
Quick Win: How to Learn Misty (Jazz Tutorial) from 2022-08-05T08:00
Today, we're talking about the classic ballad, "Misty" by Errol Garner.
We'll take a look at the chords so we can figure out how to most efficiently learn it and find ou...
Why You Need to Learn Giant Steps from 2022-08-01T08:00
Giant Steps by John Coltrane is often known as a right of passage for jazz musicians because it is notoriously one of the most difficult jazz standards to learn and improvise over. Truly it is a...
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What to Do If You Are No Longer Passionate About Jazz from 2022-07-25T08:00
Welcome to episode 369
In this episode:
1. Why my friend is no longer passionate about jazz
2. Why there is nothing for you to do if you are no longer excited abou...
Quick Win: 5 Pro-Level Jazz Licks You Need to Know from 2022-07-22T08:00
I'm gonna show you 5 jazz licks to have you sound like a pro and unveil some of the secrets that jazz musicians are using in their solos.
In this episode:
1. Intro
2...
How to Reduce Friction In Your Jazz Improvement from 2022-07-18T08:00
Alright, Magalie, can you say hello to the podcast listeners today? Oh, don't grab the microphone, it's expensive. Can you say, "Hi, podcast listeners!"
(Baby mumbled) Y...
Quick Win: $600 vs. $6,000 Jazz Guitar | Is Cheap or Expensive Better? from 2022-07-15T08:00
This is a $600 jazz guitar and this is a $6000 jazz guitar.
Today, I'm discussing which one I personally like the most as well as the age-old question, "Does having an expens...
This Is What I'd Do If I Started Jazz All Over Again from 2022-07-11T08:00
Have you ever looked back on something that you've done and gone, "If I only knew what I know now, I would have done that thing a little bit differently"?
Well, I was th...
Quick Win: How to Memorize Chords to Jazz Standards from 2022-07-08T08:00
After learning a jazz standard you may find it difficult to recall the chord changes in the long term, especially if you're learning a lot of them.
So, I'm gonna share with y...
Non-Jazz Music I Listen To (And How it Influences My Jazz) from 2022-07-04T08:00
Okay, so this is a jazz podcast, so obviously we talk a lot about jazz education: how do you play jazz, how do you get better at jazz, and of course, what jazz should you listen to and really di...
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How to Play Jazz Melodies Like a Pro (Thought Experiment) from 2022-06-27T08:00
In today's episode, we're gonna do a little thought experiment that will help us get in the mindset that we need to be, to play melodies and solos creatively and at the top of our game...
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Quick Win: The Best Jazz Practice Advice from 2022-06-24T08:00
If you wanna be a good musician of any kind then you know you need to practice, especially if you want to play jazz.
So, I'm gonna give you the very best practice advice I can give...
Why Are We Passionate About Playing Jazz (Story Time)? from 2022-06-20T08:00
So today, I'm gonna share with you some important points in my music life, like, the first thing I played with my first guitar when I got it, how that one, 7-note lick that my first pro ja...
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Quick Win: The Best Ear Training For Jazz from 2022-06-18T12:00
You've probably been told that playing jazz requires great ears. Well, how do you actually train your ears for jazz improvisation? I'm gonna give you 10 things you can do!
CHA...
From the Vault: How to Beat the Brain Game for Musical Freedom (feat. Matt Vaartstra) from 2022-06-13T08:00
We're doing a from-the-vault episode today. We're going back in time where I had my very own brother on the show to talk about performance and how to beat the brain game that goes on w...
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Quick Win: How to Play Changes In Your Jazz Solos from 2022-06-10T08:00
The best jazz musicians in the world can play a solo, unaccompanied and you know exactly the tune they were playing.
You can do that, too.
CHAPTERS:
1. Intro
2. ...
Frameworks for Ingraining Jazz Recordings from 2022-06-06T08:00
Listening to jazz is one of the best ways that you can improve your jazz playing without even touching your instrument and actually retain material so that it becomes exponentially easier to pla...
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Quick Win: How To Play Chord Melody On A Jazz Standard from 2022-06-03T08:00
If you're a guitar or a piano player, one important thing that you'd be able to do is chord melody - playing the chords and the melody of a jazz standard at the same time.
But...
How Long Will It Take to Play Great Jazz Solos? from 2022-05-30T08:00
Today on the podcast, I'm answering the question, "How long does it take to become a great jazz improviser?", from day 1 until that day when you're really playing solos that...
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Quick Win: Using Pentatonics for AMAZING Jazz Solos from 2022-05-27T08:00
If you know the pentatonic or the blues scale you can actually play really amazing jazz solos using just those notes.
In this episode:
- Intro
- Demo: SOUL STIR... Listen
Is Learning Jazz Solos Worth It (And How to Get Results from Them) from 2022-05-23T08:00
If you've been studying jazz for a little while, you've probably heard from somebody, whether it would be me or somebody else, that it's a good idea to learn jazz solos or jazz et...
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Quick Win: How to PRACTICE Improvising Over a Jazz Standard from 2022-05-20T08:00
So, if you're practicing over jazz standards but you continually feel like you're not improving, not getting any better, it could be that you're just practicing them wrong in the ...
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21 Things For You to Practice from 2022-05-16T08:00
Welcome to episode 350 where today I discuss 21 different options for jazz practice. So if you are wondering what you should practice today, this week, or this month, this episode should give yo...
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Quick Win: The Most IMPORTANT Music Theory for Jazz Standards from 2022-05-13T08:00
What are the most important music theory concepts that you need to know to make learning and improvising over jazz standards much easier?
In this episode:
Intro Concept
#1...
The Last Time I Will Play My Guitar from 2022-05-09T08:00
Welcome to episode 348 where I play a jazz ballad solo guitar set to commemorate the last time I play my guitar. I play through my 6 favorite jazz ballads and briefly discuss what makes them gre...
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Quick Win: Instantly Improve Your Jazz Solos (3 Strategies) from 2022-05-06T08:00
If your jazz solos feel like they're missing that secret sauce that pro-level jazz musicians have, then you could be missing out on one of these strategies.
In this episode:...
6 Lessons We’ve Learned from Our Jazz Community (2 Year Anniversary Special) from 2022-05-02T08:00
Welcome to episode 346 where, in celebration of the 2-year anniversary of our Inner Circle membership, we're sharing 6 lessons we've learned from our jazz community.
Joining ...
Finding The ONE Thing That Will Accelerate Your Jazz Skills from 2022-04-25T08:00
Welcome to episode 345 where today I talk about finding your ONE thing that if you accomplish this, will make playing jazz so much easier, and even make other things you would practice unnecessa...
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Quick Win: The Most Important Scales for Jazz Standards from 2022-04-22T08:00
So what are the most important scales that will help you improvise over jazz standards?
In this episode:
1. Intro
2. The 5 Qualities of 7th Chords Song Sample: Stella By Starli...
7 Lessons I’ve Learned As A Pro Jazz Musician (Music Advice) from 2022-04-18T12:00
Welcome to episode 343 where today I talk about my experiences as a professional performing jazz musician and the music lessons I've learned. Having dedicated most of my life to playing and teachin...
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Quick Win: 10 Jazz Blues Songs You Need to Know from 2022-04-15T12:00
So what are some jazz blues heads that you absolutely need to know for jazz jam sessions and gigs? Well, today I'm gonna share with you 10 that you absolutely should know. Listen to episode ...
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How to Play Wrong Notes and Still Sound Good In Your Solos from 2022-04-11T12:00
Welcome to episode 341 where today I talk about one of the most important skills you should focus on when it comes to jazz improvisation. If you master this, you could literally play any note (in t...
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Quick Win: How I Memorized 100 Jazz Standards In One Year from 2022-04-08T12:00
So how did I learn 100 new Jazz Standards in one year? Well, I'm gonna show you the exact strategies that I use so that you can use them, too! Listen to episode 340In this episode: Intro ...
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Deep Dive Into My Favorite Jazz Ballad from 2022-04-04T12:00
Welcome to episode 339 where today I walk you through one of my favorite jazz ballads. Ballads are important to know, and this particular one has a lot to teach us about jazz harmony and how to cre...
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Quick Win: How to Master Rhythm Changes from 2022-04-01T12:00
So how do you master the seemingly difficult but important jazz song form rhythm changes? Well, today I'm gonna show you 8 simple steps to do exactly that. Listen to episode 337In this episo...
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Are You Ready to Go to a Jazz Jam Session (Checklist)? from 2022-03-28T12:00
Welcome to episode 337 where today I talk about jam sessions and how to know if you are ready to attend one. I also share a 6 step checklist for how to prepare for a jam session so that you feel mo...
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Quick Win: Why Your Jazz Improv Isn’t Improving… from 2022-03-25T12:00
If you're feeling stuck in your jazz playing today, it's likely because of one of the reasons I'm about to share with you. So, I'm gonna be your jazz doctor today, diagnose your issue, and tell...
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How to Get Unstuck From Playing The Same Stuff Over and Over from 2022-03-21T12:00
Welcome to episode 335 where today I talk about how to get unstuck from playing the same stuff over and over again in your jazz solos. It's easy to get comfortable playing the same stuff, because w...
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Quick Win: Perfect BEBOP Minor BLUES Solo from 2022-03-18T12:00
How do you craft amazing bebop lines over a minor blues so that you sound like a jazz pro? I'm gonna walk you through the perfect minor blues solo. Listen to episode 334In this episode: Intro...
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My Entire Philosophy On Learning and Teaching Jazz from 2022-03-14T12:00
SHOW DESCRIPTION: Welcome to episode 333 where today I talk about my entire philosophy on learning and teaching jazz. I discuss what I believe about teaching jazz, using music theory, how to learn ...
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Quick Win: Best Jazz SCALE EXERCISE Ever from 2022-03-11T13:00
These are the best scale exercises you can do if you wanna turn these boring linear patterns into amazing jazz solos. Listen to episode 332In this episode: This is the very first place we nee...
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Top Questions About Playing Jazz Answered from 2022-03-07T13:00
SHOW DESCRIPTION: Welcome to episode 331 where today I answer the top questions I get asked about playing jazz. These questions come straight from my Monthly Jazz Mastermind Q&A sessions I have wit...
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Quick Win: How to Use Jazz Licks In Your Solos (3 Steps) from 2022-03-04T13:00
I'm about to show you a powerful 3-step process for how to get jazz licks to come out naturally and effortlessly in your solos. Listen to episode 330In this episode: CHAPTERS:CHAPTERS: 1....
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3 Mindset Shifts That Helped Me Enjoy Playing Music More from 2022-02-28T13:00
Welcome to episode 329 where today I talk about 3 mindsets that helped me start enjoying music more. It's a strange thing when something you used to enjoy doing a lot starts to lose its appeal for ...
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How to Effectively Practice Improvising from 2022-02-21T13:00
Welcome to episode 327 where today I talk about how to effectively practice improvising. Often on this show we talk about tactics for learning how to play great jazz language, like learning jazz so...
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Should I Learn Jazz By Reading Music? from 2022-02-14T13:00
Welcome to episode 325 where today I dive into the controversial question of whether or not its a good idea to learn jazz by reading music notation. Many musicians feel comfortable reading music bu...
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Quick Win: How to Instantly Learn Chord Progressions for Jazz Standards from 2022-02-11T13:00
So how can you play jazz standards at jam sessions and gigs even if you've never heard them before? Well, today I'm sharing with you my top tips for recognizing chord progressions. Listen to epi...
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Rhythm Changes Accelerator: A Powerful Course to Help You Master Rhythm Changes from 2022-02-10T13:00
Welcome to this special bonus episode where today I talk about our new Rhythm Changes Accelerator course we just released in our Inner Circle membership. Learn why learning rhythm changes is so pow...
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What Should I Do If I Don’t Have a Lot of Time to Practice? from 2022-02-07T13:00
Welcome to episode 323 where today I answer the question of what you should practice if you don't have very much time to practice. It's for common for us to be time poor when it comes to spending t...
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Quick Win: 8 Must-Know Jazz Standards for Jazz Gigs from 2022-02-04T13:00
So what are some great jazz standards to learn for playing jazz gigs? Well, today I'm gonna go over 8 jazz standards you need to know. Listen to episode 322In this episode: A tune with a litt...
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I Compose a Jazz Tune On The Spot (Again) from 2022-01-31T13:00
Welcome to episode 321 where I compose a jazz tune on the podcast. I put myself on the spot and rely on those creative juices to flow. You'll get a real-time look at how I compose, think about chor...
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Quick Win: 5 Jazz Practice Hacks to Improve Faster from 2022-01-28T13:00
So what are some practice hacks that can help you improve exponentially faster and not waste your precious practice time? Well, today I'm gonna share with you 5 you've probably never heard of b...
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Why Is My Jazz Improvisation Not Improving? This Could Be Why… from 2022-01-24T13:00
Show Description Welcome to episode 319 where today I go over a common frusturation many have which is feeling like their jazz improvisation is not improving, even if they are doing all of the rig...
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Quick Win: Creating AMAZING Jazz Solos Using Jazz Chords (3 Levels) from 2022-01-21T13:00
So how can you start playing amazing jazz solos using jazz chords to your full advantage? Well, today I'm gonna show you 3 levels to do exactly that. Listen to episode 318In this episode: ...
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Quick Win: 4 Must-Know BLUESY Jazz Standards from 2022-01-14T13:00
So what jazz standards can you get super bluesy in your jazz solos? Well, today I'm gonna teach you 4 of those tunes that you need to know. Listen to episode 316In this episode: 1. Intro2. J...
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Revealing Harmonic Secrets of a Bebop Jazz Standard from 2022-01-11T13:00
Welcome to episode 315 where today I walk us through a harmonic analysis of a bebop jazz standard. Analyzing the function of hamony within jazz standards is a great practice that can help you under...
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Quick Win: How to Learn a Jazz Solo by Ear (Step-by-Step) from 2022-01-10T20:22:24
So how do you learn jazz solos by ear without sheet music so you can start improving your jazz improv exponentially? Well, today I'm sharing with you my full step process for doing exactly that...
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The State of Learn Jazz Standards Address 2022 from 2022-01-03T13:00
Welcome to episode 313 where today I talk about the state of Learn Jazz Standards, where things stand today, and what we are doing in 2022. This is a fun, different kind of episode to kick off the ...
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How to Do a Self Jazz Audit to Speed Up Your Improvement from 2021-12-28T13:00
Welcome to episode 312 where today I talk about how to do a self-audit of your jazz playing. Auditing your playing can be really valuable for honing in on the things you are good at and bad at so y...
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Quick Win: Using Rhythm for AMAZING Jazz Solos from 2021-12-23T13:00
A huge mistake that many jazz players are making is not utilizing rhythm. So today I'm going to show you 3 common jazz rhythms and how to use them in your solos. Listen to episode 311In this...
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Gear I Use to Play, Teach, and Practice Jazz from 2021-12-20T13:00
Welcome to episode 310 where today I talk about all of the gear I use to play, teach and practice jazz. I go over everything from microphones, amps, guitars, cameras, audio interfaces, and software...
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Quick Win: 3 Jazz Mistakes Beginners Make (Avoid These) from 2021-12-17T13:00
Are you making any of these three critical mistakes when learning jazz? Well, today I'm gonna show you exactly what they are, how to avoid them, and what to do instead. Listen to episode 309...
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Why Practicing LESS Is Better Than Practicing More from 2021-12-13T13:00
Welcome to episode 308 where today I talk about why the mindset of needing to practice a lot to improve as a jazz musician is potentially a toxic mindset. I go through 3 reasons why practicing less...
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Quick Win: How to Comp Like a Jazz Pro from 2021-12-11T20:54:16
So how do piano and guitar players learn to comp like jazz pros? Today I'm going to show you 3 things you need to be practicing in order to get there. Listen to episode 307In this episode: ...
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How to Get Un-Stuck In Your Jazz Playing (5 Steps) from 2021-12-06T13:00
Welcome to episode 306 where today I talk about a 5-step process to help you get"un-stuck"in your jazz playing. Most of us completely resonate with the experience of being stuck on a musical platea...
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Quick Win: How to Go From Jazz Beginner to Intermediate, to Advanced from 2021-12-03T13:00
So how do we go from beginner jazz player, to intermediate, and even advanced? Well, today I'm going to show you exactly how to level up your jazz playing. Listen to episode 297In this episo...
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5 Personality Traits of My Most Successful Jazz Students from 2021-11-27T02:47:05
Welcome to episode 304 where today I talk about 5 personality traits that some of my most successful students possess. There are certain members of my Inner Circle community and course students tha...
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Quick Win: How to Overcome Jazz Performance Anxiety from 2021-11-26T13:00
So you get up to play a song at the jam session and you're terrified, sweaty, and nervous. You just don't feel good. You're afraid you're gonna mess up, screw up, and embarrass yourself. In thi...
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Beginner’s Guide to Learning Chord Progressions By Ear from 2021-11-22T13:00
Welcome to episode 302 where today I walk you through a in-depth process for how to learn chord progressions by ear. For some learning any music by ear is difficult, but when it comes to hearing ch...
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Quick Win: 10 Must-Know Jazz Standards for Jam Sessions from 2021-11-19T13:00
There's some jazz standards that are so commonly called the jam sessions that you cannot get away with not knowing them. So, today I'm going to go over ten jazz standards from beginner to advanced....
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Behind the Scenes of Learn Jazz Standards (feat. Brett Pontecorvo and Justin Kellerer) from 2021-11-15T13:00
Welcome to episode 300 where today we're celebrating this huge milestone of the podcast with two very special guests, both members of team LJS - Brett Pontecorvo and Justin Kellerer. We recorded th...
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Quick Win: How to Play Scales Over Jazz Chords (Without Sounding Like Scales) from 2021-11-12T13:00
How do you play scales over jazz chords so that you are playing the right notes but not making it sound like you are just playing scales? Well, today I'm going to show you a melodic approach to...
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From the Vault: My Interview With The Great Peter Bernstein from 2021-11-08T13:00
Welcome to episode 298 where we go back in the vault to 2016 with an interview by the renowned jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein. This was one of the first shows of the LJS Podcast, and a tremendously...
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Quick Win: How to Play Instant Bebop (On Any Instrument) from 2021-11-05T12:00
So how do you play killer bebop solos like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie? Well, today I'm going to show you a simple bebop hack that will help you start playing amazing bebop solos instant...
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5 Filters for How to Know What You Should Practice from 2021-11-01T12:00
Welcome to episode 295 where today I discuss 5"filters"for knowing what you should practice. There are so many things out there to practice, and sometimes when told what to practice it can seem gen...
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Quick Win: 30 Minute Jazz Standard Practice Routine from 2021-10-29T12:00
If you're like most people who are strapped for time to practice, then you may wonder, how do I improve my jazz skills while practicing less? Well, today I'm going to show you a practice routine...
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Is Your Jazz Playing Healthy (3 Core Factors)? from 2021-10-25T12:00
Welcome to episode 294 where today I discuss 3 core factors I look into when assessing the health of my student's jazz playing. I find that there are 3 main areas of strength and weakness in a musi...
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Quick Win: Easy Jazz Standard to Improve Fast from 2021-10-22T12:00
What are jazz standards that can help you improve quickly but not leave your brain hurting? Well, today I'm going to show you an easy jazz standard that does exactly that. Listen to episode 2...
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What I’m Thinking About When I Improvise from 2021-10-18T12:00
Welcome to episode 292 where today we listen to a recording of me improvising over a popular jazz standard and try to understand what I'm thinking as I improvise. Improvisation can be a mysterious ...
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Quick Win: Tasty Minor Bebop Altered Lick from 2021-10-15T12:00
Today I'm going to show you a tasty jazz lick that's going to make you sound like a bebop pro over minor 2-5-1 chord progressions. Listen to episode 291In this episode: 1. What's a minor 2-5-...
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6 Powerful Reasons to Record Your Jazz Playing from 2021-10-11T12:00
Welcome to episode 290 where today I talk about 6 powerful reasons why you should record your jazz playing. You may have heard people suggest recording yourself, but have you ever fully understood ...
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Quick Win: Sick Minor Blues Improv Hack from 2021-10-08T12:00
So how do you play sick bluesy licks over top of minor 2-5-1 chord progressions? Well, I'm going to show you a very simple tool to make this really easy. Listen to episode 289In this episode: ...
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Beginner, to Intermediate, to Advanced Jazz Musician–How to Do It from 2021-10-04T12:00
Welcome to episode 288 where today I talk about how to go from a beginner jazz player to intermediate, and finally to advanced jazz musician. I teach you exactly what I would do if I was starting a...
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How to Deal With Musical Failure from 2021-09-27T12:00
Welcome to episode 287 where today I talk about musical"failure"- how to think about it, how to deal with it, and ultimately how to appropriately use it to your advantage. In this episode, I talk a...
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3 Ways to Spice Up Your Minor 2-5-1 Playing from 2021-09-20T12:00
Welcome to episode 286 where today I talk about 3 different ways to spice up minor 2-5-1 chord progressions. Minor 2-5-1s can be found everywhere in jazz standards, so how do we make our comping, b...
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How to Play More Melodic Jazz Solos from 2021-09-13T12:00
Welcome to episode 285 where today I talk about how to play more melodic jazz solos. What separates the amateurs from the experts is how melodic a jazz solo is. So if you are stuck with boring solo...
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How to Know If You Are Ready to Learn Jazz from 2021-09-06T16:26:51
Welcome to episode 284 where today I talk about how to know whether you are ready to start learning jazz. I hear from musicians who wonder if their skills on their instrument are up to par, ears go...
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3 Powerful Mindsets for Improving Faster While Practicing Less from 2021-08-30T14:59:42
Welcome to episode 283 where today I talk about 3 powerful mindsets that you need to adopt to start improving faster while practicing less, and setting yourself up to win everytime. If you can star...
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The 3 Pillars of Bebop for Improving Your Bop Solos (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2021-08-23T14:03:25
Welcome to episode 282 where today I talk with a member of team LJS, Brett Pontecorvo, about the 3 Pillars of Bebop. Bebop is a style of jazz that has greatly influenced the way jazz improvisers pl...
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The 3 Pillars of Bebop for Improving Your Bop Solos (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2021-08-23T14:03:25
Welcome to episode 282 where today I talk with a member of team LJS, Brett Pontecorvo, about the 3 Pillars of Bebop. Bebop is a style of jazz that has greatly influenced the way jazz improvisers pl...
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The 3 Track System for Skyrocketing Your Jazz Playing (feat. Justin Nielsen) from 2021-08-16T15:01:57
Welcome to episode 281 where today I talk with a musical mentor of mine, Justin Nielsen, all about his 3 track system for accelerating your jazz growth. Justin has taught hundreds of students, some...
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The 3 Track System for Skyrocketing Your Jazz Playing (feat. Justin Nielsen) from 2021-08-16T15:01:57
Welcome to episode 281 where today I talk with a musical mentor of mine, Justin Nielsen, all about his 3 track system for accelerating your jazz growth. Justin has taught hundreds of students, some...
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How to Create Killer Set Lists for Your Jazz Gigs from 2021-08-09T13:52:45
Welcome to episode 280 where today we talk about jazz gig set lists and how to create ones that keep you and the audience inspired. A great set list can make a huge difference in both how you and t...
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How to Create Killer Set Lists for Your Jazz Gigs from 2021-08-09T13:52:45
Welcome to episode 280 where today we talk about jazz gig set lists and how to create ones that keep you and the audience inspired. A great set list can make a huge difference in both how you and t...
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6 Reasons Your Jazz Solos May Sound Bad from 2021-08-02T13:55:25
Welcome to episode 279 where today I share with you 6 reasons your jazz solos may sound bad. These are things I commonly witness in the playing of beginner and intermediate players, and even with s...
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6 Reasons Your Jazz Solos May Sound Bad from 2021-08-02T13:55:25
Welcome to episode 279 where today I share with you 6 reasons your jazz solos may sound bad. These are things I commonly witness in the playing of beginner and intermediate players, and even with s...
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Lessons From Learning 100 Jazz Standards in a Year from 2021-07-12T14:15:40
Welcome to episode 278 where today I share with you 4 important lessons I learned from learning 100 jazz standards over the course of a year. Struggle with remembering standards? Maybe you learn th...
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Lessons From Learning 100 Jazz Standards in a Year from 2021-07-12T14:15:40
Welcome to episode 278 where today I share with you 4 important lessons I learned from learning 100 jazz standards over the course of a year. Struggle with remembering standards? Maybe you learn th...
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I’ve got a confession to make…brace yourself from 2021-07-05T13:35:22
Today's episode may come as a surprise to you. I confess a deep, dark, secret on the show. As a listener of the podcast, you have a right to know. I'm prepared to accept the necessary punishment fo...
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I’ve got a confession to make…brace yourself from 2021-07-05T13:35:22
Today's episode may come as a surprise to you. I confess a deep, dark, secret on the show. As a listener of the podcast, you have a right to know. I'm prepared to accept the necessary punishment fo...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 3) from 2021-06-28T14:21:19
Welcome to episode 276 where we conclude a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. We've learned the melody, we've learned the chords,...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 3) from 2021-06-28T14:21:19
Welcome to episode 276 where we conclude a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. We've learned the melody, we've learned the chords,...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 2) from 2021-06-21T14:53:13
Welcome to episode 275 where we continue a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. And in addition to learning it, by the end of these...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 2) from 2021-06-21T14:53:13
Welcome to episode 275 where we continue a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. And in addition to learning it, by the end of these...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 1) from 2021-06-14T12:33:26
Welcome to episode 274 where we start a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. And in addition to learning it, by the end of these 3 ...
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3 Week Jazz Tune by Ear Challenge (Week 1) from 2021-06-14T12:33:26
Welcome to episode 274 where we start a series of 3 episodes where we are going through a challenge of learning a jazz tune by ear in 3 weeks. And in addition to learning it, by the end of these 3 ...
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Only 3 Things I Would Practice for the Rest of My Life from 2021-06-07T15:54:32
Welcome to episode 273 where I discuss the only thing I would practice for jazz if I could only pick three. Most of us don't have a lot of time to practice, but we want to improve our jazz skills q...
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Only 3 Things I Would Practice for the Rest of My Life from 2021-06-07T15:54:32
Welcome to episode 273 where I discuss the only thing I would practice for jazz if I could only pick three. Most of us don't have a lot of time to practice, but we want to improve our jazz skills q...
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Worst, Best, Most Challenging, Most Lucrative Gigs I’ve Played from 2021-05-31T15:08:52
Welcome to episode 272 where I discuss an array of different jazz gigs I've played over my career as a performing jazz musician. I talk about the worst gigs I've played, the best ones, the worst pa...
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Worst, Best, Most Challenging, Most Lucrative Gigs I’ve Played from 2021-05-31T15:08:52
Welcome to episode 272 where I discuss an array of different jazz gigs I've played over my career as a performing jazz musician. I talk about the worst gigs I've played, the best ones, the worst pa...
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How to Know What the CORRECT Changes Are to a Jazz Standard from 2021-05-24T12:00
Welcome to episode 271 where today we are exploring the question of how to know what the correct chord changes are for a jazz standard. Because jazz musicians have often manipulated original chord ...
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How to Know What the CORRECT Changes Are to a Jazz Standard from 2021-05-24T12:00
Welcome to episode 271 where today we are exploring the question of how to know what the correct chord changes are for a jazz standard. Because jazz musicians have often manipulated original chord ...
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Understanding Gypsy Jazz and Other Musical Truth Nuggets (feat. Dani Rabin and Danny Markovich) from 2021-05-17T15:54:55
Welcome to episode 270 where today we have special guests Dani Rabin and Danny Markovich from the band Marbin, on the show to talk about Gypsy jazz. Our guests talk about the ins and outs of this s...
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Understanding Gypsy Jazz and Other Musical Truth Nuggets (feat. Dani Rabin and Danny Markovich) from 2021-05-17T15:54:55
Welcome to episode 270 where today we have special guests Dani Rabin and Danny Markovich from the band Marbin, on the show to talk about Gypsy jazz. Our guests talk about the ins and outs of this s...
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ONLY Scale and Chords You Need to Know for Jazz from 2021-05-10T16:39:26
Welcome to episode 269 where I have the audacity to suggest that you only need to know one scale in order to start improvising over jazz standards. And chords? Only a small handful. This episode wi...
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ONLY Scale and Chords You Need to Know for Jazz from 2021-05-10T16:39:26
Welcome to episode 269 where I have the audacity to suggest that you only need to know one scale in order to start improvising over jazz standards. And chords? Only a small handful. This episode wi...
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Musicians Like YOU Share Their Jazz Breakthroughs (Inner Circle Celebration) from 2021-05-03T14:58:56
Welcome to episode 268 where today we have a very special episode in celebration of our 1 year birthday of our LJS Inner Circle membership. We have a lot of guests on the show, members of our Inner...
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Musicians Like YOU Share Their Jazz Breakthroughs (Inner Circle Celebration) from 2021-05-03T14:58:56
Welcome to episode 268 where today we have a very special episode in celebration of our 1 year birthday of our LJS Inner Circle membership. We have a lot of guests on the show, members of our Inner...
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Innovative Practice Strategies for Mind, Body, and Music (feat. Marc Gelfo) from 2021-04-26T15:15:35
Welcome to episode 267 where today we have special guest, founder and CEO of Modactiy, Marc Gelfo, on to talk about practice strategy. In this episode, Marc digs beneath the surface and shares his ...
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Innovative Practice Strategies for Mind, Body, and Music (feat. Marc Gelfo) from 2021-04-26T15:15:35
Welcome to episode 267 where today we have special guest, founder and CEO of Modactiy, Marc Gelfo, on to talk about practice strategy. In this episode, Marc digs beneath the surface and shares his ...
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Mastering Swing Feel and Finding That Perfect Swing from 2021-04-19T14:09:43
Welcome to episode 266 where today we talk about swing feel, what it is, how to properly swing, and some common mistakes musicians make. Swing is the most unique style to jazz, despite there being ...
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Mastering Swing Feel and Finding That Perfect Swing from 2021-04-19T14:09:43
Welcome to episode 266 where today we talk about swing feel, what it is, how to properly swing, and some common mistakes musicians make. Swing is the most unique style to jazz, despite there being ...
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Overcoming Musical Frustration and Maintaining Motivation (feat. Michael Lake) from 2021-04-13T08:33:53
Welcome to episode 265 where today I have on special guest musician Michael Lake to talk about overcoming musical frustration. It's not uncommon for a musician studying jazz to get frustrated with ...
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Overcoming Musical Frustration and Maintaining Motivation (feat. Michael Lake) from 2021-04-13T08:33:53
Welcome to episode 265 where today I have on special guest musician Michael Lake to talk about overcoming musical frustration. It's not uncommon for a musician studying jazz to get frustrated with ...
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Memorizing Jazz Standards 101 (So You Don’t Forget Them) from 2021-04-05T17:42:09
Welcome to episode 264 where today I go over some tips and strategies for memorizing jazz standards in such a way that you are less likely to forget them, and can recall them even if you haven't pl...
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Memorizing Jazz Standards 101 (So You Don’t Forget Them) from 2021-04-05T17:42:09
Welcome to episode 264 where today I go over some tips and strategies for memorizing jazz standards in such a way that you are less likely to forget them, and can recall them even if you haven't pl...
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The L.R.C Practice Strategy for Mastering Musical Material from 2021-03-29T17:36:09
Welcome to episode 263 where today I go over a simple strategy you can start implementing into your practice. It's called the L.R.C Practice Strategy, and it will help you take your practicing to t...
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The L.R.C Practice Strategy for Mastering Musical Material from 2021-03-29T17:36:09
Welcome to episode 263 where today I go over a simple strategy you can start implementing into your practice. It's called the L.R.C Practice Strategy, and it will help you take your practicing to t...
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From the Vault: Bossa Nova Basics with Livio Almeida (5 Year Birthday Episode) from 2021-03-22T13:37:38
Welcome to episode 262 where today we are reaching into the LJS Podcast Vault and going back in time to revisit an episode all about Bossa Nova. Special guest Livio Almeida walks us through the bas...
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From the Vault: Bossa Nova Basics with Livio Almeida (5 Year Birthday Episode) from 2021-03-22T13:37:38
Welcome to episode 262 where today we are reaching into the LJS Podcast Vault and going back in time to revisit an episode all about Bossa Nova. Special guest Livio Almeida walks us through the bas...
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4 Levels of Jazz Chords to Spice Up Your Comping and Improv from 2021-03-15T13:18
Welcome to episode 261 where today I'm covering 4 levels of jazz chords so that you can start implementing these concepts into your comping and jazz solos. In this episode, I start with the simples...
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4 Levels of Jazz Chords to Spice Up Your Comping and Improv from 2021-03-15T13:18
Welcome to episode 261 where today I'm covering 4 levels of jazz chords so that you can start implementing these concepts into your comping and jazz solos. In this episode, I start with the simples...
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7 Steps for Improvising Over Jazz Standards from Scratch from 2021-03-08T23:17:48
Welcome to episode 260 where today I'm covering a 7 step process for improvising over a jazz standard starting from zero. This is the exact process that my Inner Circle members go through to learn ...
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7 Steps for Improvising Over Jazz Standards from Scratch from 2021-03-08T23:17:48
Welcome to episode 260 where today I'm covering a 7 step process for improvising over a jazz standard starting from zero. This is the exact process that my Inner Circle members go through to learn ...
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7 Steps for Not Getting Lost During Your Jazz Solos from 2021-03-03T00:25:36
Welcome to episode 259 where today we're addressing a really common problem improvisers face, which is getting lost in the form while you are soloing. Getting lost is something that happens to ever...
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7 Steps for Not Getting Lost During Your Jazz Solos from 2021-03-03T00:25:36
Welcome to episode 259 where today we're addressing a really common problem improvisers face, which is getting lost in the form while you are soloing. Getting lost is something that happens to ever...
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Experimenting with Your Improvisation (Practice Session) from 2021-02-22T14:05:39
Welcome to episode 258 where today I'm having you sit in on a practice session where I explore a I-VI-ii-V chord progression, experimenting with whatever ideas come up in the moment. A lot of times...
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Experimenting with Your Improvisation (Practice Session) from 2021-02-22T14:05:39
Welcome to episode 258 where today I'm having you sit in on a practice session where I explore a I-VI-ii-V chord progression, experimenting with whatever ideas come up in the moment. A lot of times...
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10 Life Skills I’ve Learned from Studying Jazz from 2021-02-15T13:08:25
Welcome to episode 257 where today I discuss 10 life skills I've learned from studying jazz. In the process of studying this music, I've found that a lot of the mindsets and skills I've learned hav...
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10 Life Skills I’ve Learned from Studying Jazz from 2021-02-15T13:08:25
Welcome to episode 257 where today I discuss 10 life skills I've learned from studying jazz. In the process of studying this music, I've found that a lot of the mindsets and skills I've learned hav...
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How to Develop a Jazz Solo (First Steps) from 2021-02-08T13:35:32
Welcome to episode 256 where today I walk you through some different steps for beginning to develop a great jazz solo. A common mistake I hear is beginning a jazz solos with lots of notes and a myr...
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How to Develop a Jazz Solo (First Steps) from 2021-02-08T13:35:32
Welcome to episode 256 where today I walk you through some different steps for beginning to develop a great jazz solo. A common mistake I hear is beginning a jazz solos with lots of notes and a myr...
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Why is Analyzing Jazz Standards Helpful for Improvisation? from 2021-02-01T13:10:44
Welcome to episode 255 where today I'm sharing a short excerpt from a recent live Q&A call I had with my LJS Inner Circle members that answers the question: why is analyzing jazz standards helpful ...
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Why is Analyzing Jazz Standards Helpful for Improvisation? from 2021-02-01T13:10:44
Welcome to episode 255 where today I'm sharing a short excerpt from a recent live Q&A call I had with my LJS Inner Circle members that answers the question: why is analyzing jazz standards helpful ...
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How to Develop Great Time Feel 101 from 2021-01-25T13:00
Welcome to episode 254 where today we talk about how to develop a good time feel and a basic sense of rhythm. You can play all of the"right"notes, and the hippest licks, but if your time feel is of...
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How to Develop Great Time Feel 101 from 2021-01-25T13:00
Welcome to episode 254 where today we talk about how to develop a good time feel and a basic sense of rhythm. You can play all of the"right"notes, and the hippest licks, but if your time feel is of...
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How to Know Which Scales to Play Over Jazz Standards from 2021-01-18T13:00
Welcome to episode 253 where today we talk about scales and how to know which ones to play over chords and chord progressions within jazz standards. When it comes to scales, there are so many optio...
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How to Know Which Scales to Play Over Jazz Standards from 2021-01-18T13:00
Welcome to episode 253 where today we talk about scales and how to know which ones to play over chords and chord progressions within jazz standards. When it comes to scales, there are so many optio...
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How to Start Improvising Effortlessly and Unleash Your Inner Musician (feat. Mike Casey) from 2021-01-11T13:09:20
Welcome to episode 252 where today we have on special guest saxophonist and recording artist Mike Casey to talk about his experience with achieving effortlessness in improvisation. We all have hear...
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How to Start Improvising Effortlessly and Unleash Your Inner Musician (feat. Mike Casey) from 2021-01-11T13:09:20
Welcome to episode 252 where today we have on special guest saxophonist and recording artist Mike Casey to talk about his experience with achieving effortlessness in improvisation. We all have hear...
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Internalizing Licks with Jam Tracks and Improving Your Musicality (feat. Quist) from 2021-01-04T13:33:41
Welcome to episode 251 where today we have on special guest guitarist and professional musician Quist. He shares with us his tips for internalizing jazz licks using jam tracks as a tool, as well as...
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Internalizing Licks with Jam Tracks and Improving Your Musicality (feat. Quist) from 2021-01-04T13:33:41
Welcome to episode 251 where today we have on special guest guitarist and professional musician Quist. He shares with us his tips for internalizing jazz licks using jam tracks as a tool, as well as...
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How to ACTUALLY Achieve Your 2021 Jazz New Years Resolutions from 2020-12-28T13:14:58
Welcome to episode 250 where today I talk about what makes a great jazz New Year Resolution that you will actually see through to the end. Most of us want to become better jazz improvisers in 2021,...
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How to ACTUALLY Achieve Your 2021 Jazz New Years Resolutions from 2020-12-28T13:14:58
Welcome to episode 250 where today I talk about what makes a great jazz New Year Resolution that you will actually see through to the end. Most of us want to become better jazz improvisers in 2021,...
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Using the Concepts You Already Know to Play Great Jazz Solos (feat. Matt Warnock) from 2020-12-21T19:56:34
Welcome to episode 249 where we have special guest guitarist Matt Warnock from Matt Warnock Guitar to talk jazz and all things improv. We discuss a number of topics including using the concepts you...
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Using the Concepts You Already Know to Play Great Jazz Solos (feat. Matt Warnock) from 2020-12-21T19:56:34
Welcome to episode 249 where we have special guest guitarist Matt Warnock from Matt Warnock Guitar to talk jazz and all things improv. We discuss a number of topics including using the concepts you...
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How to Speed Up Your Musical Progress By Focusing On What Matters (feat. Mark Morley-Fletcher) from 2020-12-14T13:00:10
Welcome to episode 248 where today we have special guest Mark Morley-Fletcher from Play In The Zone on to talk about how to focus on what really matters in your jazz playing to expedite your improv...
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How to Speed Up Your Musical Progress By Focusing On What Matters (feat. Mark Morley-Fletcher) from 2020-12-14T13:00:10
Welcome to episode 248 where today we have special guest Mark Morley-Fletcher from Play In The Zone on to talk about how to focus on what really matters in your jazz playing to expedite your improv...
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How to Crush It On a“Bird Blues”and Simplify Your Solos from 2020-12-07T13:13:03
Welcome to episode 247 where today we discuss strategies on Charlie Parker's variation on a blues which has been dubbed a"Bird Blues."Using this song form as a vessel, I show you how you can take f...
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How to Crush It On a“Bird Blues”and Simplify Your Solos from 2020-12-07T13:13:03
Welcome to episode 247 where today we discuss strategies on Charlie Parker's variation on a blues which has been dubbed a"Bird Blues."Using this song form as a vessel, I show you how you can take f...
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5 Important Lessons I Learned From My Jazz Teachers from 2020-11-23T20:01:25
Welcome to episode 246 where today I discuss 5 lessons I learned from my jazz teachers that had a profound effect on my musicianship and mindset. Whether it's by example or by the actual words said...
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5 Important Lessons I Learned From My Jazz Teachers from 2020-11-23T20:01:25
Welcome to episode 246 where today I discuss 5 lessons I learned from my jazz teachers that had a profound effect on my musicianship and mindset. Whether it's by example or by the actual words said...
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How Much Do I Need to Practice to Make Meaningful Improvement? from 2020-11-16T12:39:13
Welcome to episode 245 where today I discuss how long you actually need to practice in order to make meaningful improvement in your jazz playing. While there is no one size fits all answer, it may ...
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How Much Do I Need to Practice to Make Meaningful Improvement? from 2020-11-16T12:39:13
Welcome to episode 245 where today I discuss how long you actually need to practice in order to make meaningful improvement in your jazz playing. While there is no one size fits all answer, it may ...
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3 Roadblocks Intermediate Jazz Musicians Face (And How to Overcome) from 2020-11-09T14:13:26
Welcome to episode 244 where today I go over 3 common roadblocks I hear about from intermediate jazz musicians. These roadblocks can make these musicians feel like they are stuck on a plateau and u...
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3 Roadblocks Intermediate Jazz Musicians Face (And How to Overcome) from 2020-11-09T14:13:26
Welcome to episode 244 where today I go over 3 common roadblocks I hear about from intermediate jazz musicians. These roadblocks can make these musicians feel like they are stuck on a plateau and u...
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My Top 10 Favorite Jazz Albums (Old and Modern) from 2020-11-02T13:00
Welcome to episode 243 where today I reveal my top 10 favorite jazz albums of all time. These albums are ones that I have come back to time and time again, and think you should check out as well. I...
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My Top 10 Favorite Jazz Albums (Old and Modern) from 2020-11-02T13:00
Welcome to episode 243 where today I reveal my top 10 favorite jazz albums of all time. These albums are ones that I have come back to time and time again, and think you should check out as well. I...
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[Practice Plan] How to Master a Minor Blues and Accelerate Your Progress from 2020-10-26T13:30
Welcome to episode 242 where today we conclude with our final episode of Minor Blues Month! In this episode, I share with you my in-depth practice plan for mastering a minor blues. I'll walk you th...
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[Practice Plan] How to Master a Minor Blues and Accelerate Your Progress from 2020-10-26T13:30
Welcome to episode 242 where today we conclude with our final episode of Minor Blues Month! In this episode, I share with you my in-depth practice plan for mastering a minor blues. I'll walk you th...
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[Strategy #3] Sky-rocketing a Minor Blues with Bebop Language from 2020-10-19T12:49:51
Welcome to episode 241 where today we are diving into Strategy #3 of Minor Blues Month! In the last episode we pick up where we left off with an etude that was re-composed to add chord tones and sc...
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[Strategy #3] Sky-rocketing a Minor Blues with Bebop Language from 2020-10-19T12:49:51
Welcome to episode 241 where today we are diving into Strategy #3 of Minor Blues Month! In the last episode we pick up where we left off with an etude that was re-composed to add chord tones and sc...
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[Strategy #2] Elevating a Minor Blues with Chord Tones and Scales from 2020-10-12T13:58:52
Welcome to episode 240 where today we are diving into Strategy #2 of Minor Blues Month! In the last episode we composed a 12 bar minor blues using the minor pentatonic and blues scale almost exclus...
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[Strategy #2] Elevating a Minor Blues with Chord Tones and Scales from 2020-10-12T13:58:52
Welcome to episode 240 where today we are diving into Strategy #2 of Minor Blues Month! In the last episode we composed a 12 bar minor blues using the minor pentatonic and blues scale almost exclus...
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[Strategy #1] Crushing a Minor Blues with Minor Pentatonics from 2020-10-05T12:00
Welcome to episode 239 of the LJS Podcast where today we kick off"Minor Blues Month"on the podcast! We'll be uncovering 3 strategies for improvising over a minor blues and then my master practice p...
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[Strategy #1] Crushing a Minor Blues with Minor Pentatonics from 2020-10-05T12:00
Welcome to episode 239 of the LJS Podcast where today we kick off "Minor Blues Month" on the podcast! We'll be uncovering 3 strategies for improvising over a minor blues and then my master practice...
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I Learn Part of a Jazz Solo by Ear (My Process) from 2020-09-28T12:21:37
Welcome to episode 238 of the LJS Podcast where today I sit down and learn the first A section of a jazz etude I've been wanting to learn. Listen in as I walk through my process for learning a jazz...
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I Learn Part of a Jazz Solo by Ear (My Process) from 2020-09-28T12:21:37
Welcome to episode 238 of the LJS Podcast where today I sit down and learn the first A section of a jazz etude I've been wanting to learn. Listen in as I walk through my process for learning a jazz...
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How to Listen to Jazz Mindfully from 2020-09-21T14:45:19
Welcome to episode 237 of the LJS Podcast where today I share a masterclass I am taking out of the vault about listening to jazz. The way we listen to jazz can dictate how much we actually get out ...
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How to Listen to Jazz Mindfully from 2020-09-21T14:45:19
Welcome to episode 237 of the LJS Podcast where today I share a masterclass I am taking out of the vault about listening to jazz. The way we listen to jazz can dictate how much we actually get out ...
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Spice Up Your Jazz Ballad Playing with Side Step 2-5’s from 2020-09-14T12:23:26
Welcome to episode 236 of the LJS Podcast where today I show you a simple technique that will help you take your jazz ballad playing to the next level. One of the challenges of playing ballads is t...
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Spice Up Your Jazz Ballad Playing with Side Step 2-5’s from 2020-09-14T12:23:26
Welcome to episode 236 of the LJS Podcast where today I show you a simple technique that will help you take your jazz ballad playing to the next level. One of the challenges of playing ballads is t...
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Take This Ear Training Intervals Quiz from 2020-09-07T12:00
Welcome to episode 235 of the LJS Podcast where today I put you to the test. Instead of the regular format of tips and tricks for becoming a better jazz musician, we're doing an ear training interv...
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Take This Ear Training Intervals Quiz from 2020-09-07T12:00
Welcome to episode 235 of the LJS Podcast where today I put you to the test. Instead of the regular format of tips and tricks for becoming a better jazz musician, we're doing an ear training interv...
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Are You Having Fun While You Practice? from 2020-08-31T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 234 of the LJS Podcast where today I give a quick lecture on the importance of having fun when you practice. Of course, having fun should be the center of why we practice and wan...
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Are You Having Fun While You Practice? from 2020-08-31T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 234 of the LJS Podcast where today I give a quick lecture on the importance of having fun when you practice. Of course, having fun should be the center of why we practice and wan...
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Learn These 4 Jazz Blues Licks (You’ll Thank Me Later) from 2020-08-24T12:00
Welcome to episode 233 of the LJS Podcast where today I show you 4 jazz blues licks that I know you're going to love. We listen to them and I explain what makes them work and sound so great. Prepar...
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Learn These 4 Jazz Blues Licks (You’ll Thank Me Later) from 2020-08-24T12:00
Welcome to episode 233 of the LJS Podcast where today I show you 4 jazz blues licks that I know you're going to love. We listen to them and I explain what makes them work and sound so great. Prepar...
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6 Biggest Mistakes Beginner Jazz Improvisers Make from 2020-08-17T13:02:30
Welcome to episode 232 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about the 6 biggest mistakes I see beginner jazz musicians make. Having helped thousands of students through Learn Jazz Standards, I've ...
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6 Biggest Mistakes Beginner Jazz Improvisers Make from 2020-08-17T13:02:30
Welcome to episode 232 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about the 6 biggest mistakes I see beginner jazz musicians make. Having helped thousands of students through Learn Jazz Standards, I've ...
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Defining Your“Why”and Setting Goals for Jazz Acceleration from 2020-08-10T12:46:05
Welcome to episode 231 of the LJS Podcast where today I feature a chapter reading from my book"Jazz Improvisation Made Simple"where I discuss establishing your"why"and setting goals for your jazz p...
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Defining Your“Why”and Setting Goals for Jazz Acceleration from 2020-08-10T12:46:05
Welcome to episode 231 of the LJS Podcast where today I feature a chapter reading from my book"Jazz Improvisation Made Simple"where I discuss establishing your"why"and setting goals for your jazz p...
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3 Steps to Playing Licks Organically in Your Jazz Improv from 2020-08-03T12:00
Welcome to episode 230 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over my 3 step LIT Process for learning and applying jazz licks. Learning licks and then copy/pasting them into your solos rarerly sounds ...
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3 Steps to Playing Licks Organically in Your Jazz Improv from 2020-08-03T12:00
Welcome to episode 230 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over my 3 step LIT Process for learning and applying jazz licks. Learning licks and then copy/pasting them into your solos rarerly sounds ...
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How to Turn Scales Into Killer Jazz Solos from 2020-07-27T12:29
Welcome to episode 229 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest Brett Pontecorvo to teach us how to properly use scales to build great solos. Scales are useful tools, but if applied i...
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How to Turn Scales Into Killer Jazz Solos from 2020-07-27T12:29
Welcome to episode 229 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest Brett Pontecorvo to teach us how to properly use scales to build great solos. Scales are useful tools, but if applied i...
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How to Play“Outside”and Sound Good from 2020-07-20T12:04:15
Welcome to episode 228 of the LJS Podcast where today I teach you a few principles and techniques that will help you play"outside"of the changes without it sounding avante garde or playing wrong no...
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How to Play“Outside”and Sound Good from 2020-07-20T12:04:15
Welcome to episode 228 of the LJS Podcast where today I teach you a few principles and techniques that will help you play"outside"of the changes without it sounding avante garde or playing wrong no...
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3 Practice Habits for Retaining Musical Material from 2020-07-13T12:00
Welcome to episode 227 of the LJS Podcast where today we cover 3 practice habits for retaining musical material. It can be frustrating when you learn a jazz standard, solo, or lick, only to forget ...
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3 Practice Habits for Retaining Musical Material from 2020-07-13T12:00
Welcome to episode 227 of the LJS Podcast where today we cover 3 practice habits for retaining musical material. It can be frustrating when you learn a jazz standard, solo, or lick, only to forget ...
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How to End a Jazz Standard from 2020-07-06T15:02:26
Welcome to episode 226 of the LJS Podcast where today we cover the very important topic of ending jazz standards. Ever come to the end of jamming on a standard only for things to fall apart at the ...
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How to End a Jazz Standard from 2020-07-06T15:02:26
Welcome to episode 226 of the LJS Podcast where today we cover the very important topic of ending jazz standards. Ever come to the end of jamming on a standard only for things to fall apart at the ...
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When to Stop Practicing Something and Move On from 2020-06-29T17:15:35
Welcome to episode 225 of the LJS Podcast where today I answer a question that I get asked quite often: when do I stop practicing something I'm working on and move on to something else? Often we ge...
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When to Stop Practicing Something and Move On from 2020-06-29T17:15:35
Welcome to episode 225 of the LJS Podcast where today I answer a question that I get asked quite often: when do I stop practicing something I'm working on and move on to something else? Often we ge...
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By the End of This Episode You’ll Know a New Jazz Standard from 2020-06-22T12:01:05
Welcome to episode 224 of the LJS Podcast where today I learn a new jazz standard in real-time on the show. If you'll join with me you'll know a new jazz standard by the end as well. You'll see how...
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By the End of This Episode You’ll Know a New Jazz Standard from 2020-06-22T12:01:05
Welcome to episode 224 of the LJS Podcast where today I learn a new jazz standard in real-time on the show. If you'll join with me you'll know a new jazz standard by the end as well. You'll see how...
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3 Jazz Theory Lessons from On the Sunny Side of the Street from 2020-06-15T12:00
Welcome to episode 223 of the LJS Podcast where today we go over three music theory concepts in the jazz standard On the Sunny Side of the Street that can be helpful for improvising on standards in...
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3 Jazz Theory Lessons from On the Sunny Side of the Street from 2020-06-15T12:00
Welcome to episode 223 of the LJS Podcast where today we go over three music theory concepts in the jazz standard On the Sunny Side of the Street that can be helpful for improvising on standards in...
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Jazz, Racial Injustice, and What This Music Really Means (feat. Kyle Younger) from 2020-06-07T00:00
Welcome to episode 222 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Kyle Younger on the show to discuss the history of jazz and its ties to the racial oppression of the African American ...
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Jazz, Racial Injustice, and What This Music Really Means (feat. Kyle Younger) from 2020-06-07T00:00
Welcome to episode 222 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Kyle Younger on the show to discuss the history of jazz and its ties to the racial oppression of the African American ...
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Improv Hacking Jazz Standards (3 Step Proven Process) from 2020-06-01T14:07:50
Welcome to episode 221 of the LJS Podcast where today in celebration of the launch of my new LJS Inner Circle Membership, I go over my 3 step proven process for"improv hacking"jazz standards. This ...
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Improv Hacking Jazz Standards (3 Step Proven Process) from 2020-06-01T14:07:50
Welcome to episode 221 of the LJS Podcast where today in celebration of the launch of my new LJS Inner Circle Membership, I go over my 3 step proven process for"improv hacking"jazz standards. This ...
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Less is More (Reduce Overwhelm While Skyrocketing Your Jazz Skills) from 2020-05-25T13:02:22
Welcome to episode 220 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about how working on less is oftentimes the best way to improve as a jazz musician quickly. It seems counterintuitive to many that pract...
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Less is More (Reduce Overwhelm While Skyrocketing Your Jazz Skills) from 2020-05-25T13:02:22
Welcome to episode 220 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about how working on less is oftentimes the best way to improve as a jazz musician quickly. It seems counterintuitive to many that pract...
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How to Apply Scales to Jazz Standards from 2020-05-18T12:13:42
Welcome to episode 219 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk through an exercise for applying scales to jazz standards and song forms such as the blues. Scales are a great way of mapping out note c...
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How to Apply Scales to Jazz Standards from 2020-05-18T12:13:42
Welcome to episode 219 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk through an exercise for applying scales to jazz standards and song forms such as the blues. Scales are a great way of mapping out note c...
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Practicing with Intention and Growing Through Consistency (feat. Trent Jordan) from 2020-05-11T13:00:30
Welcome to episode 218 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with LJS course member and saxophonist Trent Jordan. Trent is a hobbyist musician living in Brisbane, Australia who enjoys spending his ...
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Practicing with Intention and Growing Through Consistency (feat. Trent Jordan) from 2020-05-11T13:00:30
Welcome to episode 218 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with LJS course member and saxophonist Trent Jordan. Trent is a hobbyist musician living in Brisbane, Australia who enjoys spending his ...
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Learn Music Faster with Community (feat. Christopher Sutton) from 2020-05-04T13:07:37
Welcome to episode 217 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with the founder and director of Musical-U, Christopher Sutton. Musical-U is a music education membership with a focus on training and c...
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Learn Music Faster with Community (feat. Christopher Sutton) from 2020-05-04T13:07:37
Welcome to episode 217 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with the founder and director of Musical-U, Christopher Sutton. Musical-U is a music education membership with a focus on training and c...
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By the End of This Episode You’ll Have Learned a Jazz Blues Solo from 2020-04-27T13:23:32
Welcome to episode 216 of the LJS Podcast where today I go walk you through a 12 jazz blues etude I've composed, and help you learn it by ear. Learning jazz solos by ear is important, so instead of...
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By the End of This Episode You’ll Have Learned a Jazz Blues Solo from 2020-04-27T13:23:32
Welcome to episode 216 of the LJS Podcast where today I go walk you through a 12 jazz blues etude I've composed, and help you learn it by ear. Learning jazz solos by ear is important, so instead of...
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Apps, Software, and Technology for Practicing Jazz from 2020-04-20T12:10:27
Welcome to episode 215 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over different apps, software and technology that I and other members of the LJS community recommend for practicing jazz. Apps and softwar...
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Apps, Software, and Technology for Practicing Jazz from 2020-04-20T12:10:27
Welcome to episode 215 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over different apps, software and technology that I and other members of the LJS community recommend for practicing jazz. Apps and softwar...
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16 Scales to Know for Jazz from 2020-04-13T12:44:06
Welcome to episode 214 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over 16 scales that can be useful when it comes to conceptualizing jazz improv. Scales are never to be used exclusively to improvise, but ...
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16 Scales to Know for Jazz from 2020-04-13T12:44:06
Welcome to episode 214 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over 16 scales that can be useful when it comes to conceptualizing jazz improv. Scales are never to be used exclusively to improvise, but ...
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How to Comp Over Jazz Standards Like a Pro from 2020-04-06T16:34:55
Welcome to episode 213 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about all thing comping. This isn't just an episode for the guitarists and pianists - everyone can get benefit out of the concepts disc...
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How to Comp Over Jazz Standards Like a Pro from 2020-04-06T16:34:55
Welcome to episode 213 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about all thing comping. This isn't just an episode for the guitarists and pianists - everyone can get benefit out of the concepts disc...
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Harnessing Pure Musical Expression (Improv Session with Brent) from 2020-03-30T13:20:35
Welcome to episode 212 of the LJS Podcast where today I get behind my guitar and have an improv session. During trying times, it can be helpful to use music as an outlet to express things that you ...
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Harnessing Pure Musical Expression (Improv Session with Brent) from 2020-03-30T13:20:35
Welcome to episode 212 of the LJS Podcast where today I get behind my guitar and have an improv session. During trying times, it can be helpful to use music as an outlet to express things that you ...
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Bonus Episode: Special Message from Brent About COVID-19 from 2020-03-24T13:12:43
Today's episode is a special message from me to the Learn Jazz Standards family about how we can get through these trying times together, and come out the other side stronger and more motivated tha...
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Making Jazz Standards Your Own and Developing Your Musical Voice (feat. Mike Casey) from 2020-03-23T14:08:10
Welcome to episode 211 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Mike Casey on the show to talk to us about arranging jazz standards so you can make them your own unique expression. Mike...
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Making Jazz Standards Your Own and Developing Your Musical Voice (feat. Mike Casey) from 2020-03-23T14:08:10
Welcome to episode 211 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Mike Casey on the show to talk to us about arranging jazz standards so you can make them your own unique expression. Mike...
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1-6-2-5 Licks Over Rhythm Changes (Learning From Dexter Gordon) from 2020-03-16T15:12:03
Welcome to episode 210 of the LJS Podcast where today I take out my guitar and do a little bit of practicing with you. We explore some incredible jazz language over 1-6-2-5 chord progressions while...
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1-6-2-5 Licks Over Rhythm Changes (Learning From Dexter Gordon) from 2020-03-16T15:12:03
Welcome to episode 210 of the LJS Podcast where today I take out my guitar and do a little bit of practicing with you. We explore some incredible jazz language over 1-6-2-5 chord progressions while...
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4 Secrets for Jazz Improv Success from 2020-03-09T04:00
Welcome to episode 209 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about 4 secrets for jazz improv success. I find that jazz is often overcomplicated, so in this episode, I do my best to simplify with th...
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4 Secrets for Jazz Improv Success from 2020-03-09T04:00
Welcome to episode 209 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about 4 secrets for jazz improv success. I find that jazz is often overcomplicated, so in this episode, I do my best to simplify with th...
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Making Good Musical Decisions Through Effective Practice (feat. Dani Rabin of Marbin) from 2020-03-02T05:00
Welcome to episode 208 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest Dani Rabin from the prog jazz-rock band Marbin. Dani is not only a phenominal musician, but a great musical mind and ed...
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Making Good Musical Decisions Through Effective Practice (feat. Dani Rabin of Marbin) from 2020-03-02T05:00
Welcome to episode 208 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest Dani Rabin from the prog jazz-rock band Marbin. Dani is not only a phenominal musician, but a great musical mind and ed...
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3 Strategies for Melodic Improv on Jazz Standards from 2020-02-24T05:00
Welcome to episode 207 of the LJS Podcast where today I demonstrate three strategies you can practice to help you develop more melodic jazz solos. Often, we are tempted to jump straight to bebop li...
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3 Strategies for Melodic Improv on Jazz Standards from 2020-02-24T05:00
Welcome to episode 207 of the LJS Podcast where today I demonstrate three strategies you can practice to help you develop more melodic jazz solos. Often, we are tempted to jump straight to bebop li...
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Jazz Improvisation Made Simple (A Preview Reading of My New Book) from 2020-02-17T05:00
Welcome to episode 206 of the LJS Podcast where today I have a special podcast episode planned. My new book,"Jazz Improvisation Made Simple"is launching on Amazon on March 8, 2020. The Kindle eBook...
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Jazz Improvisation Made Simple (A Preview Reading of My New Book) from 2020-02-17T05:00
Welcome to episode 206 of the LJS Podcast where today I have a special podcast episode planned. My new book,"Jazz Improvisation Made Simple"is launching on Amazon on March 8, 2020. The Kindle eBook...
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Learning from the Greats and Embracing the Joy of Musical Growth (feat. Shirley Jansen) from 2020-02-10T05:00
Welcome to episode 205 of the LJS Podcast where today I have special guest and 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing alumni, Shirley Jansen on the show. Shirley is a tenor saxophone player who exudes the...
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Learning from the Greats and Embracing the Joy of Musical Growth (feat. Shirley Jansen) from 2020-02-10T05:00
Welcome to episode 205 of the LJS Podcast where today I have special guest and 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing alumni, Shirley Jansen on the show. Shirley is a tenor saxophone player who exudes the...
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How to Prepare for Jam Sessions and Group Playing (feat. Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer) from 2020-02-03T05:00
Welcome to episode 204 of the LJS Podcast where today I have professional jazz musicians Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer on the show to talk all about preparing to play live with other people. ...
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How to Prepare for Jam Sessions and Group Playing (feat. Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer) from 2020-02-03T05:00
Welcome to episode 204 of the LJS Podcast where today I have professional jazz musicians Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer on the show to talk all about preparing to play live with other people. ...
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Practicing with a Plan and Crushing Musical Weaknesses (feat Bob Petix) from 2020-01-27T05:00
Welcome to episode 203 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with special guest and LJS community member, Bob Petix about his journey as a jazz bassist. He talks about getting started playing bass ...
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Practicing with a Plan and Crushing Musical Weaknesses (feat Bob Petix) from 2020-01-27T05:00
Welcome to episode 203 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk with special guest and LJS community member, Bob Petix about his journey as a jazz bassist. He talks about getting started playing bass ...
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3 Ways to Start Improvising Organically from 2020-01-13T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 201 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about 3 ways to start improvising organically when you play jazz solos. A common problem I hear from subscribers is the struggle to let ...
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3 Ways to Start Improvising Organically from 2020-01-13T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 201 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about 3 ways to start improvising organically when you play jazz solos. A common problem I hear from subscribers is the struggle to let ...
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Podcast Listeners Share Their 2020 Jazz Goals (Celebration Episode) from 2019-12-30T13:00
Welcome to episode 200 of the LJS Podcast where today we celebrate the big 200 episode mile marker! To do that, I have a lot of special guests today, you, the podcast listeners, to share your 2020 ...
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Podcast Listeners Share Their 2020 Jazz Goals (Celebration Episode) from 2019-12-30T13:00
Welcome to episode 200 of the LJS Podcast where today we celebrate the big 200 episode mile marker! To do that, I have a lot of special guests today, you, the podcast listeners, to share your 2020 ...
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Top 5 Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Episodes (2019 Year End Review) from 2019-12-23T17:39:20
Welcome to episode 199 of the LJS Podcast where today we take a look back on 2019. A lot of really great stuff happened with Learn Jazz Standards in 2019 and I go over some of the big mile markers,...
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Top 5 Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Episodes (2019 Year End Review) from 2019-12-23T17:39:20
Welcome to episode 199 of the LJS Podcast where today we take a look back on 2019. A lot of really great stuff happened with Learn Jazz Standards in 2019 and I go over some of the big mile markers,...
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3 Steps for Hearing Chords (Ear Training Masterclass) from 2019-12-16T14:21:14
Welcome to episode 198 of the LJS Podcast where I go over my 3 step process for learning to hear chords. Being able to hear different chord qualities is important for being able to hear chord progr...
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3 Steps for Hearing Chords (Ear Training Masterclass) from 2019-12-16T14:21:14
Welcome to episode 198 of the LJS Podcast where I go over my 3 step process for learning to hear chords. Being able to hear different chord qualities is important for being able to hear chord progr...
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A Jazz Geek Hang with Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer from 2019-12-09T12:56:08
Welcome to episode 197 of the LJS Podcast where I have my good buddies drummer Diego Maldonado and bassist Wallace Stelzer over to the studio to hang out and geek out on jazz. This is a fun episode...
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A Jazz Geek Hang with Diego Maldonado and Wallace Stelzer from 2019-12-09T12:56:08
Welcome to episode 197 of the LJS Podcast where I have my good buddies drummer Diego Maldonado and bassist Wallace Stelzer over to the studio to hang out and geek out on jazz. This is a fun episode...
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Recycling Jazz Practice Plan (Jazz Practice Plan #2) from 2019-12-02T14:34:03
Welcome to episode 196 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over jazz practice plan #2, the last in a series of 2 episodes. This practice plan is called the Recycling Jazz Practice Plan which is hav...
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Recycling Jazz Practice Plan (Jazz Practice Plan #2) from 2019-12-02T14:34:03
Welcome to episode 196 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over jazz practice plan #2, the last in a series of 2 episodes. This practice plan is called the Recycling Jazz Practice Plan which is hav...
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Stair Step Practice Plan (Jazz Practice Plan #1) from 2019-11-25T13:00:16
Welcome to episode 195 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over a jazz practice plan in a series of two episodes we'll be going through. This practice plan is called the Stair Step Practice Plan, a...
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Stair Step Practice Plan (Jazz Practice Plan #1) from 2019-11-25T13:00:16
Welcome to episode 195 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over a jazz practice plan in a series of two episodes we'll be going through. This practice plan is called the Stair Step Practice Plan, a...
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Understanding the Jazz Eras (Jazz History Made Simple) from 2019-11-18T16:17:09
Welcome to episode 194 of the LJS Podcast where today we take a look back in time at jazz history. We look into the different eras of jazz, the important musicians to listen to from them, and how t...
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Understanding the Jazz Eras (Jazz History Made Simple) from 2019-11-18T16:17:09
Welcome to episode 194 of the LJS Podcast where today we take a look back in time at jazz history. We look into the different eras of jazz, the important musicians to listen to from them, and how t...
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Jazz Theory Made Simple (Only Theory You Need to Know) from 2019-11-11T13:24:21
Welcome to episode 193 of the LJS Podcast where today I take the often overwhelming and confusing world of jazz theory and make it simple. Jazz theory is often overcomplicated with way too much inf...
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Jazz Theory Made Simple (Only Theory You Need to Know) from 2019-11-11T13:24:21
Welcome to episode 193 of the LJS Podcast where today I take the often overwhelming and confusing world of jazz theory and make it simple. Jazz theory is often overcomplicated with way too much inf...
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I Compose a Jazz Tune on the Spot from 2019-11-04T17:07:19
Welcome to episode 192 of the LJS Podcast where today I put my self on the spot and compose a jazz tune on the podcast. I had no pre-conceived ideas before recording, I just start going in real tim...
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I Compose a Jazz Tune on the Spot from 2019-11-04T17:07:19
Welcome to episode 192 of the LJS Podcast where today I put my self on the spot and compose a jazz tune on the podcast. I had no pre-conceived ideas before recording, I just start going in real tim...
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Understanding All the Things You Are from 2019-10-28T12:51:49
Welcome to episode 191 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through a chords analysis of the popular jazz standard All the Things You Are. This tune is packed full of valuable lessons that wil...
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Understanding All the Things You Are from 2019-10-28T12:51:49
Welcome to episode 191 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through a chords analysis of the popular jazz standard All the Things You Are. This tune is packed full of valuable lessons that wil...
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3 Ways to Get Jazz Gigs from 2019-10-21T12:00:35
Welcome to episode 190 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about how to get jazz gigs. One of the big goals for most musicians is to get out there and play. That's where the real fun and learning...
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3 Ways to Get Jazz Gigs from 2019-10-21T12:00:35
Welcome to episode 190 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about how to get jazz gigs. One of the big goals for most musicians is to get out there and play. That's where the real fun and learning...
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Finding More Time to Practice and Skyrocketing Your Jazz Potential (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2019-10-14T15:33:40
Welcome to episode 189 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest pianist and educator Brett Pontecorvo to talk about making time to practice and setting up a masterplan to achieve your...
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Finding More Time to Practice and Skyrocketing Your Jazz Potential (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2019-10-14T15:33:40
Welcome to episode 189 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest pianist and educator Brett Pontecorvo to talk about making time to practice and setting up a masterplan to achieve your...
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Inside Look on a Pro Jazz Musicians Development from 2019-10-07T12:00:14
Welcome to episode 188 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest jazz pianist Keelan Dimick to discuss the transformational moments in his musical development. Keelan is a jazz piano p...
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Inside Look on a Pro Jazz Musicians Development from 2019-10-07T12:00:14
Welcome to episode 188 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest jazz pianist Keelan Dimick to discuss the transformational moments in his musical development. Keelan is a jazz piano p...
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[Strategy #3] The Secret Sauce for Mastering a Jazz Blues from 2019-09-30T16:37:05
Welcome to episode 187 of the LJS Podcast where we conclude"Jazz Blues Month!"In this episode, I cover my philosophy on mastering musical material, and it especially applies to a jazz blues. No, it...
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[Strategy #3] The Secret Sauce for Mastering a Jazz Blues from 2019-09-30T16:37:05
Welcome to episode 187 of the LJS Podcast where we conclude "Jazz Blues Month!" In this episode, I cover my philosophy on mastering musical material, and it especially applies to a jazz blues. No, ...
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[Strategy #2] 3 Pillars of Jazz Blues Language from 2019-09-23T13:43:51
Welcome to episode 186 of the LJS Podcast where we continue onto week 3 of"Jazz Blues Month!"In this episode, I cover the 2nd strategy of this series which is understanding the 3 pillars of jazz bl...
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[Strategy #2] 3 Pillars of Jazz Blues Language from 2019-09-23T13:43:51
Welcome to episode 186 of the LJS Podcast where we continue onto week 3 of "Jazz Blues Month!" In this episode, I cover the 2nd strategy of this series which is understanding the 3 pillars of jazz ...
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[Strategy #1] Mapping out a Jazz Blues for Improv Success from 2019-09-16T12:00:07
Welcome to episode 185 of the LJS Podcast where we continue"Jazz Blues Month!"In this episode, I cover the first of 3 strategies I'll be covering on crushing it on a jazz blues. Strategy #1 is"Mapp...
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[Strategy #1] Mapping out a Jazz Blues for Improv Success from 2019-09-16T12:00:07
Welcome to episode 185 of the LJS Podcast where we continue "Jazz Blues Month!" In this episode, I cover the first of 3 strategies I'll be covering on crushing it on a jazz blues. Strategy #1 is "M...
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3 Reasons You NEED to Master the Jazz Blues from 2019-09-09T13:35:37
Welcome to episode 184 of the LJS Podcast where today we kick off"Jazz Blues Month!"In this episode, I discuss 3 reasons why you need to master the jazz blues. If you go deep into understanding and...
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3 Reasons You NEED to Master the Jazz Blues from 2019-09-09T13:35:37
Welcome to episode 184 of the LJS Podcast where today we kick off"Jazz Blues Month!"In this episode, I discuss 3 reasons why you need to master the jazz blues. If you go deep into understanding and...
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Analyzing a Good and Bad Jazz Solo (What Makes a Good Solo) from 2019-09-02T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 183 of the LJS Podcast where today we listen to two solos I've recorded in the past. We'll listen to one that I'm proud of and checks off the boxes of a good jazz solo, and we'll...
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Analyzing a Good and Bad Jazz Solo (What Makes a Good Solo) from 2019-09-02T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 183 of the LJS Podcast where today we listen to two solos I've recorded in the past. We'll listen to one that I'm proud of and checks off the boxes of a good jazz solo, and we'll...
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Understanding Diminished 7th Chords and How to Improvise Over Them (feat. Adam Levy) from 2019-08-26T12:31:39
Welcome to episode 182 of the LJS Podcast where today I have special guest Adam Levy on the show to talk about diminished harmony and how to start improvising over diminished 7th chords. If you've ...
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Understanding Diminished 7th Chords and How to Improvise Over Them (feat. Adam Levy) from 2019-08-26T12:31:39
Welcome to episode 182 of the LJS Podcast where today I have special guest Adam Levy on the show to talk about diminished harmony and how to start improvising over diminished 7th chords. If you've ...
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I’m Taking a Break from Jazz from 2019-08-19T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 181 of the LJS Podcast where today I announce that I'm taking a break from jazz...for two weeks. But the fact that I'm taking a break does have some significance, and I want to e...
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I’m Taking a Break from Jazz from 2019-08-19T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 181 of the LJS Podcast where today I announce that I'm taking a break from jazz...for two weeks. But the fact that I'm taking a break does have some significance, and I want to e...
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I Answer Your Jazz Questions (Ask Me Anything) from 2019-08-12T12:00:51
Welcome to episode 180 of the LJS Podcast where today I answer questions from the Learn Jazz Standards Community Facebook Group and YouTube channel. Lots of great jazz questions are answered over a...
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I Answer Your Jazz Questions (Ask Me Anything) from 2019-08-12T12:00:51
Welcome to episode 180 of the LJS Podcast where today I answer questions from the Learn Jazz Standards Community Facebook Group and YouTube channel. Lots of great jazz questions are answered over a...
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Intros to Play on Jazz Standards (7 Options) from 2019-08-05T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 179 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over 7 different options for playing an intro on a jazz standard. While you can just count off a tune and start playing the head on beat o...
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Intros to Play on Jazz Standards (7 Options) from 2019-08-05T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 179 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over 7 different options for playing an intro on a jazz standard. While you can just count off a tune and start playing the head on beat o...
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Becoming Your Own Jazz Teacher by Recording Yourself (feat. Jens Larsen) from 2019-07-29T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 178 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest jazz guitarist and Youtuber, Jens Larsen to talk about recording yourself. I frequently get comments from my course stu...
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Becoming Your Own Jazz Teacher by Recording Yourself (feat. Jens Larsen) from 2019-07-29T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 178 of the LJS Podcast where today I have on special guest jazz guitarist and Youtuber, Jens Larsen to talk about recording yourself. I frequently get comments from my course stu...
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Composing a Jazz Solo Over a Minor Blues from 2019-07-22T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 177 of the LJS Podcast where today I demonstrate a solo I composed over a minor blues. Composing jazz solos is one of the best ways to solidify the jazz language you already know...
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Composing a Jazz Solo Over a Minor Blues from 2019-07-22T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 177 of the LJS Podcast where today I demonstrate a solo I composed over a minor blues. Composing jazz solos is one of the best ways to solidify the jazz language you already know...
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Leveling Up Your Jazz Improvisation by Thinking Slow (feat. Nick Mainella) from 2019-07-15T12:00:51
Welcome to episode 176 of the LJS Podcast where today our special guest Nick Mainella from the 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast discusses how we can improve our jazz improv by thinking slow. To be a g...
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Leveling Up Your Jazz Improvisation by Thinking Slow (feat. Nick Mainella) from 2019-07-15T12:00:51
Welcome to episode 176 of the LJS Podcast where today our special guest Nick Mainella from the 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast discusses how we can improve our jazz improv by thinking slow. To be a g...
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Using Pitch Collections to Create Jazz Lines Over Static Chords from 2019-07-08T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 175 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about using pitch collections to create jazz lines over static chords. I personally don't enjoy thinking about playing scales over chord...
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Using Pitch Collections to Create Jazz Lines Over Static Chords from 2019-07-08T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 175 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about using pitch collections to create jazz lines over static chords. I personally don't enjoy thinking about playing scales over chord...
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How to Learn Chord Progressions By Ear (Step-by-Step) from 2019-07-01T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 174 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through a step-by-step process for learning chord progressions by ear. Learning chord progressions by ear is usually the more challe...
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How to Learn Chord Progressions By Ear (Step-by-Step) from 2019-07-01T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 174 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through a step-by-step process for learning chord progressions by ear. Learning chord progressions by ear is usually the more challe...
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Taking the Blues Through All 12 Keys (How and Why to Do It) from 2019-06-24T12:00:19
Welcome to episode 173 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about the importance of blues, and why you should take it into all 12 keys. Jazz is a music that emerged from the blues and therefore ja...
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Taking the Blues Through All 12 Keys (How and Why to Do It) from 2019-06-24T12:00:19
Welcome to episode 173 of the LJS Podcast where today I talk about the importance of blues, and why you should take it into all 12 keys. Jazz is a music that emerged from the blues and therefore ja...
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5 Things I Did to Jump-Start My Jazz Playing from 2019-06-17T12:00:20
Welcome to episode 172 of the LJS Podcast where today I share my personal story of how I jump-started my jazz skills. When I first became interested in jazz I felt like I was way behind compared to...
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5 Things I Did to Jump-Start My Jazz Playing from 2019-06-17T12:00:20
Welcome to episode 172 of the LJS Podcast where today I share my personal story of how I jump-started my jazz skills. When I first became interested in jazz I felt like I was way behind compared to...
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10 Jazz Standards That Will Expand Your Understanding of Jazz Harmony from 2019-06-10T12:00:07
Welcome to episode 171 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about 10 jazz standards that will expand your knowledge of jazz harmony. My philosophy is that if we learn jazz repertoire all of the l...
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10 Jazz Standards That Will Expand Your Understanding of Jazz Harmony from 2019-06-10T12:00:07
Welcome to episode 171 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about 10 jazz standards that will expand your knowledge of jazz harmony. My philosophy is that if we learn jazz repertoire all of the l...
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Limiting Beliefs are Crushing Your Jazz Potential from 2019-06-03T12:00:49
Welcome to episode 170 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about limiting beliefs and how they can dictate the success or failure of our jazz improvement. Often times musicians are their own wor...
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Limiting Beliefs are Crushing Your Jazz Potential from 2019-06-03T12:00:49
Welcome to episode 170 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about limiting beliefs and how they can dictate the success or failure of our jazz improvement. Often times musicians are their own wor...
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Composing Jazz Solos Using Target Notes (Over There Will Never Be Another You) from 2019-05-27T12:00:10
Welcome to episode 169 of the LJS Podcast where we conclude"Jazz Standards Month."This lesson goes over composing target notes over the jazz standard There Will Never Be Another You and then using ...
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Composing Jazz Solos Using Target Notes (Over There Will Never Be Another You) from 2019-05-27T12:00:10
Welcome to episode 169 of the LJS Podcast where we conclude"Jazz Standards Month."This lesson goes over composing target notes over the jazz standard There Will Never Be Another You and then using ...
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Making Rhythms the Foundation of Your Jazz Solos (Someday My Prince Will Come Study) from 2019-05-20T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 168 of the LJS Podcast where we continue"Jazz Standards Month."Oftentimes in jazz education, we place an emphasis on harmonic and melodic elements. We typically don't place enoug...
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Making Rhythms the Foundation of Your Jazz Solos (Someday My Prince Will Come Study) from 2019-05-20T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 168 of the LJS Podcast where we continue "Jazz Standards Month." Oftentimes in jazz education, we place an emphasis on harmonic and melodic elements. We typically don't place eno...
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Making Pentatonic Scales Musical Over Just Friends (Analysis and Improv Lesson) from 2019-05-13T12:00:02
Welcome to episode 167 of the LJS Podcast where we continue"Jazz Standards Month."My subscribers often wonder what scales to play over jazz standards to help them improvise. However, scales are rar...
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Making Pentatonic Scales Musical Over Just Friends (Analysis and Improv Lesson) from 2019-05-13T12:00:02
Welcome to episode 167 of the LJS Podcast where we continue "Jazz Standards Month." My subscribers often wonder what scales to play over jazz standards to help them improvise. However, scales are r...
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Simplifying Jazz Standards to Make Them Easy (Tune Up Analysis) from 2019-05-06T12:00:34
Welcome to episode 166 of the LJS Podcast where we kick off"Jazz Standards Month."This month we are exploring jazz standards and digging into different concepts to see how we can learn, understand,...
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Simplifying Jazz Standards to Make Them Easy (Tune Up Analysis) from 2019-05-06T12:00:34
Welcome to episode 166 of the LJS Podcast where we kick off "Jazz Standards Month." This month we are exploring jazz standards and digging into different concepts to see how we can learn, understan...
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Improvising Over the LJS Podcast Theme Song (feat. Listener Improvisations) from 2019-04-29T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 165 of the LJS Podcast where today we have a fun show where we discuss how to improvise over the LJS Podcast theme song. It's an episode mixed with a bit of education, and just p...
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Improvising Over the LJS Podcast Theme Song (feat. Listener Improvisations) from 2019-04-29T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 165 of the LJS Podcast where today we have a fun show where we discuss how to improvise over the LJS Podcast theme song. It's an episode mixed with a bit of education, and just p...
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Warming Up the Body and Mind for Killer Musical Performances (feat. Michael Lake) from 2019-04-22T12:00:05
Welcome to episode 164 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest trombonist, author, and educator Michael Lake to talk about warming up the body and mind for musical performance. Warm...
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Warming Up the Body and Mind for Killer Musical Performances (feat. Michael Lake) from 2019-04-22T12:00:05
Welcome to episode 164 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest trombonist, author, and educator Michael Lake to talk about warming up the body and mind for musical performance. Warm...
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5 Things to Do When You Feel Un-Motivated to Practice from 2019-04-15T12:00:09
Welcome to episode 163 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about what to do when you feel un-motivated to practice. Sometimes we are burnt out, sometimes we just don't want to and don't have a g...
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5 Things to Do When You Feel Un-Motivated to Practice from 2019-04-15T12:00:09
Welcome to episode 163 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk about what to do when you feel un-motivated to practice. Sometimes we are burnt out, sometimes we just don't want to and don't have a g...
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Developing an Engaging Story Line for Your Jazz Solos (feat. Aimee Nolte) from 2019-04-08T12:00:26
Welcome to episode 162 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Aimee Nolte on the show to share with us how to develop an engaging solo that tells a story. Aimee thinks the biggest ...
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Developing an Engaging Story Line for Your Jazz Solos (feat. Aimee Nolte) from 2019-04-08T12:00:26
Welcome to episode 162 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Aimee Nolte on the show to share with us how to develop an engaging solo that tells a story. Aimee thinks the biggest ...
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Understanding the Jazz Standard There Will Never Be Another You (Chords Analysis) from 2019-04-01T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 161 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over an in-depth analysis of the jazz standard"There Will Never Be Another You."This is a fantastic tune that has a lot to teach us about ...
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Understanding the Jazz Standard There Will Never Be Another You (Chords Analysis) from 2019-04-01T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 161 of the LJS Podcast where today I go over an in-depth analysis of the jazz standard "There Will Never Be Another You." This is a fantastic tune that has a lot to teach us abou...
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1 Month Practice Plan For Learning 1-2 Jazz Solos by Ear from 2019-03-25T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 160 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through how to learn a jazz solo (or possibly two) by ear in 1 month. This practice plan breaks things down and makes things easy, e...
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1 Month Practice Plan For Learning 1-2 Jazz Solos by Ear from 2019-03-25T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 160 of the LJS Podcast where today I walk you through how to learn a jazz solo (or possibly two) by ear in 1 month. This practice plan breaks things down and makes things easy, e...
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Brain Hacking for Speeding Up Your Jazz Improv Success (feat. Rodney Brim) from 2019-03-18T12:00:02
Welcome to episode 159 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Rodney Brim on the show to talk about how to properly"hack"your brain for bigger, faster improvement in the practice room...
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Brain Hacking for Speeding Up Your Jazz Improv Success (feat. Rodney Brim) from 2019-03-18T12:00:02
Welcome to episode 159 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Rodney Brim on the show to talk about how to properly"hack"your brain for bigger, faster improvement in the practice room...
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1,000,000+ Downloads of the LJS Podcast! from 2019-03-13T11:00:53
Special announcement! The Learn Jazz Standards Podcast has passed 1,000,000 total downloads over the past 3 years with 4 new episodes a month. It's a big mile marker, so here's a short episode to s...
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Using Chromaticism to Develop Your Jazz Lines from 2019-03-11T12:00:59
Welcome to episode 158 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to add chromaticism into your jazz lines. Chromaticism is one of the characteristics of a classic"jazz sound"and so we...
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Using Chromaticism to Develop Your Jazz Lines from 2019-03-11T12:00:59
Welcome to episode 158 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to add chromaticism into your jazz lines. Chromaticism is one of the characteristics of a classic "jazz sound" and so ...
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4 Scales to Play Over a Half-Diminished Chord from 2019-03-04T13:00:23
Welcome to episode 157 of the LJS Podcast where today we discuss four different scale options for approaching half-diminished chords. Sometimes it can be helpful to take chords out of the context o...
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4 Scales to Play Over a Half-Diminished Chord from 2019-03-04T13:00:23
Welcome to episode 157 of the LJS Podcast where today we discuss four different scale options for approaching half-diminished chords. Sometimes it can be helpful to take chords out of the context o...
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How to Memorize Chord Changes and Not Get Lost from 2019-02-25T13:00:19
Welcome to episode 156 of the LJS Podcast where today we feature a listener question all about how to memorize chord changes so you don't start confusing them with others. If you've ever gotten los...
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How to Memorize Chord Changes and Not Get Lost from 2019-02-25T13:00:19
Welcome to episode 156 of the LJS Podcast where today we feature a listener question all about how to memorize chord changes so you don't start confusing them with others. If you've ever gotten los...
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Using “Musical Playgrounds” For Better Improvisation (feat. Christopher Sutton) from 2019-02-18T13:00:10
Welcome to episode 155 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Christopher Sutton back on the show to talk to us about improvisation. What I love about this interview is Christopher is...
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Using“Musical Playgrounds”For Better Improvisation (feat. Christopher Sutton) from 2019-02-18T13:00:10
Welcome to episode 155 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Christopher Sutton back on the show to talk to us about improvisation. What I love about this interview is Christopher is...
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How to Avoid Meandering Jazz Solos (feat. Jeff Schneider) from 2019-02-11T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 154 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Jeff Schneider back on the show to talk to us about avoiding meandering jazz solos. Jeff talks about how to create jazz l...
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How to Avoid Meandering Jazz Solos (feat. Jeff Schneider) from 2019-02-11T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 154 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Jeff Schneider back on the show to talk to us about avoiding meandering jazz solos. Jeff talks about how to create jazz l...
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28 Jazz Skills to Practice (by Category) from 2019-02-04T13:00:34
Welcome to episode 153 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering 28 different jazz skills that you can start practicing today. No more excuses of not knowing what to practice! I break them dow...
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28 Jazz Skills to Practice (by Category) from 2019-02-04T13:00:34
Welcome to episode 153 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering 28 different jazz skills that you can start practicing today. No more excuses of not knowing what to practice! I break them dow...
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Music Theory Checklist for Understanding Jazz Improvisation from 2019-01-28T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 152 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering my music theory checklist for understanding jazz improvisation. If you are wondering what step-by-step building blocks you need...
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Music Theory Checklist for Understanding Jazz Improvisation from 2019-01-28T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 152 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering my music theory checklist for understanding jazz improvisation. If you are wondering what step-by-step building blocks you need...
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Applying Patterns to Scales for Jazz Improv Flexibility from 2019-01-21T13:00:15
Welcome to episode 151 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how you can apply different pattern exercises over scales. Patterns are great technical exercises that can help us become ...
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Applying Patterns to Scales for Jazz Improv Flexibility from 2019-01-21T13:00:15
Welcome to episode 151 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how you can apply different pattern exercises over scales. Patterns are great technical exercises that can help us become ...
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Using Enclosure to Create Bebop Lines Over a Jazz Blues from 2019-01-14T13:00:40
Welcome to episode 150 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about a technique called "enclosure." Enclosure is a way to conceptualize bebop language, and how jazz musicians approach import...
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Using Enclosure to Create Bebop Lines Over a Jazz Blues from 2019-01-14T13:00:40
Welcome to episode 150 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about a technique called"enclosure."Enclosure is a way to conceptualize bebop language, and how jazz musicians approach importan...
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Setting Up a Game-Changing Practice Plan for Your Jazz Playing from 2019-01-07T15:07:49
Welcome to episode 149 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to set up a game-changing practice play for your jazz playing. If you're tired of meandering and practicing aimlessly,...
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Setting Up a Game-Changing Practice Plan for Your Jazz Playing from 2019-01-07T15:07:49
Welcome to episode 149 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to set up a game-changing practice play for your jazz playing. If you're tired of meandering and practicing aimlessly,...
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Top 5 Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Episodes (2018 Year Review) from 2018-12-31T13:00:51
Welcome to episode 148 of the LJS Podcast where today we are taking a look back at the year 2018 and everything that has happened in the Learn Jazz Standards community. It's been an eventful year, ...
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Top 5 Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Episodes (2018 Year Review) from 2018-12-31T13:00:51
Welcome to episode 148 of the LJS Podcast where today we are taking a look back at the year 2018 and everything that has happened in the Learn Jazz Standards community. It's been an eventful year, ...
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Writing Tunes With Non-Functional Jazz Harmony (My Composition Analysis) from 2018-12-24T13:00:09
Welcome to episode 147 of the LJS Podcast where today we are taking a look at one of my compositions and exploring how some of the non-functional jazz harmony works within it. Often on this podcast...
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Writing Tunes With Non-Functional Jazz Harmony (My Composition Analysis) from 2018-12-24T13:00:09
Welcome to episode 147 of the LJS Podcast where today we are taking a look at one of my compositions and exploring how some of the non-functional jazz harmony works within it. Often on this podcast...
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3 Strategies for Improvising Over a Jazz Blues from 2018-12-17T13:00:36
Welcome to episode 146 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering 3 awesome strategies for improvising over a jazz blues. The blues is an important song form in jazz that every aspiring jazz mu...
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3 Strategies for Improvising Over a Jazz Blues from 2018-12-17T13:00:36
Welcome to episode 146 of the LJS Podcast where today we are covering 3 awesome strategies for improvising over a jazz blues. The blues is an important song form in jazz that every aspiring jazz mu...
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How to Listen to a Jazz Recording (And Learn From It) from 2018-12-10T13:00:49
Welcome to episode 145 of the LJS Podcast where today we are listening to some jazz together and doing some critical listening. We take Miles Davis'rendition of"Someday My Prince Will Come"and pick...
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How to Listen to a Jazz Recording (And Learn From It) from 2018-12-10T13:00:49
Welcome to episode 145 of the LJS Podcast where today we are listening to some jazz together and doing some critical listening. We take Miles Davis'rendition of"Someday My Prince Will Come"and pick...
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Bonus Episode! My New Podcast On Making Money Teaching Music Online from 2018-12-05T17:40:48
This is a short bonus episode where I announce a new podcast I've recently come out with that could be helpful for LJS Podcast listeners who teach music. If you're someone who makes money off of mu...
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How to Know When to Move On From Something You Are Practicing (feat. Brent Arnold) from 2018-12-03T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 144 of the LJS Podcast where today we are closing up a series of coaching calls with one of my 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing students, Brent Arnold. Brent asks a lot of really ...
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How to Know When to Move On From Something You Are Practicing (feat. Brent Arnold) from 2018-12-03T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 144 of the LJS Podcast where today we are closing up a series of coaching calls with one of my 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing students, Brent Arnold. Brent asks a lot of really ...
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Learning Jazz by Ear and Putting Away Fakebooks (feat. Ina Dennekamp) from 2018-11-26T13:00:28
Welcome to episode 143 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking to 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Ina Dennekamp, about her journey in learning jazz. Ina is an inspirational character...
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Learning Jazz by Ear and Putting Away Fakebooks (feat. Ina Dennekamp) from 2018-11-26T13:00:28
Welcome to episode 143 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking to 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Ina Dennekamp, about her journey in learning jazz. Ina is an inspirational character...
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Creating Melodic Jazz Solos and the Art of Not Thinking (Coaching Call with Dan Sich) from 2018-11-19T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 142 of the LJS Podcast where today we are sitting in on a coaching call with 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Dan Sich. Dan asks how he can better outline chord tones, gu...
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Creating Melodic Jazz Solos and the Art of Not Thinking (Coaching Call with Dan Sich) from 2018-11-19T13:00:50
Welcome to episode 142 of the LJS Podcast where today we are sitting in on a coaching call with 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Dan Sich. Dan asks how he can better outline chord tones, gu...
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What I Think About When I Take a Jazz Solo from 2018-11-12T13:00:19
Welcome to episode 141 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about what I am thinking when I take a jazz solo. This is a question I get a lot so we talk about what the end goal should be an...
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What I Think About When I Take a Jazz Solo from 2018-11-12T13:00:19
Welcome to episode 141 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about what I am thinking when I take a jazz solo. This is a question I get a lot so we talk about what the end goal should be an...
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3 Hip 1-6-2-5 Licks to Practice from 2018-11-05T13:00:05
Welcome to episode 140 of the LJS Podcast where today we have a short but sweet episode demonstrating 3 hip I-VI-ii-V licks. This is an important chord progression found in jazz and it's important ...
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3 Hip 1-6-2-5 Licks to Practice from 2018-11-05T13:00:05
Welcome to episode 140 of the LJS Podcast where today we have a short but sweet episode demonstrating 3 hip I-VI-ii-V licks. This is an important chord progression found in jazz and it's important ...
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Learning Jazz by Ear or Sheet Music (Which One is Better?) from 2018-10-29T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 139 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about learning jazz by ear and with sheet music. Which one is better and what are the benefits of each? Listen in!
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Learning Jazz by Ear or Sheet Music (Which One is Better?) from 2018-10-29T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 139 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about learning jazz by ear and with sheet music. Which one is better and what are the benefits of each? Listen in!
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How Alexander Technique Can Help You as a Musician (feat. Christian Steineder) from 2018-10-22T12:00:54
Welcome to episode 138 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Alexander Technique teacher and guitarist Christian Steineder. He talks all about Alexander Technique, what it is, and how ...
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How Alexander Technique Can Help You as a Musician (feat. Christian Steineder) from 2018-10-22T12:00:54
Welcome to episode 138 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Alexander Technique teacher and guitarist Christian Steineder. He talks all about Alexander Technique, what it is, and how ...
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Chord Progression Hacks to Make Playing Jazz Simple (feat. Steve Nixon) from 2018-10-15T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 137 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Steve Nixon to talk about the three categories of chord progressions you need to know. Steve has a great way of making...
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Chord Progression Hacks to Make Playing Jazz Simple (feat. Steve Nixon) from 2018-10-15T12:00:16
Welcome to episode 137 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Steve Nixon to talk about the three categories of chord progressions you need to know. Steve has a great way of making...
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I Critique My Jazz Playing From 7 Years Ago from 2018-10-08T12:00:53
Welcome to episode 136 of the LJS Podcast where today I listen back to a recording of myself from 2011 and give myself some honest feedback and critique. It's a great practice to record yourself an...
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I Critique My Jazz Playing From 7 Years Ago from 2018-10-08T12:00:53
Welcome to episode 136 of the LJS Podcast where today I listen back to a recording of myself from 2011 and give myself some honest feedback and critique. It's a great practice to record yourself an...
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How to Learn Difficult Jazz Standards from 2018-10-01T12:00:09
Welcome to episode 135 of the LJS Podcast where today we are exploring how to learn, understand, and memorize complex jazz standards. We take a look at Wayne Shorter's"Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum"and extract les...
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How to Learn Difficult Jazz Standards from 2018-10-01T12:00:09
Welcome to episode 135 of the LJS Podcast where today we are exploring how to learn, understand, and memorize complex jazz standards. We take a look at Wayne Shorter's"Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum"and extract les...
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10 Myths About Playing Jazz You Need to Stop Believing from 2018-09-24T12:00:14
Welcome to episode 134 of the LJS Podcast where today we are debunking 10 common myths about playing jazz. These myths are limiting beliefs that are holding us back from our full potential and impr...
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10 Myths About Playing Jazz You Need to Stop Believing from 2018-09-24T12:00:14
Welcome to episode 134 of the LJS Podcast where today we are debunking 10 common myths about playing jazz. These myths are limiting beliefs that are holding us back from our full potential and impr...
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The Sad Truth About Ear Training Fundamentals (Why You Should Practice Them) from 2018-09-17T12:00:50
Welcome to episode 133 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about ear training fundamentals and why you should be working on them as a jazz musician. The sad truth is they are being ignore...
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The Sad Truth About Ear Training Fundamentals (Why You Should Practice Them) from 2018-09-17T12:00:50
Welcome to episode 133 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about ear training fundamentals and why you should be working on them as a jazz musician. The sad truth is they are being ignore...
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Avoiding“Avoid Notes”and When Not to Avoid Them from 2018-09-10T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 132 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a podcast listener who asked about avoid notes. Avoid notes are used in music academia to help identify which ...
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Avoiding“Avoid Notes”and When Not to Avoid Them from 2018-09-10T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 132 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a podcast listener who asked about avoid notes. Avoid notes are used in music academia to help identify which ...
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The Neuroscience Behind Radical Musical Improvement (Feat. Marc Gelfo) from 2018-09-03T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 131 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Marc Gelfo to talk about neuroscience and the music learning process. Marc calls himself a neuro-symphonic french horn...
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The Neuroscience Behind Radical Musical Improvement (Feat. Marc Gelfo) from 2018-09-03T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 131 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Marc Gelfo to talk about neuroscience and the music learning process. Marc calls himself a neuro-symphonic french horn...
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Ask Me Anything- Listener Jazz Questions Answered from 2018-08-27T12:00:53
Welcome to episode 130 of the LJS Podcast where today we are having a special show where Brent answers questions from podcast listeners. Some are musical questions and some are more personal. It's ...
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Ask Me Anything- Listener Jazz Questions Answered from 2018-08-27T12:00:53
Welcome to episode 130 of the LJS Podcast where today we are having a special show where Brent answers questions from podcast listeners. Some are musical questions and some are more personal. It's ...
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Using Musical Parameters for Next Level Jazz Practice (feat. Josiah Boornazian) from 2018-08-20T12:00:03
Welcome to episode 129 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with saxophonist, composer, and educator Josiah Boornazian. Josiah is a brilliant musician, and he lays down some of his best ti...
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Using Musical Parameters for Next Level Jazz Practice (feat. Josiah Boornazian) from 2018-08-20T12:00:03
Welcome to episode 129 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with saxophonist, composer, and educator Josiah Boornazian. Josiah is a brilliant musician, and he lays down some of his best ti...
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3 Hip 2-5-1 Licks for You to Practice from 2018-08-13T12:00:31
Welcome to episode 128 of the LJS Podcast where today we are exploring 3 hip 2-5-1 licks. Learning licks is always a good practice for learning jazz language, and 2-5-1 chord progressions are argua...
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3 Hip 2-5-1 Licks for You to Practice from 2018-08-13T12:00:31
Welcome to episode 128 of the LJS Podcast where today we are exploring 3 hip 2-5-1 licks. Learning licks is always a good practice for learning jazz language, and 2-5-1 chord progressions are argua...
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How to Maintenance Practice to Keep Up Your Jazz Skills from 2018-08-06T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 127 of the LJS Podcast where today I spend some time maintenance practicing. Maintenance practicing is a great way to keep up your skills even when you have very little time to s...
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How to Maintenance Practice to Keep Up Your Jazz Skills from 2018-08-06T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 127 of the LJS Podcast where today I spend some time maintenance practicing. Maintenance practicing is a great way to keep up your skills even when you have very little time to s...
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Practicing Away from the Instrument Effectively and Using Jazz as Therapy (feat. Joyce Kettering) from 2018-07-30T12:00:21
Welcome to episode 126 of the LJS Podcast where today we are doing a coaching call with current 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Joyce Kettering. Joyce has an inspiring reason why she start...
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Practicing Away from the Instrument Effectively and Using Jazz as Therapy (feat. Joyce Kettering) from 2018-07-30T12:00:21
Welcome to episode 126 of the LJS Podcast where today we are doing a coaching call with current 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Joyce Kettering. Joyce has an inspiring reason why she start...
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The Power of Structured Jazz Practice (Coaching Call with Francis Belanger) from 2018-07-23T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 125 of the LJS Podcast where today we sit in on a coaching call with 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing course alumni Francis Belanger. Francis took our jazz practicing course last ...
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The Power of Structured Jazz Practice (Coaching Call with Francis Belanger) from 2018-07-23T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 125 of the LJS Podcast where today we sit in on a coaching call with 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing course alumni Francis Belanger. Francis took our jazz practicing course last ...
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The Only Big 3 Things You Need to Be Practicing as a Jazz Musician from 2018-07-16T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 124 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the Big 3 things you need to be practicing in order to improve as a jazz musician. This episode piggy-backs off of last we...
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The Only Big 3 Things You Need to Be Practicing as a Jazz Musician from 2018-07-16T12:00:25
Welcome to episode 124 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the Big 3 things you need to be practicing in order to improve as a jazz musician. This episode piggy-backs off of last we...
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5 Powerful Results That Come From Focused, Goal-Oriented Jazz Practicing from 2018-07-09T12:00:46
Welcome to episode 123 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 powerful results that come from focused, goal-oriented practice sessions. If you want to improve as a jazz musician you ...
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5 Powerful Results That Come From Focused, Goal-Oriented Jazz Practicing from 2018-07-09T12:00:46
Welcome to episode 123 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 powerful results that come from focused, goal-oriented practice sessions. If you want to improve as a jazz musician you ...
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How to Use Target Notes to Create Melodic Jazz Lines (Feat. Jens Larsen) from 2018-07-02T12:00:22
Welcome to episode 122 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest Jens Larsen to talk about using target notes to create melodic jazz lines. Jens is a pro jazz guitarist, teacher...
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How to Use Target Notes to Create Melodic Jazz Lines (Feat. Jens Larsen) from 2018-07-02T12:00:22
Welcome to episode 122 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest Jens Larsen to talk about using target notes to create melodic jazz lines. Jens is a pro jazz guitarist, teacher...
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Understanding Secondary and Backdoor Dominant 7 Chords from 2018-06-25T12:00:08
Welcome to episode 121 of the LJS Podcast where today we are digging into some jazz theory and talking about secondary and backdoor dominant 7 chords. These are two concepts that are used to resolv...
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Understanding Secondary and Backdoor Dominant 7 Chords from 2018-06-25T12:00:08
Welcome to episode 121 of the LJS Podcast where today we are digging into some jazz theory and talking about secondary and backdoor dominant 7 chords. These are two concepts that are used to resolv...
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How to Practice Towards Fail-Proof Musical Performances (Feat. Diego Maldonado) from 2018-06-18T12:00:17
Welcome to episode 120 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Diego Maldonado to talk about how to practice towards fail-proof musical performances. If you've ever practiced a piec...
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How to Practice Towards Fail-Proof Musical Performances (Feat. Diego Maldonado) from 2018-06-18T12:00:17
Welcome to episode 120 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Diego Maldonado to talk about how to practice towards fail-proof musical performances. If you've ever practiced a piec...
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How to Get Unstuck From a Musical Slump and Start Improving from 2018-06-11T12:00:37
Welcome to episode 119 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about a common problem that plagues all musicians from time to time: musical slumps. We all go through periods where we feel lik...
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How to Get Unstuck From a Musical Slump and Start Improving from 2018-06-11T12:00:37
Welcome to episode 119 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about a common problem that plagues all musicians from time to time: musical slumps. We all go through periods where we feel lik...
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Top 13 Jazz Lessons From Our Podcast Guests from 2018-06-04T12:00:12
Welcome to episode 118 of the LJS Podcast where today we are featuring some of the greatest hits of our guest episodes so far. Over the last few years, we've developed a big catalog of episodes wit...
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Top 13 Jazz Lessons From Our Podcast Guests from 2018-06-04T12:00:12
Welcome to episode 118 of the LJS Podcast where today we are featuring some of the greatest hits of our guest episodes so far. Over the last few years, we've developed a big catalog of episodes wit...
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How to Practice Licks in all 12 Keys from 2018-05-28T12:00:04
Welcome to episode 117 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about learning licks in all 12 keys and how to do it. Learning small pieces of jazz language is a great way to start developing ...
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How to Practice Licks in all 12 Keys from 2018-05-28T12:00:04
Welcome to episode 117 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about learning licks in all 12 keys and how to do it. Learning small pieces of jazz language is a great way to start developing ...
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Dominating a Learning Mindset and Transcending Musical Limits (Feat. Kobie Watkins) from 2018-05-21T12:00:46
Welcome to episode 116 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on a very special guest, drummer, composer and teacher, Kobie Watkins. Kobie has played with the who's who on the jazz scene, and in th...
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Dominating a Learning Mindset and Transcending Musical Limits (Feat. Kobie Watkins) from 2018-05-21T12:00:46
Welcome to episode 116 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on a very special guest, drummer, composer and teacher, Kobie Watkins. Kobie has played with the who's who on the jazz scene, and in th...
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How to Balance Music Theory and Playing by Ear from 2018-05-14T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 115 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the balancing act of music theory and playing by ear. In the jazz world sometimes one or the other can be overemphasized a...
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How to Balance Music Theory and Playing by Ear from 2018-05-14T12:00:28
Welcome to episode 115 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the balancing act of music theory and playing by ear. In the jazz world sometimes one or the other can be overemphasized a...
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Minor Tonality and How to Build Minor Chord Progressions (feat. Dan Carillo) from 2018-05-07T12:00:35
Welcome to episode 114 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Dan Carillo to talk about understanding minor tonality and building minor chord progressions. Minor tonality can be co...
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Minor Tonality and How to Build Minor Chord Progressions (feat. Dan Carillo) from 2018-05-07T12:00:35
Welcome to episode 114 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest Dan Carillo to talk about understanding minor tonality and building minor chord progressions. Minor tonality can be co...
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How Play-Alongs Could Be Hurting Your Jazz Playing from 2018-04-30T12:00:48
Welcome to episode 113 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking all about jazz play-alongs and how they could be hurting your jazz playing. Backing tracks can be great tools, but if used in th...
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How Play-Alongs Could Be Hurting Your Jazz Playing from 2018-04-30T12:00:48
Welcome to episode 113 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking all about jazz play-alongs and how they could be hurting your jazz playing. Backing tracks can be great tools, but if used in th...
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Mastering the Art of Transcribing (feat. Greg Fishman) from 2018-04-23T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 112 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest renowned saxophonist and educator Greg Fishman. Greg shares his story of how he has developed such a successful career...
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Mastering the Art of Transcribing (feat. Greg Fishman) from 2018-04-23T12:00:41
Welcome to episode 112 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest renowned saxophonist and educator Greg Fishman. Greg shares his story of how he has developed such a successful career...
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Learning Songs on the Bandstand and Other Lessons From My Gig from 2018-04-16T12:00:26
Welcome to episode 111 of the LJS Podcast where today Brent changes up the format for today's show to talk about some lessons from a recent gig. He shares the good, the bad, and the ugly. Find out ...
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Learning Songs on the Bandstand and Other Lessons From My Gig from 2018-04-16T12:00:26
Welcome to episode 111 of the LJS Podcast where today Brent changes up the format for today's show to talk about some lessons from a recent gig. He shares the good, the bad, and the ugly. Find out ...
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How to Start Crushing It On the Blues (Feat. Nick Mainella) from 2018-04-09T12:00:05
Welcome to episode 110 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Nick Mainella from The 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast all about the Blues and how to start playing it with confidence. Blues...
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How to Start Crushing It On the Blues (Feat. Nick Mainella) from 2018-04-09T12:00:05
Welcome to episode 110 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Nick Mainella from The 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast all about the Blues and how to start playing it with confidence. Blues...
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Pro Tips on Proper Music Notation, Formatting and Phrasing (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2018-04-02T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 109 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking to professional music notation editor and engraver, Brett Pontecorvo. Brett lays down his best tips and tricks on how to properl...
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Pro Tips on Proper Music Notation, Formatting and Phrasing (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2018-04-02T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 109 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking to professional music notation editor and engraver, Brett Pontecorvo. Brett lays down his best tips and tricks on how to properl...
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Using Motivic Development to Create Musical Themes from 2018-03-26T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 108 of the LJS Podcast where today we are concluding "Jazz Standards Month" with the topic of motivic development and how we can utilize it to develop musical themes, and structu...
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Using Motivic Development to Create Musical Themes from 2018-03-26T12:00:27
Welcome to episode 108 of the LJS Podcast where today we are concluding"Jazz Standards Month"with the topic of motivic development and how we can utilize it to develop musical themes, and structure...
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Composing Contrafacts to Develop Melodic Ideas from 2018-03-19T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 107 of the LJS Podcast where today we are continuing"Jazz Standards Month"talking about composing contrafacts to develop melodic ideas. Composition and melody are huge aspects of...
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Composing Contrafacts to Develop Melodic Ideas from 2018-03-19T12:00:42
Welcome to episode 107 of the LJS Podcast where today we are continuing"Jazz Standards Month"talking about composing contrafacts to develop melodic ideas. Composition and melody are huge aspects of...
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Mapping Out a Jazz Standard for Improv Success from 2018-03-12T12:00:50
Welcome to episode 106 of the LJS Podcast where today we are moving forward in Jazz Standards Month to talk about mapping out a tune you are learning. We'll explore mapping out the guide tones and ...
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Mapping Out a Jazz Standard for Improv Success from 2018-03-12T12:00:50
Welcome to episode 106 of the LJS Podcast where today we are moving forward in Jazz Standards Month to talk about mapping out a tune you are learning. We'll explore mapping out the guide tones and ...
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Analyzing Jazz Standards With Roman Numerals for Max Results from 2018-03-05T13:00:54
Welcome to episode105 of the LJS Podcast where today we are jumping head first into"Jazz Standards Month."This month on the podcast we will be focusing on learning jazz standards and extracting eve...
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Analyzing Jazz Standards With Roman Numerals for Max Results from 2018-03-05T13:00:54
Welcome to episode105 of the LJS Podcast where today we are jumping head first into"Jazz Standards Month."This month on the podcast we will be focusing on learning jazz standards and extracting eve...
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11 Listeners Give Their Jazz Tips and Advice from 2018-02-26T12:00:43
Welcome to episode 104 of the LJS Podcast where today we are celebrating our 2 year podcast birthday! To do that we are having on 11 different special guests on the show. They are special because t...
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11 Listeners Give Their Jazz Tips and Advice from 2018-02-26T12:00:43
Welcome to episode 104 of the LJS Podcast where today we are celebrating our 2 year podcast birthday! To do that we are having on 11 different special guests on the show. They are special because t...
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Playing Along vs. Knowing a Jazz Tune from 2018-02-22T13:00:09
Welcome to episode 103 of the LJS Podcast where today we are having podcast listener Gabriel from Fishers, Indiana on the show to share his jazz tips and advice. Gabriel talks about a moment of mus...
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Playing Along vs. Knowing a Jazz Tune from 2018-02-22T13:00:09
Welcome to episode 103 of the LJS Podcast where today we are having podcast listener Gabriel from Fishers, Indiana on the show to share his jazz tips and advice. Gabriel talks about a moment of mus...
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Blazing Your Own Trail Towards Musical Success from 2018-02-19T13:00:57
Welcome to episode 102 of the LJS Podcast where today we feature the story and advice of a podcast listener, Stacy from North Carolina. In this episode, Stacy shares some breakthroughs she had in h...
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Blazing Your Own Trail Towards Musical Success from 2018-02-19T13:00:57
Welcome to episode 102 of the LJS Podcast where today we feature the story and advice of a podcast listener, Stacy from North Carolina. In this episode, Stacy shares some breakthroughs she had in h...
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Learn How to Play“My Shining Hour” from 2018-02-12T13:00:24
Welcome to episode 101 of the LJS Podcast where today Brent will teach you how to play one of his favorite jazz standards,"My Shining Hour"by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Learn the melody, chord...
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Learn How to Play“My Shining Hour” from 2018-02-12T13:00:24
Welcome to episode 101 of the LJS Podcast where today Brent will teach you how to play one of his favorite jazz standards,"My Shining Hour"by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Learn the melody, chord...
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My Jazz Mentor Gives You His Best Tips and Advice (feat. Justin Nielsen) from 2018-02-05T13:00:14
Welcome to episode 100 of the LJS Podcast where today we are celebrating 100 episodes! To do that, Brent has a very special guest on the show, his jazz mentor Justin Nielsen who got him into the mu...
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My Jazz Mentor Gives You His Best Tips and Advice (feat. Justin Nielsen) from 2018-02-05T13:00:14
Welcome to episode 100 of the LJS Podcast where today we are celebrating 100 episodes! To do that, Brent has a very special guest on the show, his jazz mentor Justin Nielsen who got him into the mu...
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Which Scales You Can Play Over Different Kinds of 7th Chords from 2018-01-29T13:00:43
Welcome to episode 99 of the LJS Podcast where today we are going over scales you can play over different kinds of 7th chords. While scales aren't musical by themselves, they can be helpful for map...
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Which Scales You Can Play Over Different Kinds of 7th Chords from 2018-01-29T13:00:43
Welcome to episode 99 of the LJS Podcast where today we are going over scales you can play over different kinds of 7th chords. While scales aren't musical by themselves, they can be helpful for map...
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How to Beat the Brain Game for Musical Freedom (feat. Matt Vaartstra) from 2018-01-22T13:00:21
Welcome to episode 98 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by sports and performance psychologist Matt Vaartstra to talk about how to channel your mindset towards musical freedom. At the en...
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How to Beat the Brain Game for Musical Freedom (feat. Matt Vaartstra) from 2018-01-22T13:00:21
Welcome to episode 98 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by sports and performance psychologist Matt Vaartstra to talk about how to channel your mindset towards musical freedom. At the en...
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Using the 80/20 Rule for Productive 30 Minute Practice from 2018-01-15T13:00:54
Welcome to episode 97 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how we can use the 80/20 Rule to get big results out of 30 minute practice sessions. Life can be busy and sometimes it's to...
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Using the 80/20 Rule for Productive 30 Minute Practice from 2018-01-15T13:00:54
Welcome to episode 97 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how we can use the 80/20 Rule to get big results out of 30 minute practice sessions. Life can be busy and sometimes it's to...
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Important Jazz Chord Substitutions You Need to Know from 2018-01-08T13:00:59
Welcome to episode 96 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about important jazz chord substitutions you should know about. Jazz musicians love to add and substitute chords and progressions...
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Important Jazz Chord Substitutions You Need to Know from 2018-01-08T13:00:59
Welcome to episode 96 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about important jazz chord substitutions you should know about. Jazz musicians love to add and substitute chords and progressions...
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10 Tips for Successful Jazz Gigs and Jam Sessions from 2018-01-01T13:00:57
Welcome to episode 95 of the LJS Podcast where today we are walking through 10 important tips for playing successful jazz gigs and jam sessions. At the end of the day, the end goal for our practici...
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10 Tips for Successful Jazz Gigs and Jam Sessions from 2018-01-01T13:00:57
Welcome to episode 95 of the LJS Podcast where today we are walking through 10 important tips for playing successful jazz gigs and jam sessions. At the end of the day, the end goal for our practici...
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How I’m Planning for Musical Success in 2018 from 2017-12-25T13:00:17
Welcome to episode 94 of the LJS Podcast where today we are reflecting on this past year and everything that has been accomplished. Brent shares his non-musical and musical accomplishments during 2...
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How I’m Planning for Musical Success in 2018 from 2017-12-25T13:00:17
Welcome to episode 94 of the LJS Podcast where today we are reflecting on this past year and everything that has been accomplished. Brent shares his non-musical and musical accomplishments during 2...
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How to Unlock Bebop Language (feat. Chad Lefkowitz-Brown) from 2017-12-18T13:00:18
Welcome to episode 93 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest jazz saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown to talk about developing bebop language. Chad talks about his musical journey and...
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How to Unlock Bebop Language (feat. Chad Lefkowitz-Brown) from 2017-12-18T13:00:18
Welcome to episode 93 of the LJS Podcast where today we have on special guest jazz saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown to talk about developing bebop language. Chad talks about his musical journey and...
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How to Use Tritone Substitution In Your Jazz Improv from 2017-12-11T13:00:36
Welcome to episode 92 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about tritone substitution and how we can use it in our jazz improvisation. Tritone substitution is a cool harmonic tool jazz mus...
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How to Use Tritone Substitution In Your Jazz Improv from 2017-12-11T13:00:36
Welcome to episode 92 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about tritone substitution and how we can use it in our jazz improvisation. Tritone substitution is a cool harmonic tool jazz mus...
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Understanding African Music and the Origins of Jazz (feat. Joe Agu) from 2017-12-04T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 91 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Afro percussion maker and musicologist Joe Agu all about African music and the origins of jazz. Jazz is African American mus...
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Understanding African Music and the Origins of Jazz (feat. Joe Agu) from 2017-12-04T13:00:08
Welcome to episode 91 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking with Afro percussion maker and musicologist Joe Agu all about African music and the origins of jazz. Jazz is African American mus...
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How to Get the Very Most Out of Your Jazz Solo Transcriptions from 2017-11-27T13:00:39
Welcome to episode 90 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a listener who wants to know how to analyze solo transcriptions to get the most out of them. This episode discu...
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How to Get the Very Most Out of Your Jazz Solo Transcriptions from 2017-11-27T13:00:39
Welcome to episode 90 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a listener who wants to know how to analyze solo transcriptions to get the most out of them. This episode discu...
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How to Develop Time Feel and Up Your Rhythm Game from 2017-11-20T13:00:13
Welcome to episode 89 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest drummer and composer Dorota Piotrowska on the show to talk about time feel and rhythm. These are some of the most importan...
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How to Develop Time Feel and Up Your Rhythm Game from 2017-11-20T13:00:13
Welcome to episode 89 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest drummer and composer Dorota Piotrowska on the show to talk about time feel and rhythm. These are some of the most importan...
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Using the LIST Method to Learn Jazz Solos by Ear from 2017-11-13T13:00:43
Welcome to episode 88 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking all about a great 4 step process for learning jazz solos by ear. This is a practice that has a ton of benefits for your jazz musi...
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Using the LIST Method to Learn Jazz Solos by Ear from 2017-11-13T13:00:43
Welcome to episode 88 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking all about a great 4 step process for learning jazz solos by ear. This is a practice that has a ton of benefits for your jazz musi...
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Inside the Development of a Jazz Musician (feat. Chris Davis) from 2017-11-06T13:00:34
Welcome to episode 87 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest jazz trumpeter Chris Davis to talk all about his development into the jazz musician he is today. Chris talks abou...
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Inside the Development of a Jazz Musician (feat. Chris Davis) from 2017-11-06T13:00:34
Welcome to episode 87 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest jazz trumpeter Chris Davis to talk all about his development into the jazz musician he is today. Chris talks abou...
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7 Chords You Can Play the Melodic Minor Scale Over from 2017-10-30T17:22:25
Welcome to episode 86 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the modes of the melodic minor scale and how you can use them to improvise over 7 different chords. The melodic minor scale...
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7 Chords You Can Play the Melodic Minor Scale Over from 2017-10-30T17:22:25
Welcome to episode 86 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the modes of the melodic minor scale and how you can use them to improvise over 7 different chords. The melodic minor scale...
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How to Practice Smart and Improve Quickly (feat. Steve Nixon) from 2017-10-23T16:35:12
Welcome to episode 85 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Steve Nixon from freejazzlessons.com on the show to talk all about how to practice smart and improve quickly. When it come...
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How to Practice Smart and Improve Quickly (feat. Steve Nixon) from 2017-10-23T16:35:12
Welcome to episode 85 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Steve Nixon from freejazzlessons.com on the show to talk all about how to practice smart and improve quickly. When it come...
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Important Jazz Standards You Need to Learn from 2017-10-16T17:02:05
Welcome to episode 84 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a caller who asked which jazz standards are important to be listening to and learning. Brent breaks down a list...
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Important Jazz Standards You Need to Learn from 2017-10-16T17:02:05
Welcome to episode 84 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a caller who asked which jazz standards are important to be listening to and learning. Brent breaks down a list...
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How to Improve Speed and Accuracy in Your Jazz Solos from 2017-10-09T15:52:14
Welcome to episode 83 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a caller who asked how to improve speed and accuracy in his jazz solos. Brent goes over a great exercise that y...
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How to Improve Speed and Accuracy in Your Jazz Solos from 2017-10-09T15:52:14
Welcome to episode 83 of the LJS Podcast where today we are answering a question from a caller who asked how to improve speed and accuracy in his jazz solos. Brent goes over a great exercise that y...
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How to Set Game-Changing Goals for Your Musicianship from 2017-10-02T16:13:05
Welcome to episode 82 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Christopher Sutton, the founder of Musical-U, to talk to us about how to set game-changing goals for our musicianship. Chr...
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How to Set Game-Changing Goals for Your Musicianship from 2017-10-02T16:13:05
Welcome to episode 82 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest Christopher Sutton, the founder of Musical-U, to talk to us about how to set game-changing goals for our musicianship. Chr...
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LJS 81: How to Translate What You Hear to Your Instrument from 2017-09-25T15:18:46
Welcome to episode 81 of the LJS Podcast where today we are concluding Ear Training Month with a very important topic: how to translate what you hear to your instrument. We've been talking about th...
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LJS 80: Chord Progressions and How to Identify Them By Ear from 2017-09-18T15:22:07
Welcome to episode 80 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about hearing chord progressions by ear. We are in the middle of Ear Training Month where we are delving deep into training our e...
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LJS 79: The Power of Training Your Ear to Hear Chords from 2017-09-11T16:10:12
Welcome to episode 79 of the LJS Podcast where today we are delving deeper into Ear Training Month which we are doing for the month of September. This lesson is all about hearing chords and how to ...
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LJS 78: How to Master Hearing Intervals and Level-Up Your Ears from 2017-09-04T12:00:23
Welcome to episode 78 of the LJS Podcast where today we are starting a new series in September called Ear Training Month. Ear training is extremely important for all musicians to work on. Our first...
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LJS 77: How to Navigate Major 1-6-2-5 Chord Progressions from 2017-08-28T16:23:40
Welcome to episode 77 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about an important chord progression, the Major 1-6-2-5. This is a chord progression that shows up all of the time in jazz repert...
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LJS 76: 5 Huge Benefits of Playing With Musicians Better Than You from 2017-08-21T16:13:16
Welcome to episode 76 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the huge benefits of playing with musicians who are better than you. If you want to improve and improve quickly, one of the...
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LJS 75: How to Internalize Jazz Language from 2017-08-14T12:00:22
Welcome to episode 75 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to internalize jazz language. At the end of the day, we don't want to just learn new musical information. We want to ke...
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LJS 74: How to Improvise Over Sus Chords from 2017-08-07T08:00:13
Welcome to episode 74 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to improvise over suspended chords. Specifically, we are covering the Dominant 7 Sus 4 chord, which shows up a lot in j...
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LJS 73: 4 Strategies For Improvising Over Major 2-5-1’s from 2017-07-31T12:14:10
Welcome to episode 73 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the major 2-5-1 chord progression and 4 strategies for how to improvise over it. The 2-5-1 (ii-V-I) is one of the most comm...
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LJS 72: How to Beat Performance Anxiety and Quiet Your Inner Critic from 2017-07-24T14:44:01
Welcome to episode 72 of the LJS Podcast where today our special guest, performance psychologist Noa Kageyama, talks to us about how to beat performance anxiety and quiet the inner critic in our he...
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LJS 71: Why The“Vibing”Culture In Jazz Has to Go from 2017-07-17T15:33:39
Welcome to episode 71 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about why the"vibing"culture in jazz has to go. Vibing is best defined as a mean-spirited attitude towards another musician and t...
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LJS 70: Bossa Nova Basics with Livio Almeida from 2017-07-10T19:20:46
Welcome to episode 70 of the LJS Podcast where today we have a very special guest on the show, Brazilian saxophonist, and composer, Livio Almeida. In today's episode, Livio gives us a great lesson ...
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LJS 69: 4 Awesome Tools For Jazz Musicians from 2017-07-03T17:07:35
Welcome to episode 69 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 awesome jazz tools for jazz musicians. These are tools and resources that we personally use that help us in our jazz stud...
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LJS 68: How to Compose a Jazz Solo From Scratch from 2017-06-26T18:59:37
Welcome to episode 68 of the LJS Podcast where today we are asking talking about how to compose a jazz solo from scratch. Podcast host Brent Vaartstra composes a jazz solo live on the show and walk...
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LJS 67: How to Use Pentatonic Scales Over Any Chord from 2017-06-19T16:18:57
Welcome to episode 67 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about pentatonic scales and how you can use them to improvise over any kind of chord. Penatonic scales are familiar to many but a...
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LJS 66: 5 Most Important Jazz Musicians You Need to Listen To from 2017-06-12T16:32:22
Welcome to episode 66 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 of the most important jazz musicians that you need to listen to. There are many important jazz musicians to talk about, b...
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LJS 65: How to Create Killer Jazz Solos By Thinking Like a Composer (Feat. Jeff Schneider) from 2017-06-05T14:46:07
Welcome to episode 65 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to create killer jazz solos by thinking like a composer. Joining us to talk about this today is Downbeat award winner a...
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LJS 64: 5 Tips for Never Losing Your Place In a Jazz Standard from 2017-05-29T14:44:29
Welcome to episode 64 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 tips for never losing your place in a jazz standard. Getting lost while playing jazz standards is a frustration many list...
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LJS 63: How to Become an Expert Sight Reader (feat. Brett Pontecorvo) from 2017-05-22T15:13
Welcome to episode 63 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to become an expert sight-reader. Sight reading is a skill that is important for all musicians to work on, and special ...
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LJS 62: 4 Steps for Playing What You Hear In Your Jazz Improv from 2017-05-15T16:57:33
Welcome to episode 62 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 steps for playing what you hear in your jazz improvisation. This is a question that we get a lot."How do I play what I am...
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LJS 61: How to Use Scales In Your Jazz Solos the Right Way from 2017-05-08T15:56:55
Welcome to episode 61 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to use scales in your jazz solos the right way. You'll learn what scales are good and bad for, how to think about scale...
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LJS 60: How to Develop Relative Pitch (Feat. Aimee Nolte) from 2017-05-01T22:56:10
Welcome to episode 60 of the LJS Podcast where today we have special guest jazz pianist and vocalist Aimee Nolte on the show to talk about developing relative pitch. Wouldn't it be awesome to hear ...
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LJS 59: 5 Tips for Playing Jazz Ballads Like an Expert from 2017-04-24T18:41:08
Welcome to episode 59 of the LJS Podcast where today we are dishing out 5 tips for playing jazz ballads like an expert. Jazz ballads can be tricky, largely because slow tempos can open up a number ...
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LJS 58: How to Use Triads to Improve Your Jazz Improvisation from 2017-04-17T17:33:21
Welcome to episode 58 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how you can use triads to improve your jazz improvisation. Today's lesson comes straight out of our brand new eBook"Zero to...
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LJS 57: Why I Stopped Hating My Playing from 2017-04-10T15:59:25
Welcome to episode 57 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to turn around our mentalities about our music. Podcast host, Brent Vaartstra, tells us his story about how he stopped ...
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LJS 56: 8 Reasons Why Jazz Musicians Should Shed Classical from 2017-04-03T14:50:57
Welcome to episode 56 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 8 reasons why jazz musicians should shed classical. That's right, classical music. How can classical music help you become ...
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LJS 55: 4 Important Jazz Chord Progressions You Need to Master from 2017-03-29T11:57:06
Welcome to episode 55 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 important jazz chord progressions you need to master. You will come across these progressions often in jazz standards. Li...
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LJS 54: How to Organize Balanced Jazz Practice Sessions from 2017-03-20T12:00:58
Welcome to episode 54 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to organize balanced jazz practice sessions. At the same time, we are answering the question of what jazz musicians sho...
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LJS 53: How to Improve Your Jazz Solos By Using Guide Tones from 2017-03-13T16:24:36
Welcome to episode 53 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how you can improve your jazz solos by using guide tones. One of the big questions students have is how do I navigate chord...
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LJS 52: Birthday Episode feat. 8 Special Guests with Musical Failures from 2017-03-06T19:09:11
Happy 1 year Birthday LJS Podcast! On today's episode we celebrate one year of successful podcast episodes. On the show we have a record setting 8 guests joining us to talk about their musical fail...
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LJS 51: Everything You Need to Know About Jazz Jam Sessions from 2017-02-27T17:32:02
Welcome to episode 51 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about everything you need to know about jazz jam sessions. Learn why they are important, how to be prepared, and how to network. ...
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LJS 50: How to Become an Expert Jazz Comper from 2017-02-20T19:27:04
Welcome to episode 50 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about being a jazz accompanist and how to comp like a pro. No matter what instrument you play, this is an important topic. Specia...
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LJS 49: 3 Ways Practicing in all 12 Keys Will Make You a Better Musician from 2017-02-13T16:34:56
Welcome to episode 49 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 3 ways practicing in all 12 keys will make you a better jazz musician. This is a practice that can have profound effects on...
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LJS 48: Why You Should Stop Practicing from 2017-02-06T16:45:45
Welcome to episode 48 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about why you should stop practicing. Stop practicing!? Indeed, there are certain scenarios where taking a little bit of time off...
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LJS 47: 3 Ways to Develop an Original Sound On Your Instrument from 2017-01-30T16:50:46
Welcome to episode 47 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 3 ways to develop an original sound on your instrument. As jazz musicians, we spend a lot of time studying the great jazz m...
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LJS 46: How to Make Extra Money From a Jazz Side Hustle from 2017-01-23T17:17:25
Welcome to episode 46 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to make extra money from a jazz side hustle. A side hustle is any small business you do on the side from your full-time...
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LJS 45: Should I Go to College For Jazz? from 2017-01-17T16:46:23
Welcome to episode 45 of the LJS Podcast where today we are asking the question: Should I go to college for jazz? You may be a student in college or considering going to school for jazz. Or you may...
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LJS 44: How to 2X The Results of Your Practice Sessions from 2017-01-09T17:16:40
Welcome to episode 44 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to 2X the results of your practice sessions. Quality practice is important for jazz improvement. We all know this, but ...
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LJS 43: Why We Play Jazz from 2017-01-03T17:49:27
Welcome to episode 43 of the LJS Podcast where today we are asking the question: why do we play jazz? It's the start of the year 2017, and it's always good to center ourselves and remind ourselves ...
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LJS 42: How to Keep Your Jazz New Years Resolutions from 2016-12-26T08:00:51
Welcome to episode 42 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to keep your jazz new years resolutions. 2017 is upon us, and like many others, we realize that we can treat it as a ne...
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LJS 41: How to Become a Better Jazz Musician Just By Listening from 2016-12-19T17:52:11
Welcome to episode 41 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to become a better jazz musician just by listening to jazz. Listening is one of the most important things you can do, b...
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LJS 40: An Important Jazz Improv Technique and How to Use It from 2016-12-12T17:47:58
Welcome to episode 40 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about an important jazz improvisation technique called enclosure, and how to use it. This a great technique to help you conceptua...
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LJS 39: A Jazz Master You’ve Probably Never Heard of Before from 2016-12-05T22:32:01
Welcome to episode 39 of the LJS Podcast where today we sit down to talk to a jazz master you've probably never heard of before. Meet Don Hahn, a trumpeter, and flugelhornist who has played with th...
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LJS 38: 5 Questions I Ask Myself During My Jazz Gigs from 2016-11-30T22:25:57
Welcome to episode 38 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 questions to ask yourself during your jazz gigs. These are questions to ask before and during your gigs that will help se...
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LJS 37: How to Tell Stories With Your Jazz Solos from 2016-11-21T16:41:36
Welcome to episode 37 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to tell stories with your jazz solos. If you think about it, some of the best solos out there tell captivating stories....
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LJS 36: 14 Jazz Practicing Ideas from 2016-11-15T16:18:38
Welcome to episode 36 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 14 practicing ideas for jazz musicians. If you need some help with what you should be practicing as a jazz musician, or jus...
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LJS 35: How Mastering Tempo and Rhythm Can Transform Your Jazz Playing from 2016-11-10T21:45:44
Welcome to episode 35 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how mastering tempo and rhythm can transform your jazz playing. Often times, non-percussion instrumentalists don't pay enou...
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LJS 34: How Playing Gigs For Free is Destroying the Music Economy from 2016-11-01T15:38:05
Welcome to episode 34 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how playing gigs for free is destroying the music economy. It may seem harmless. It may be that musicians who play for free...
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LJS 33: How Charlie Parker and John Coltrane Became Great from 2016-10-25T16:31:56
Welcome to episode 33 of the LJS Podcast where today we are taking a look at two jazz icons, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, and asking the question: What made them great. Was it talent? Was it a...
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LJS 32: Music Advice I Wish Someone Had Told Me from 2016-10-17T14:42:15
Welcome to episode 32 of the LJS Podcast where today podcast host Brent Vaartstra talks about music advice he wishes someone had told him from the beginning. This advice is ultimately about being t...
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LJS 31: Ear Training For Jazz Musicians from 2016-10-11T16:12:49
Welcome to episode 31 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about ear training for jazz musicians. Having a solid, well-rounded ear is one of the most important things a jazz musician can h...
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LJS 30: 5 Jazz Solos You Should Learn and Why from 2016-10-04T15:15:01
Welcome to episode 30 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 jazz solos you should learn and why. Learning jazz solos by ear is a practice that all jazz musicians should be doing and...
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LJS 29: Jazz Challenge #4 Learn a New Jazz Lick from 2016-09-26T15:36:14
Welcome to episode 29 of the LJS Podcast where today we are introducing Jazz Challenge #4 of our 4 part series of jazz challenges. These challenges will be leading up to the release of our first eC...
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LJS 28: Jazz Challenge #3 Write Your Own Jazz Solo from 2016-09-19T15:59:20
Welcome to episode 28 of the LJS Podcast where today we are introducing Jazz Challenge #3 of a 4 part series of jazz challenges. These challenges will be leading up to the release of our first eCou...
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LJS 27: Jazz Challenge #2 Practice the Blues in all 12 Keys from 2016-09-12T15:20:53
Welcome to episode 27 of the LJS Podcast where today we are introducing Jazz Challenge #2 of a 4 part series of jazz challenges. These challenges will be leading up to the release of our first eCou...
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LJS 26: Jazz Challenge #1 Write Your Own Contrafact from 2016-09-06T15:48:28
Welcome to episode 26 of the LJS Podcast where today we are introducing Jazz Challenge #1 of a 4 part series of jazz challenges. These challenges will be leading up to the release of our first eCou...
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LJS 25: 4 Fears That Jazz Musicians Face (And How to Overcome Them) from 2016-08-30T15:26:22
Welcome to episode 25 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 fears that jazz musicians face and how to overcome them. Jazz musicians (and musicians in general) tend to be especially ...
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LJS 24: Why Jazz is Unpopular and What We Can Do About It from 2016-08-23T16:54:17
Welcome to episode 24 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about why jazz is unpopular and what we can do about it. According to Nielsen's 2014 Year End Report, jazz is one of the most unp...
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LJS 23: Gig Etiquette 101 for Musicians from 2016-08-15T08:00:33
Welcome to episode 23 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about some gig etiquette 101. These are some really helpful tips for acting professional, keeping your gig, and setting it up for...
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LJS 22: How to Play at Fast Tempos and Not Get Burned from 2016-08-08T08:00:45
Welcome to episode 22 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to play at fast tempos and not get burned. Up tempos tunes are something that all jazz musicians must confront, and we'...
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LJS 21: 4 Steps to Finding More Time to Practice from 2016-08-01T08:00:26
Welcome to episode 21 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 steps to finding more time to practice. We get a lot of emails about this, and since practicing is such an important thin...
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LJS 20: How Studying Jazz Can Make You a Better Musician from 2016-07-25T15:59:29
Welcome to episode 20 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest Nathaniel Schroeder to talk about how studying jazz can help you play other styles of music better, and vice vers...
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LJS 19: Jazz Talk With Larry Koonse (Part 2) from 2016-07-18T20:26:27
Welcome to episode 19 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk with internationally renowned jazz guitarist Larry Koonse. LJS guest blogger Peter Rubie conducts Part 2 of this interview, and they tal...
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LJS 18: Jazz Talk With Larry Koonse (Part 1) from 2016-07-11T15:35:45
Welcome to episode 18 of the LJS Podcast where today we talk with internationally renowned jazz guitarist Larry Koonse. LJS guest blogger Peter Rubie conducts Part 1 of this interview, and they tal...
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LJS 17: 8 Jazz Records You Need To Listen To from 2016-07-06T17:10:16
Welcome to episode 17 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 8 jazz records you need to listen to. Our host of the LJS Podcast, Brent Vaartstra, talks about his favorite jazz albums th...
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LJS 16: Practicing With a Metronome from 2016-06-27T15:51:27
Welcome to episode 16 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about practicing with a metronome. Practicing with a metronome can help us attain improvisational freedom and rhythmic confidence...
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LJS 15: 5 Steps to Learning Jazz Language By Ear from 2016-06-20T15:18:21
Welcome to episode 15 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 5 steps to learning jazz language by ear. In this episode we talk about why it's important to learn jazz language by ear ra...
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LJS 14: 10 Important Jazz Standards You Need To Know and Why from 2016-06-13T16:41:01
Welcome to episode 14 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 10 important jazz standards you need to know and why. These 10 jazz standards are not only commonly called at jam sessions ...
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LJS 13: The Art of Playing Duo from 2016-06-07T19:58:59
Welcome to episode 13 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about the art of playing duo. Bassist Wallace Stelzer joins us as a guest on the show again to discuss why jazz musicians should ...
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LJS 12: Social Music, Bus Drivers and Jazz Musicians with Peter Bernstein from 2016-06-01T00:29:50
Welcome to episode 12 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by a very special guest, jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein. We caught Peter in between touring to sit down and talk about jazz! Pete ...
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LJS 11: 4 Ingredients to Becoming a Better Jazz Musician from 2016-05-23T17:14:01
Welcome to episode 11 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 4 ingredients to becoming a better jazz musician. These "ingredients" aren't things you should practice or what licks or so...
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LJS 10: Interview With Bruce Forman from 2016-05-16T16:59:55
Welcome to episode 10 of the LJS Podcast where today we call up internationally renowned jazz guitarist Bruce Forman in Los Angeles, California to talk jazz! Bruce talks about his musical beginning...
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LJS 09: The How and Why of Jazz Composing from 2016-05-09T17:05:36
Welcome to episode 9 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking all about composing music as a jazz musician. Our special guest, saxophonist and composer Josiah Boornazian talks about how he com...
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LJS 08: 2 Exercises For Hearing Chord Changes In Your Solos from 2016-05-03T15:09:56
Welcome to episode 8 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about 2 exercises for hearing chord changes in your solos. As jazz musicians, we want to be able to clearly hear the harmony of th...
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LJS 07: How Playing Free Can Make You a Better Improviser from 2016-04-27T15:09:36
Welcome to episode 7 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how playing free can make you a better improviser. Our special guest saxophonist and composer Josiah Boornazian walks us thr...
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LJS 06: Why Jazz Is Important to Society from 2016-04-18T19:10
Welcome to episode 6 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about Why Jazz Is Important to Society. If you never listen to another one of our podcast episodes again, at least listen to this ...
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LJS 05: How to Play Well With Others, Gig Etiquette and More from 2016-04-12T16:02:55
Welcome to episode 5 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by two very special guests, drummer Diego Maldonado and bassist Listen
LJS 04: 3 Things Every Jazz Musician Should Practice from 2016-04-04T20:58:31
Welcome to episode 4 of the LJS Podcast where today we will be talking about 3 Things Every Jazz Musician Should Be Practicing. In this episode we go over three things to practice that are proven t...
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LJS 03: How to Overcome Low Self-Esteem as a Musician from 2016-03-29T19:56:12
Welcome to episode 3 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to overcome low self-esteem as a musician. In this episode we talk about how musicians (especially jazz musicians) can s...
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LJS 02: How to Properly Learn a Jazz Standard from 2016-03-22T18:33:43
Welcome to episode 2 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to properly learn a jazz standard. In this episode we talk about why learning jazz standards is so important and 5 great...
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LJS 01: 4 Habits For Better Practicing from 2016-03-18T14:02:37
Welcome to our very first episode of the LJS Podcast, where today we are talking about 4 Habits For Better Practicing. As jazz musicians, practicing is one of the most important things we can talk ...
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LJS 01: 4 Habits For Better Practicing from 2016-03-18T10:02:37
Welcome to our very first episode of the LJS Podcast, where today we are talking about 4 Habits For Better Practicing.
As jazz musicians, practicing is one of the most important things...