David Byrne’s Brass Tactics
OK, so he’s late to the Brass Tactics party, but David Byrne has put the name to good use.
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Flight of the Bumblebee (Thilo Wolf Big Band)
Here’s Jurgen Neudert providing some inspiration for the bone players
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1965 Count Basie
Here’s a full set from the 1965 Count Basie band, courtesy of the BBC.
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Maceo!
Lest there be any doubt about the power of groove, check out this 90-minute documentary on Maceo Parker and the James Brown Horns.
Clean Your Horn!
Here is an article that makes a case for cleaning your horn.
Advice For Students
Trumpet Tips from Bob Pixley
Brilliant!
Smart Jazz People
Landfill Orchestra
Landfill Harmonic film teaser from Landfill Harmonic on Vimeo.
Trombone Cam
Guido Basso & Fred Stone (Canadian Jazz History)
Canadian jazz history in this 1965 CBC footage of the Jimmy Dale Orchestra featuring Guido Basso and Fred Stone on flugelhorn.
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Miles Just Called
Ed Bickert (By Steve Wallace)
By Steve Wallace, for CBC Music
Steve Wallace is one of the leading jazz bass players in Canada. He played extensively with now retired Canadian jazz guitar legend, Ed Bickert. Bickert, who turns 80 on Nov. 29, is famously private, which makes Wallace’s insights into the man and the musician a real treat to read.
Caption Contest
Enter your best caption in the Comments.
Dave Liebman on Jazz Education
JAZZ EDUCATION IN THE CENTURY OF CHANGE:
BEYOND THE MUSIC
By Dave Liebman
Question:What values does a jazz education offer beyond the music itself?
Artists have always had a supply and demand problem. Since time immemorial there have been more people with creative ideas than an audience to communicate them to, especially if the art demands more than a cursory attention span. In the current world of jazz education, the situation vis a vis graduating more and more of the most equipped musicians in history (every year more so) in stark contrast to the scarcity of paid performance and recording opportunities has assumed epic disproportion. To deny this would be like ignoring global warming. Serious educators are and should be concerned. Discussions on the subject are sometimes uncomfortable, but are nonetheless taking place worldwide. Notwithstanding that this situation might differ in degree from country to country or even regionally (all trends have their own natural ebb and flow), it is incumbent that responsible educators address this issue. Read more »
Gil Evans-My Ship
Check out this bar by bar analysis of Gil Evans’ arrangement of ‘My Ship’ on YouTube.
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Metronomes Synchronize
For those with too much time on their hands, you can watch 32 metronomes self-synchronize. Read more »
Secret Weapon
No Horn Blowing
Solo Transcription
As hard as it is for an author to admit, you can’t learn to improvise by reading a book or a magazine column. You learn the jazz language the same way you learned your first language: by listening and imitating. For most jazz musicians, this happens through the process of transcribing jazz solos. Read more »
The Language of Jazz
Let’s start with the premise that you are already an expert improviser. Every time you engage in conversation, you improvise. You don’t work from a script or recite memorized sentences or phrases. You can walk up to anyone in the world who speaks the same language and improvise a conversation. Read more »
The Fear Factor
In this post I address a common phenomenon amongst beginning jazz improvisers: fear. Fear is a potential element in all music performance; you fear that you will sound bad. Is jazz improvisation inherently scarier than playing written music? That depends on whom you ask. To one group of players, notes on a page represent security because they tell you what to play. To another, chord changes represent security because they let you choose what to play. Read more »
Time Well Spent
Q: Should a brass player strive to practice the same number of hours as a saxophonist?
A: Brass players will never be able to match a saxophonist hour-for-hour. When a reed gets worn out, there are more in the box. Like the Energizer bunny, saxophone players can (and often do) keep going and going. When your lips get worn out, there is nothing to be done but let them rest. In fact, playing too much can be more detrimental than not playing enough. Read more »
Thoughts on Jazz Education
(Dave Liebman speaking to students and teachers at the IASJ Meeting in Graz)
Written by Ronan Guilfoyle from the blog Mostly Music.
Thoughts on Jazz Education, Art, Craft, and Entitlement
I’ve spent the past week at the International Association of Schools of Jazz annual meeting in Graz in Austria. I’ve written before about what goes on at the IASJ meetings and what a buzz it is, and this year was no exception. Last year it was in Brazil, and this year in Austria so naturally the vibe of the location was quite different, but the camaraderie of the musicians – teachers and students alike – was as strong as ever. At a time when institutionalised jazz education as an idea is again under scrutiny, it was interesting and thought provoking to be part of this meeting and once again my feelings on the positive benefits of jazz education were both confirmed and reinforced. Read more »
How The World Sees You
“Say AAAH”
This post expands on the effect of varying tongue levels in the mouth.
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Gear Talk
In this post I answer a couple of questions about choosing a horn.
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James Brown Dance Moves
How To Choose A Musical Instrument
Ray Charles-1979
Rare footage of Ray Charles in Antibes, France in 1979, with a youthful Chase Sanborn sitting in the trumpet section.
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Why Apple Rules
First Name : Chase
Last Name : Sanborn
Product : iTunes Store
Issue : While watching a rented movie, it stopped repeatedly to load
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Advice from Thelonious Monk
The Lick
Jazz Studies at the University of Toronto
Jazz Studies at the University of Toronto provides students with a comprehensive education in jazz. It is a small, high-level program, with approximately 80 students enrolled, earning Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in jazz performance. The faculty is comprised of some of the most prominent jazz musicians in Canada.
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Why Should You Choose U of T Jazz?
Why should you choose U of T Jazz over other jazz programs? What is different about this program? These are common questions from students considering where to study. Here are just some of the reasons to choose U of T Jazz:
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Mutes 101
Mutes insert into, are attached to, or are held in front of the bell of the horn. Though a mute may reduce the volume of the instrument, as the name implies, that is not always the case. More often, mutes are used to change the characteristics of the sound. Intonation is also affected; you may need to adjust your tuning slide when using a mute. Read more »
Is U of T Jazz Right For You?
How do you decide where to study music after high school? You may know a school’s reputation through word of mouth; you may have done some research (as you are doing now); your music teacher may make a recommendation (often his or her Alma Mater), or you may have a friend who attends a particular institution.
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U of T Students Speak
We asked our students: Why did you choose U of T Jazz? What’s the best thing about the U of T Jazz program for you? How has the program impacted on you as a musician and a person?
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U of T Students Listen
What kind of music are U of T Jazz students into? Here’s a short list of suggested listening, submitted by the students.
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A Profile of U of T Jazz
By Sean MacKay
It’s 6:30 on a Monday night at The Rex, Toronto’s preeminent jazz and blues bar. A sextet of young musicians sets up their instruments on the faded brown, half-moon stage. “Faculty of Music” is painted on the back of their music stands.
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Keep It Clean!
Can you imagine eating off the same cutlery day after day without ever washing it? Read more »
Multiple Tonguing
Multiple tonguing is a technique that facilitates rapid articulation. Read more »
Close Your Eyes
Why is it that when you taste something delicious or hear beautiful music, you close your eyes? Read more »
Drones
In this article, I’d like to discuss the use of drones for improving intonation. Read more »
The Fun Factory
Remember the Play Doe Fun Factory? Read more »
Key Fluency
If you are like most reasonably accomplished students (and some professionals) you have 7-8 keys you are reasonably comfortable with and 4-5 that are murky. Read more »
Mental Focus
As we focus on our bodies when playing the instrument, we often forget the crucial role of the brain. 15 minutes of practice time with full concentration produces better results than an hour of mindless, repetitive practicing. Here are some tips for achieving mental focus: Read more »
Set A Musical Budget
In business, a company will set a sales budget for the coming year. By projecting a reasonable expectation of growth, the company can compare goals to actual results throughout the year. You can set a musical budget. Read more »
Practice Perfect
There is an old expression: practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Read more »
Reflections
Playing a brass instrument requires the coordinated use of many different muscles. A mirror can help you learn to use your muscles in the most efficient way. Read more »
Stand Still
You should strive to reduce or eliminate extraneous body movement when playing your instrument. Read more »
Sound Ideas
The number one goal of all brass players is to produce a beautiful sound. Read more »
The Four Ts
The jazz musician needs two basic abilities in order to improvise a solo:
- She must be able to play what she hears.
- She must be able to hear something worth playing.
Efficiency vs. Brute Force
When the baseball player hits the ball, energy is transferred from the player to the ball, via the bat. How far the ball travels is determined not only by the strength of the player, but also by his or her ability to effectively transfer energy. The ‘sweet spot’ on the bat is where the transfer of energy is most efficient. The brass player also deals with transfer of energy. The lips are set unto vibration by the force of air, that energy is transferred to the horn, and sound emanates. Read more »
Breathing Exercises
We all know how to breathe; it’s the very first thing and the very last thing we do! Advanced control of the air is the single most crucial element of high-level brass performance. Here are a few exercises to help you develop an ability you were born with. Read more »
More Mouthpiece Talk
How much difference can a mouthpiece make?
A mouthpiece won’t create miracles, but it can help you to maximize your abilities. For instance, it might help you achieve a fuller tone, or more burn on the upper notes, or better slotting, easier flexibility, more accurate intonation, or more defined attacks. Ultimately, there is no substitute for hard work and intelligent practice. Choose a mouthpiece that works for you, then head for the practice room! Read more »
Sibelius vs. Finale
This article is from Film Music Magazine. It provides a brief overview of the differences between the two main music notation software programs, Finale and Sibelius.
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Training With Tuners
Raise your hand if your band director stands in front of you with a tuner, calling out: “Flat! Push in!” “Sharp! Pull out!” Does this really help you play in tune, or do you simply try to make the tuner stand still for a minute so he or she will go away? Read more »
The Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece creates the crucial connection between body and instrument, transferring vibrations from your lips to the horn. Finding a mouthpiece that is a good fit for your body can make a big difference in the ease with which you play the instrument. Read more »
Tongue Talk
The tongue helps determine the forcefulness of the initial air expulsion (the attack), the velocity of the air to follow and the duration of each burst of air (staccato vs. slurred). The primary syllables involved are aa, oo, ee; daa, doo, dee; and taa, too, tee. Read more »
Air!
All notes on a brass instrument are produced by a combination of air compression and lip compression. The balance can be shifted: the more work your air does, the less your lips have to do (and vice versa). A quick look at the musculature surrounding the lungs compared to the musculature of the face tells you this is an area of strength that you should utilize. Read more »
WCTF & Other Acronyms
As I write this, I am flying south from West Chester, PA, where I’ve just participated as a guest artist and exhibitor at the West Chester Trumpet Festival, presented by the local chapter of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG). Read more »
Are tests biased against students?
A Moooving Performance
The New Hot 5 band finds a new audience.
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Wayne Bergeron
Pros, students and fans in Toronto are still buzzing following a 3-day visit by Wayne Bergeron. Read more »
The Ultimate Sobriety Test
The Ultimate Tour Bus
http://www.wimp.com/meanwhilerussia/
Ikea Job Interview
No Bitching
Please Play That Part Louder
Fingers!
Distracted as we are by the challenges of making our lips vibrate, brass players often neglect finger dexterity. You must have as much technique with your three fingers as a pianist has with 10. Read more »
Listen!
“Who do you listen to?” Read more »
Maynard ’58
Here’s a great 1958 recording of Maynard Ferguson.
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Pics (Tribute to narcissism)
Trumpet Comparison: Yamaha 9335NY / 9335CH / 8335LA / 8310Z
A New Horn!
It’s time for a new horn. I say this not because there is anything wrong with my current horn, or because I am an equipment junkie (well…) Read more »
Yamaha 8310Z Trumpet
The Yamaha 8310Z trumpet is an updated version of the 6310Z trumpet, designed for Bobby Shew, one of the world’s greatest lead and jazz trumpet players. Read more »
Safe From Ducks (National Music Camp)
Photo by Sharon Little
At the time of this writing, I am comfortably ensconced in a slightly dilapidated (yet it hath charms) cabin on the shores of Lake Couchiching, two hours north of Toronto near the town of Orillia, Ontario.
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Yamaha 8335 Xeno Trumpet
The 8335 Xeno is the third generation in Yamaha’s pro-level heavywall trumpet model. It replaced the 6335HII in 2001. Read more »
Yamaha Silent Brass
I first reviewed Yamaha’s Silent Brass practice system several years ago, when it made its debut as a revolutionary product. Since then, Yamaha has expanded the ‘silent’ practice concept to many different instruments. While it does not eliminate all sound, the reduction in decibels is enough that you should be able to practice anywhere, anytime. I’ve used it in hotel rooms, cottages and tents. Read more »
Wiseman Cases
Wiseman trumpet cases, designed and hand-built by Howard Wiseman of London, England, offer superior protection for your horns, and look good doing it! They are the ‘Cadillacs’ of trumpet cases. Read more »
Summer Vacation
Many students wonder how to keep their chops up during the summer. They no longer have the school bands and music programs to keep them focused, summer jobs rob practice time, and the lure of the beach is ever-present. September is often a rude awakening as you struggle to regain your chops. Here are a few suggestions for staying in shape at a time of year when there are places you’d rather be than the practice room. Read more »