Hi Everyone,

Here is an email I sent to Tony recently about the seeming lack of student activity going on at the site. He suggested I post it here for discussion. So I paste it below unedited:

"Hi Tony,

Chord Tone Soloing on Coltrane's Giant Steps: One of the concepts that my students and I were working on in improv class this week was Chord Tone Soloing as applied to various compositions including Giant Steps. Practice techniques and concepts included focusing on motives, soloing with chord tones while limiting the range to an octave and Chord Tone Connection in which we go up and down the entire range of the instrument and connect from chord to chord with stepwise motion.

Wednesday night, April 1, 2015, 10pm East Coast New York time, UTC -4

9pm Mississippi time - for all the USM Students

I'll be playing some duos with Behn Gillece and then Bruno Lo Bianco a percussionist in Buenos Aires will perform a 20th century vibraphone piece.

We'll talk and take questions during the vibe hang!

So come hang with us Wednesday night!

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK.
If for some reason the link changes I will update it here.

Wonderful composition by Mark titled "And Marvin is Monk" which is based on Blues changes. Fun tune to play on. The melody and changes are the catalyst for spirited and creative playing. Great comment by Mark at the end of the clip. "You guys are really getting nutty". I think that should be the title of the CD. Ha!Ha!