Mike Mainieri: An Interactive Exploration

Today, during the vibe hang with Mike Mainieri, we were discussing Lionel Hampton's solo on Stardust.   Mike was absolutely correct that Lioniel barely touched the damper pedal throughout, playing the instrument as if it were a drum.

Many years ago, Lionel had a fire in his apartment and lost many of his instruments.  His valet, on several occasions, would call me to bring an instrument to a gig in the Philly area so that he would have something to play on.   At one of those events, his valet gave me a copy of a transcription that a friend had done of that solo.

Charlie is a great vibe player from California. This is a great cd with an allstar personnel. 

Love Vibe For Sale. I'm helping a friend sell his instrument. It's a Love Vibe and it's in good shape. You can email me, if you are interested (tony@tonymiceli.com). The instrument is Near Philadelphia in New Jersey. Cash Only, and you have to pick. I can drive an hour if that helps.

$4750 with cases.

🚨 Soloing Through the Changes Pt. 8 – Soloing with the Altered Scale

In Part 8, we explore the altered scale (seventh mode of melodic minor) as a way to create tension over dominant chords before resolving back to the tonic or next chord. This scale contains altered chord tones—♭9, ♯9, ♯11, and ♭13—which provide a wide palette of colors for jazz soloing.

🚨 Soloing Through the Changes Pt. 7 – Soloing with the Diminished Scale

In Part 7, we explore the half-whole diminished scale as a tool for soloing over dominant chords in the blues. This symmetrical scale creates tension and color that can really open up your sound—especially when used sparingly and with intention.

🚨 Soloing Through the Changes Pt. 6 – Bebop Scale Variants on the Blues

In Part 6, we continue exploring scale-based soloing over the blues in F, this time using bebop dominant scale variants enriched with added chromatic passing tones. This lesson focuses on creating longer, more fluid lines that still clearly outline the changes—using the dominant bebop scale as a flexible framework, not a strict formula.

🚨 Soloing Through the Changes Pt. 5 – Scale-Based Soloing: Bebop Dominant & Diminished Scales

In Part 5, we shift our focus from arpeggios to scale-based soloing, using the bebop dominant scale as a framework for outlining harmony with a smoother, more linear flow. This scale includes a chromatic passing tone (usually the natural 7th in a dominant scale), allowing you to maintain a strong rhythmic flow while still landing chord tones on downbeats.

He is the man on the Malletkat IMHO! 

🚨 Soloing Through the Changes Pt. 4 – 7th Chord Outlinings with 9ths & Alterations

In Part 4, we take the 7th chord outlines from the previous lesson and extend them into 9ths, while also adding alterations and inversions on dominant chords. The result is a more melodic, colorful, and expressive soloing vocabulary—still grounded in chord structure, but reaching toward the sound of bebop and beyond.