Hey guys. I know I didn't post a lot these last weeks but only because I gave my vibes to Christos Rafalides for his tour. So I decided to practise piano these weeks but I will have it back in a couple of days. I practised a lot in the piano and in 12 keys various concepts. The idea was to comp my self when soloing. After a 12 key practise this is my shot!

Hope you enjoy

Thanks for listening

Even though I posted Beautiful Love on the midterm exam, I'm putting this up as extra credit, haha!

Made a recording of the tune David Friedman wrote for the finale of the 2012 Delaware workshop. This is just using drums, comping vibes, and solo vibes (3 tracks) and I'm still trying to get my bass player buddy to record a track over top. Let me know what you think.

Hi all,

I'm sitting here on Monday afternoon, completely shattered from a weekend of rehearsals, paired with doubles on gigs. Needless to say, I don't feel like doing much, but I had some thoughts and observations lately that I wanted to share.

First of all, I would like to make more of a habit of sharing some experiences that may be interesting to people. I feel like I'm posting lessons, and not creating room for discussion enough; I promise I'll do a better job at that, haha!

Finally I have gotten round to posting a piece. Its been so hectic here with preparation for our first jazz festival I have had so little time to practice but this piece is the has been the most difficult piece I have ever done. It has taken me three weeks to get to this stage and after several mallet throwing sessions in my practice area I am posting this. Its not perfect but it is a lot better than it was a week ago. Its a piece written for our performance at the jazz festival at the end of the month with a band I have put together especially.

new picture

VW Lesson
Rhythm Changes Oleo Exercises by Tony Miceli

Scales: Mixolydian and Lydian Dominant Scales, all 12 keys.
Tunes: Oleo, I Got Rhythm, Cottontail, Anthropology, Moose the Mooch, Wail.
Assignment: Pick a rhythm changes tune to learn. 1st chorus play the melody, 2nd chorus comp through changes using a mixture of open and close voicings.3rd chorus, improvise a solo.
Additional Material on Rhythm Changes;

VW Lesson- Practicing the Blues by Tony Miceli

Scales: Minor Blues Scales (1,b3,4,b5,5,b7) in all 12 keys

Tunes: Blue 7, Straight No Chaser, Sandu, Billy’s Bounce, Bessie’s Blues, Au Privave.

Assignment: Pick a blues from the above choices, one you don’t already know, or would like to know better. State the melody, then play root notes on the first beat and improvise through the form as demonstrated in the video lesson.

Additional Blues Material;