Tag Archives: jazz

chick corea

Chick Corea Plays Piano Bach Speaks About Learning To Play Piano

This video entitled “Practice” is a very unusual look into the practicing procedure of Chick Corea. He is working on a Bach piece, and while playing, gives a very candid appraisal about his progress and difficulties in learning the piece. It is really a treat watching one of the world’s most renown jazz pianists in a personal practice moment. I like the part when he says, “I goof up right in here”.

 

This is a great video to see how to practice effectively and efficiently. Chick plays very methodically and carefully. Notice how he works on each hand separately and slowly. He checks what he is playing and corrects his mistakes as he goes, and works with his fingering. When students are first learning a piece, accuracy is very important. You want to learn the piece right, so subsequent practice sessions are not interrupted by having to correct notes, and the focus can be getting the rhythm solid, and increasing the speed of the piece.

Anyone taking piano lessons will enjoy seeing how even master pianists can struggle with learning new pieces. Students often feel that their progress is not what it should be, but in reality, progress is just a matter of moving from where you are, to where you are going. There is no “supposed” timeline of how quickly a student should progress. Progress happens. The rate of progress is just what it is. 

hiromi uehara piano solo live george gershwin i got rhythm

Hiromi Uehara Piano Solo Live George Gershwin I Got Rhythm

In this fabulous video, Hiromi Uehara plays an absolutely beautiful version of George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm”.

Hiromi’s playing is boundless, with unbelievably intricate rhythms and stunning melodic development. Her styling covers bebop, stride and more. Her performance is from the Jazz in Marciac International Jazz Festival in southwestern France in 2010. George Gershwin composed the music and his brother Ira wrote the lyrics to “I Got Rhythm” in 1930 for the musical Girl Crazy. The song quickly became a jazz standard.

Hiromi Uehara displays the highest level of jazz playing you will see anywhere. Her performance and execution are flawless. Only a handful pianists worldwide can do this. There’s lots of value in watching this video over and over again to see what is possible on the piano and glean elements of style, chord progressions, and voicings from her tremendous keyboard playing. This is one of my favorite jazz piano videos. 

Hiromi Uehara, a jazz composer and pianist, was born in Hamamatsu, Japan. She started taking piano lessons at age six. She is known for her virtuosic technique, immensely energetic live performances, and superb blending of musical genres such as bebop, progressive rock, classical and fusion.

 more about Hiromi Uehara

kenny blues boss wayne plays blues piano boogie woogie video

Kenny Blues Boss Wayne Plays Blues Piano Boogie Woogie Video

This is a great video of Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne playing an excellent Boogie Woogie style piece. His piano playing is a good example of how the left and right hand can work together to make the piano come alive.

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne was born in 1944 in Spokane, Washington. He is known as an American blues, boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, and a singer and songwriter. His keyboard skills feature a strong decisive style of playing the Blues.

 At an early age, Wayne relocated with his family to San Francisco, California. Wayne’s playing was influenced by Nat King Cole, Little Willie John, and Fats Domino.

The family later moved to New Orleans, and then Compton, California. His music became influenced by George Shearing, Erroll Garner, and Ray Charles. Wayne worked as a sideman by various pop and rock musicians. He has toured Europe, performed at music festivals, and has released a number of albums. 

great blues piano solo improvisation luca sestak live in austria video

Great Blues Piano Solo Improvisation Luca Sestak Live in Austria Video

Here’s a great Blues piano solo improvisation by the gifted Luca Sestak, recorded live in Austria.

Luca Sestak was 17 at the time of this recording. Luca was born on January 10, 1995 in Celle, Germany. He began playing piano at the age of 9. After studying classical piano music, he  discovered Jazz and taught himself both Blues and Boogie Woogie on the keyboard. In a short time he had achieved an extraordinary level of excellence. He published his first original music at the age of 11. He has toured extensively and played with many great artists such as Silvan Zingg and Vince Weber. He recorded his first CD in August 2010.

more about Luca Sestak

chick corea

Chick Corea Terrific Solo Piano Performance Legends of Jazz Video

Chick Corea does a beautiful acoustic jazz performance of “Armando’s Rhumba” from the series Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis. His artful keyboard expression makes his playing wonderful to listen to. Crafty ethnic inspired melodies and precise playing is a hallmark of Chick Corea performances. I love the opening with Chick playing the strings with his left hand.

Chick Corea was born June 12, 1941. He is an American jazz and fusion pianist, keyboardist, and composer. Many of his compositions are jazz standards, played by musicians everywhere. He started taking lessons at age eight. He was a member of Miles Davis’ band in the 1960s, and was instrumental in developing early electric jazz fusion music. In the 1970s he formed the revolutionary band Return to Forever. Corea joins Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett, as one of the major jazz performers in the post John Coltrane era.