From Jack Grassel, Guitarist
When I was studying with Tal Farlow at his house from 1992 – 1997, he always had some of Jamey’s Play-A-Longs going when I would come over for a lesson. Sometimes he would be just listening to them as background music while he did chores silently. I think he would be soloing in his head […]
Jammin’ With Jamey Program
A few weeks ago, on a Friday night after the NAHS football game was long over I drove into the school parking lot to ask some students who had won the game. I found three that looked to be middle school age and asked them. They told me the score and one boy, after noticing […]
Jamey On The Blues
Bb BLUES (concert key) The JAZZ BLUES is 12 measures long. THE most common song form. Is usually played in 4/4 time but can be in 3/4 or 6/8 etc. Usually played in SWING TIME but can be Latin, Bossa, Rock, etc. Harmony/Chords are played over and over (12 Bars Repeated). Is played slow, very […]
Anyone Can Improvise
Too many people have never considered improvising on their instrument because they’ve been “Chained to the Written Page.” You think you can only play music when you have a music stand with some written music on it. That’s not true. All you have to do to get started is try something as simple as playing […]
Does Everyone Have “It”? To Play Jazz, I Mean
I began thinking about all this seriously when I first heard the Bird interview of Paul Desmond and Bird said he practiced 11 to 15 hours a day for three to four years. That was the beginning of me realizing that practice and desire are THE key elements in getting the music out of one’s […]