Saturday

3 Note voicings:

15 minutes A section of Just Friends

15 minutes B section & then the whole piece

15 minutes Bach at traditional metronome markings - 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, then quite a few times through at 100bpm. I'll try and work this up to speed using the 5 tempos approach.

15 minutes Just Friends all through.

I intend to work my way through a few more standards using the 3 note voicings approach.

More Philly

Listened to Sonny Rollins' Newk's Time and Miles Davis' Round About Midnight today. I'm living in the land of Philly Joe Jones and loving it!

I only managed half an hour of drums today. I was working on the Drum Legacy Two Bass Hit licks. Singing a standard (Bye Bye Blackbird) I played a chorus of time, A few choruses trading fours using the written examples from the Drum Legacy book, A chorus trading fours improvising in the style of Philly and then a chorus of drum solo in the style of Philly. I played at four tempos from 176-200.

I played a big band gig this evening with an early finish so I was back in home in time to do half an hour of piano - a quick run through all my pieces.

Just Friends

This morning I did an hour:

15 minutes Bach at 60 bpm
15 minutes Mintzer at 80bpm. This is starting to develop more of a swing feel now - especially in the left hand walking bass line.
30 minutes 2-5-1 with the two different voicings

This afternoon I spent about an hour using the 3 note voicings idea to work through the standard "Just Friends." Being able to actually interpret a lead sheet and find suitable voicings in tempo was a major beakthrough. Just Friends only has three chord types in it but it is a start!

I also spent about half an hour running through the Bach piece without the metronome. I think I'm just about ready for a new Grade 3 piece now.

I spent another hour this evening playing through the Bach at 100bpm, Just Friends and also starting to look at a new Grade 3 piece.... Top Cat!

I'm feeling fairly happy with my progress this week :)

Too busy for piano :(

I had a pretty hectic day today. Teaching, Private Lessons and a rehearsal meant I was out of the house from 7am til about 11pm and the last thing I was going to do at that time was start practising!

I did manage some drum time before work and on my breaks:

50 mins working on the Drum Legacy "3 Card Molly" Elvin ideas from 80bpm up to 96bpm

30 mins using Max Roach's "For Big Sid" as a solo vehicle from 152bpm-184

Over the couple of days my in-car listening has been Blue Trane, Milestones, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section and Tenor Madness. I only just realised that Philly Jo Jones is on all the discs I randomly put in the car on Monday. Hopefully I'll absorb some of his greatness via some kind of drumming osmosis.

More 2-5-1

15 minutes 2-5-1 round the cycle of fifths starting with root, 3rd 7th voicing on the 2 chord.

15 minutes 2-5-1 starting with root, 7th 3rd on the 2 chord.

10 minutes Bach piece at crotchet = 60. This piece is starting to come together now.

10 minutes Mintzer at crotchet = 80 (for a laugh)

2-5-1 & more Bach and Mintzer

30 Minutes - 3 note voicings (Root, 3rd, 7th) going round the cycle of fifths. 2 chord for a bar, 5 for a bar, 1 for two bars.

15 Minutes as above but using Root, 7th and 3rd this time.

15 Minutes Bach piece at crotchet = 60 concentrating on the middle section.

15 Minutes of the Mintzer Etude at crotchet = 60

Listened to another old favourite today - Miles Davis The Complete Concert (My Funny Valentine & Four and More.) I find these albums even more impressive than I did when I first heard them. Hopefully as my ears and knowledge improve further I will enjoy them even more than I do now!