Dubrovnik Christmas Jazz Gala

There will be a special event going on in Dubrovnik for the New Year's time. It the Dubrovnik Christmas Jazz Gala! The event will include concerts and workshops from various jazz musicians that will take place from the 28th to 31st December.

The musicians performing are:

Douglas Sides (drums)
Shawn Montero (vocal)
Marcelo Godoy (vocal, electric and acoustic guitar)
Filho Nelson (guitar)
Ishaq Abdullah (bass)
Steven Hupkens (keys)
Reggie Johnson (double bass)
Domagoy Ralasic (sax, clarinet)
Jesse Davis (sax)
Julius Green (vocal)

The concerts will take place on: Saturday, 29th December at 20:00h; Sunday, 30th December at 21:00h.

Venue: Hotel Dubrovnik Palace (Club Orlandiño)

On Monday, 31st December the concerts will take place on the Stradun, for the New Year's celebration.

The Workshops from percussion, vocals, sax, clarinet, keys, double bass and electric guitar will take place on the 29th and 30th December (11-13h and 17-18.30h) and they are absolutely FREE!!!

Anyway, this is an event that you shouldn't miss!

Please find more information at:

http://www.jazz.agevent.biz/

Things singers should ALWAYS avoid!

Alright, maybe I am exaggerating but I've noticed that I've been neglecting vocalists since the beginning and I want to share many things I find useful. I am also quite inspired by my own sore throat and a cold that I have at the moment. I hope singers can find all this advice useful and it might help them. These tips are useful at any time. You should know what things we must avoid in order to keep our voices nice and healthy so we can keep on singing! It's actually quite interesting cause you would never guess some of these things are not recommended. The tips are taken from the Vocalist site.

Here we go!

Having problems at Gigs? Do you find that some days your voice seems dry? I'm not going to go into the normal nag about smoking although you should try to avoid anything that is likely to dry out your voice before a performance, so here are a few tips on what to avoid before & during your show:-

1. Orange or Citrus Juice and caffeinated drinks - can affect your throats lubrication.

2. Milk & other dairy products - furs up the throat, avoid drinking Milk, Cream, Tea and Coffee prior to singing.

3. Dry Ice Machines - The chemicals used dry up the throat. If the effect is an essential part of the show use a Fog Machine with cooler (water & glycerine based) or Haze Machine (chemical based but non-toxic). Both can still affect the voice if inhaled, make sure you have plenty of water to lubricate the throat.

4. Eating heavy meals prior to a gig - the food doesn't have time to digest and sits heavily in your stomach. This makes it harder to control breathing, vocal reach and projection.

5. Smoke filled environments - pretty impossible to do if your playing pubs n clubs but do what you can by taking a wander outside for fresh air during the breaks.

6. Asprin - can contribute to tinnitus and vocal chord hemorrhage

7. Excessive loud talking and yelling - can lead to vocal strain

8. Coughing and clearing your throat - swallow or sip water instead.

9. Alcohol - although a small drink may help to relax you, alcohol may numb the chords and too much will cause lack of control (vocally & otherwise!!)

10. Sing out of your range - save the top notes for when you can sing them correctly and don't over-reach or you could end up damaging your voice!

Pace yourself at a gig - move vocally demanding songs to the middle or end of each set to allow your voice to warm up beforehand (a vocal warm up before the gig is also advisable) and then rest your voice during the breaks.

Treat allergies and infections promptly and rest your voice when ill. Drink plenty of water during the day to keep your body hydrated and voice lubricated, 8 - 9 pints is recommended. (Beer doesn't count!). Keep a bottle of water at the side of the stage!

Have a good gig!

Sore throat and what to do about it!

I've decided to give you more tips for singing when your voice is a mess!

This is taken from the vocalist site. Enjoy!

There have been several questions about what to do when contracting viral infections and the subsequent hoarseness and voice loss so I thought it would be helpful to include a section here for anyone suffering!! I am Not a Doctor or Medical Practitioner and advise professional attention should always be sought, however as a regular sufferer of Flu, Laryngitis, Pneumonia, and Bronchial complaints I can provide a few tips!! Regardless of the infection contracted or even if you experience hoarseness and loss of voice through strain/stress the following should aid in prevention and/or recovery.

1. Drink plenty of Water.
   
   
2. Avoid Tea, Coffee, Cream & Alcohol before singing as these can have a dehydrating effect.
   
   
3. Take Vitamin C tablets or eat fruits/vegetables rich in Vitamin C to aid your bodies natural defenses. Hot Lemon & Honey or Blackcurrant both contain vitamin C and anti-viral properties and fresh ginger has natural anti-inflammatory properties - grate a little ginger and add it to hot water, sweeten with honey if required.
   
   
4. REST!!
   
   
5. Severe, violent coughing can injure the vocal folds. Cough Syrup and Lozenges can help, Vocalzone are good and reliable sources have informed me that Slippery Elm lozenges and other products are used by some singers to soothe the throat in the US. Triogesic Tablets relieves conjestion, prevents coughing and is available from most Chemists although it should not be taken with any other paracetamol products or decongestants and should be avoided by pregnant or nursing mothers and Dextromethorphan based products also help to suppress coughing although some people may experience dizziness.
   
   
6. Hot Water Steam Inhalation, with or without a few drops of Eucalyptus, Peppermint or other Essential Oil helps to clear the sinuses. Many proprietry brands like Karvol, Olbas Oil and Vicks Vaporub use aromatherapy oils as their main ingredient but you should be careful using these products as menthol can have a drying effect.... use sparingly.
   
   
7. Do NOT attempt to Sing and avoid Talking until all medication is finished to allow the inflammation an opportunity to reduce.
   
   
8. On recovery start with some gentle humming for 5-10 minutes at a time and slowly build up to a few vocal exercises in your mid-range gradually expanding the range over several days. The rate of recovery will depend on the severity of illness and how experienced a singer you are. Any recurrance of hoarseness stop and rest the voice for another couple of days.
   
   

I realise that this is easier said than done, especially when an important gig is due!! However, weighing the importance of the booking against the potential damage to your vocal health is a must..........

Here are some tips for the vocalists!

Being a vocalist myself I know what it means when you have a gig and your voice is in bad shape. Especially in these cold winter days when various viruses are waiting in the corner to attack the innocent singer! And your voice is all you've got! It really sucks if it happens and you need to know how to get in shape as soon as possible.

So I've decided to give you some tips on how to keep your voice in good condition so you don't have to worry about these things. I've found on the internet some information about this and it's absolutely true!

Maybe it will help...

1. Try your best to maintain good general health. Avoid viral colds (a regimen of washing hands has been shown to reduce the transmission of cold viruses). Some advocate vitamin C and zinc lozenges, while I find these effective I would recommend their use these only after the student has consulted a physician.

2. Emotional and physical stress both contribute significantly to vocal distress. Exercise regularly. Using your major muscle groups in jogging, etc. is an excellent way to diminish stress.

NOTE: extensive power weight lifting will place some wear on the vocal folds, this should be avoided during times of extended vocal use or vocal fatigue.

3. Eat a balanced diet. At times of extended vocal use avoid large amounts of salt and refined sugar, spicy food such as Mexican, Szechuan Chinese, as well as excessive amounts of food and/or alcohol. One may note hoarseness in the larynx or dryness of the throat after drinking significant amounts of alcohol, caffienated, as well naturally or artificially sweetened beverages. The body needs water to metabolize these foods and beverages, excessive consumption of these items will reduce the amount of water available to hydrate the voice.

4. Maintain body hydration (7-9 glasses of water a day) and avoid known dietary diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol. Moisture is a necessary lubricant of the vocal folds. When one's body is dehydrated laryngeal lubrication diminishes and wear takes place at a much greater rate than normal.

5. Avoid dry, artificial interior climates. Laryngologists recommend a humidity level of 40-50%. Much body moisture is lost while breathing air in low humidity climates, i.e., air conditioned or heated rooms (routinely 10-20% moisture), cars, buses, etc.

6. Avoid smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes. These are bad for the heart, lungs, and vocal tract of not only yourself, but others around you as well. Avoid other irritant inhalants, i.e., marijuana. In addition to the debilitating effect on the vocal tract, you need your head on straight when you sing.

7. Avoid breathing smoggy, polluted air, i.e., car exhausts, smoky bars and lounges when you are vocally tired.

8. Avoid the use of local anesthetics when you are singing. The anesthetic effect masks any signs of injury, therefore encouraging further abuse of the folds. Additionally, singing under their influence is like playing the piano with gloves on (Chloroseptic, Parke-Davis Throat Discs, etc.).

9. Question the use of progesterone dominant birth control pills. These cause a virilization of the female larynx and a decrease of range in your upper register. There may be no other solution for your particular situation, however. The treatment of endometriosis often includes pharmaceuticals which cause permanent vocal changes. Inform your doctor that you are a singer if you are undergoing treatment for this disease.

I know this is difficult but it will help. It's good to know what is good for you and what isn't, no?

These tips come from David Otis Castonguay from the Radford University.

Another site I can recommend is THE VOCALIST where you can find more information about maintaining your vocal health.

Keep on singin' and keep your throat clear!

Playing in the cold!

As we know, at this time of year many musicians have gigs, mostly at various parties and events. However, it is common to have gigs outside, on a outdoor stage on the main square or other locations throughout the city. What to do when your fingers are freezing and stiff from cold or when you are breathing in cold air and your voice is sore?! It's a tough one. Hopefully you will have heating devices on stage to keep you warm, but a jacket is an obligatory clothing item or you would be shaking too! The problem with these kind of gigs is that you won't sound as you would under normal circumstances and then it's not the best gig you've ever had. Also, the heating is not really helping because in one moment you have heat blowing at you and in another you feel the rush of a cold wind chilling your bones! These changes in temperature are a shock to your organism and makes you sweat and tremble at the same time. Be careful! If you want to avoid getting sick, be sure to wear several layers of clothing and warm up before you go on. If possible, try to move on the stage to keep warm at all times and when you're done get into a warm place. This is all I can tell you.

If you manage to play without problems you probably know more tricks or you're simply not that sensitive! Lucky you! If you get sick after such a gig then I hope you get well quickly to be healthy for Christmas and the New Year!

Christmas gala nights

December is a month full of events, cocktail parties, gala nights, dinners and similar events, all in order to get ready to say goodbye to this year and welcome the new year. Many companies organize parties for their clients, partners, colleagues to celebrate already established partnerships and successful co-operations, as well as to achieve new ones and start new projects. It's a time of joy and celebration, to express our thankfulness for all the good things that came across our path. In the Western world we associate this time with Christmas, as it's a big part of our tradition and it is a good excuse to express our gratitude and give back to the community. Many charities are formed in this period or the ones that already exist use this time to promote the act of giving to the less fortunate.

Taking all this into consideration, this is also a good opportunity for musicians to get gigs! All these events often include live music, in order to entertain businesspeople and create a comfortable and relaxing environment where they can mingle and talk with their associates and potential business partners, which could lead to a better and more successful year. And they do it listening to the mellow sounds in the background coming from a live band playing at such events. Most musicians are fully booked in December, getting paid good money to play in the background. It's not the most rewarding experience, especially if you are a musician that needs recognition, but it is a well paid "rehearsal" and a good opportunity to find more gigs if you're good enough! If you can't handle not being noticed and getting the applause for your remarkable solos and all the energy that you put into your playing, then this is not for you. However, if you are a professional, you simply have to deal with the fact that this is how the business works and go do your thing! It's always a dilemma. Should you do things like that, even if it doesn't inspire you and give you the boost that you might get at a normal gig where people actually come to listen to you? Should you avoid these kind of events and just do gigs that please you? Sure, why not? However, this means - less money. If you want to survive you need to compromise. Another option is - get a regular job to survive and play when you want to for your own pleasure. It's actually quite simple.

Anyway, this is a time for giving, celebrating, spending time with your loved ones, but it is also a commercial time where the public is being encouraged to give back to the community and spend more money in general for things they might not spend it on in "normal" circumstances. It's a time for musicians to get more gigs than they would normally get and earn more money. Sometimes it's good to compromise.

Think of it as a paid rehearsal, have fun and enjoy the salary. :)

To jazz or not to jazz?

The poll showed that many of you have never done jazz but appreciate it. That's cool too! Thanks for participating in the poll and showing me who my readers really are. That way I can adjust the topics accordingly. There were 3 groups making 14% of the poll participants saying that they started doing jazz in their teens, in their twenties and in their thirties! Wow. This only shows that you can start doing jazz whenever you want! It's really never too late. The key to everything is - practice! Practice makes perfection. The more you learn and repeat, the better you know it.

Honestly, I've met people who were retired and decided to study jazz. And they're doing it. They're not professionals or anything like that, but they do it for fun. And enjoying every second of it! That's one example I can give you. You can always learn the basics. If nothing else - learn the Bb blues! :)

Another example I can give you is one woman who had decided while in her 30s to start playing the guitar. Taking in to consideration that she had never played the guitar in her life! She not only learned how to play the guitar but learned how to play various styles, primarily jazz. She now lives from music and plays with various bands!

I can tell you one thing - if you just like jazz and feel you don't need to play it, that's OK too. Learn how to listen to the tunes. Learn how to differentiate one jazz style from another. These are small steps but mean a lot if you really like this genre. Get information about jazz history and how it all began. A good start is this blog maybe, as from time to time I will be posting some interesting stories about historical events in jazz.

Anyway keep on listening and reading! :)

Balkan Jazz Times

It seems to me that October/November period is the perfect time for jazz festivals. We have already mentioned London Jazz Festival, Sarajevo Jazz Festival, All that Jazz Festival in the Jazz Club, Zagreb...the cycle continue and we have plenty of things to see until Christmas time! This time I would like to concentrate on the Balkan area where we have plenty of events going on in this period. Recently we have had the opportunity to see many different jazz musicians in the Concert Hall Lisinski in Zagreb during the 17th International Days of Jazz, which took place from 23rd to 26th October. The festival included Geoff Eales Piano Solo (UK), Francesco Cafiso Quartet (Italy), Namaste (France), Dave Stapleton Quintet (UK), Mirokado Kvartet (Croatia), Nouvelle Cuisine Big Band: Mozart Revisited (Austria), Juvavum Brass (Austria) and a special guest - James Morrison (Australia).

More about these musicians (in Croatian): http://jazz.hr/dogadanja/ijd_program.aspx

Next recent event we had the opportunity to enjoy in was the 3rd Jazz ex tempore multicultural jazz project + workshops, which took place from 21st – 27th October 2007 in Opatija, Croatia.

This event gathered distinguished jazz musicians from different countries that spent one week in Opatija making music and composing several songs that have never been performed anywhere! Each artist brought a few of his own songs that were arranged during Jazz ex tempore and performed at the final concert. The highlight of this project was the whole-evening concert which included the pieces composed during this week of working together.

More about Jazz Ex Tempore project - http://www.liburniajazz.hr/extempore_en.htm

Apart from the events in Croatia and the already mentioned festivals, we have to mention two big jazz festivals in the surrounding area!

Yes, we are talking about Strictly Jazz Festival in Belgrade, which is taking place from 24th to 29th October, so hurry up and get your tickets!!! There will be artists from the USA, Mali, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Israel, France, Wales and Serbia taking place in this festival. Some of the names we can mention are: Ravi Coltrane Group, Avishai Cohen Group, Maria João, Dee Dee Bridgewater, etc. Anyway, this is an amazing festival worth seeing.

More about this festival - http://www.belgrade-jazzfest.org/

And finally, we need to mention the Skopje Jazz Festival that had already passes and if you missed it, your loss! There was a Norwegian night including artists from Norway obviously... such as Susana & The Magical Orchestra, Sidsel Endresen and In the country

Then there was also a Flamenco Night which included Juan Carmona Grupo and Miguel Poveda Quartet.

More about Skopje Jazz Festival - http://www.skopjejazzfest.com.mk/schedule.htm

Enjoy the autumn jazzy events!

All that jazz3

This is a quick review of the ongoing jazz festival in Zagreb. Poor marketing brought this event as a surprise and we had no idea what was coming our way! Although not properly announced, we have to say that this festival is a cool event Zagreb needed to break the monotony.

The festival started on the 11th October with Valerija Nikolovska Quartet. Well, honestly, they were pretty good, playing soft, mellow sounds of jazz, a lot of blues and some bossa nova. However, no matter how good, the singer looked pretty uninterested in the whole event and behaved as if she were at home singing for her soul only. She didn't reach out to the audience, she just sat there and didn't give a damn. This is something you might dare to do if you are a huge diva, with all your mood swings, and everybody just adores you cause it's simply the genius you! You have your own concert in a huge concert hall and a standing ovation just because you showed up! I personally like the way Valerija sings but I think most of her audience that night didn't appreciate that attitude and responded with murmurs which made it hard to listen to the concert. The fact was that they weren't in a concert hall and couldn't allow themselves to act that way. Finally the singer's microphone died and the band was struggling to get it working again, on stage for several minutes, while nobody even noticed that the band was having technical difficulties and they weren't playing at all! This shows that not only the organization wasn't professional and didn't care about their performers, but also that the audience didn't take the band seriously. It's a pity because they played well, had a good repertoire, but they simply lacked attitude on stage which was appropriate for this kind of an event and location.

Fortunately the next day, 12th October, crazy funk band called Starch showed up from Switzerland! Actually, these young boys make a good atmosphere, play like crazy, rap and funk it up, besides looking pretty and seducing all the girls in the audience! :) Yeah, this was a nice treat! Drums, bass, keyboards, trombone, trumpet, sax, vocals,....all very good musicians and nice arrangements. If nothing else, they definitely made contact with the audience, included them in the performance, made the whole club dance and go crazy....it was fun! More about this band - go to their website -www.starchmusic.com

Another band I would like to mention is Denis Razumović Quartet. They also proved to be a high quality band playing their original tunes from "Razz's" new album "In Umbra" as well as some standards, like their own version of Caravan. My only remark would be that I didn't really like the drummer. From what I heard, he had no sense of dynamics and sometimes exaggerated in his drumming when not appropriate, his solos are unarticulated and chaotic without any sense, and not to mention that he obviously plays rock music in his spare time, instead of jazz. I didn't really appreciate it but many people did, so maybe I am wrong. Forgive me but I am sensitive when it comes to drums. Unlike the drummer, Razz kicked ass and I loved his solos! Hope to hear him again!

Anyway, the festival is still happening so come and here some concerts! Here's a list of the following gigs:

16.10. Tortilla Flat Trio (Austria)
17.10. Gyass Gypsy Bend (Serbia)
18.10. Fine Noise feat. Miles Griffith (USA)
19.10. Ivan Tiborcz Quartet (Hungary)
20.10. Johnson 3 (Austria/USA)
21.10. As Bruxas Fatais (Croatia)

And that's it!
Keep on jazzin....

Study and play jazz and Latin music!

It is time to announce yet another workshop! We had many summer workshops where you could study jazz with great teachers in great locations, and now the winter is coming with more interesting workshops to participate in!

This time it is a workshop in a small town called Benicasim in Spain, near Valencia, where you can learn more about jazz and Latin music with amazing teachers from all over the world! It will take place from 5th to 9th December this year and if you apply now you have greater chances in securing your place!

Benicasim is a small, tranquil town on the Mediterranean coast, with citrus trees and pine forest leading down to a lovely beach. After a day of intensive musical study, you can relax with a sauna or one of the many health spa treatments on offer before dinner, then head out to the evening concert and jam session.

The seminar features an international team of outstanding performers and teachers: Barry Green (piano), Julian Argüelles (sax and wind), Jeremy Brown (bass), Stephen Keogh (drums), Guillermo Rozenthuler (voice), Felix Gibbons (percussion) and Dave Mitchell (guitar).

This course aims to to offer high quality, inspiring tuition for instrumentalists and vocalists from all backgrounds, provide a creative environment where musicians can share ideas and learn from each other, develop overall musicianship - with particular emphasis on time, touch, tone and ensemble playing and to deepen one's understanding of Latin music and Jazz...

Learn more about the workshop, the teachers, program and the application procedure at:

Global Music Foundation

It's never too late!

The poll showed that sax is your favorite instrument, although the piano was quite close! Considering that it's my favorite instrument too, I've decided to share a story with you. Something that happened very recently and it was a big thing for me. Some know it, some don't, but actually sax is my secret passion. I started music school when I was 7 years old and I really wanted to learn how to play the piano. After finishing the primary school I wanted to change my instrument and start learning saxophone. However, my parents thought it was too expensive to buy yet another instrument and told me to stick to the piano. Which I did. But the fact is that this was my big wish and until today it remained something that I've always wanted to do but later on thought it was too late to start anything now.

Afterwards I met many people who simply started learning how to play certain instruments for fun. I know plenty of musicians who can play several instruments, with one that is primary of course. I met one Dutch lady, who plays tenor sax but decided to try baritone, just for fun.

I thought - Man, she really has the guts, to start such a thing in her age. Especially such a big instrument which is not easy to play! Then why on earth can't I? Honestly I've already given up on this dream of mine and thought I'd never learn. But this question remains - WHY NOT? It's never too late!

So I decided - I'm going to find a teacher and try it! There was a workshop for sax players recently held by one of the top sax players in Croatia - Sasa Nestorovic - so I decided to check it out. I thought I was going to consult him on some things. Like which sax to buy, which teacher to ask, how to do it, and all those things one has to know when starting. He was thrilled that a girl wants to play the tenor so he invited me on stage in front of everyone to try it! And there I was in a club called SAX (imagine that...), holding a Selmer jazz tenor sax, scared to death that I won't be able to play a sound and he's coaching me how to do it. After many squeaking sounds I managed to get a sound! And everybody clapped and took photos of this historical moment! This was a moment to remember and it made me really proud to know that my dream came true. I will definitely remember this forever!

This is only the beginning. The next step, get a sax and a teacher and kick ass!

So if you're wondering what it would be like to try something you've always wanted to try and never had the guts, TRY IT! You will love it and remember - it's never too late...

Jazzg3 - Zagreb Jazz Festival

I have been telling you about jazz festivals around, but never mentioned anything about jazz in Croatia, so I have decided to tell you about the 3rd Zagreb Jazz Festival! Yes, we have a festival too! This year, third in a row, we have the opportunity to hear great musicians from all over the world. Last year the highlight was the appearance of the jazz legend Wayne Shorter, along with Joe Lovano, James Blood Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Pee Wee Ellis and Brian Blade.

This year, Chick Corea & Bela Fleck who will perform on the 2nd November, Joshua Redman Trio, on the 3rd and Ornette Coleman Quartet on the 4th.

Chick Corea is one of the most important and most popular jazz pianists in the past 40 years, an influential protagonist of fusion jazz and a composer who includes ethno and classical elements into his music. During his career he has received 14 Grammies, two of which were for his album "The Ultimate Adventure" (2007). He will be joined by Bela Fleck, a virtuoso benjo player.

Joshua Redman is a popular tenor sax player of his generation, often compared to older cats like Dexter Dordona i Sonny Rollins. Son of Dewey Redmana, a distinguished tenor sax player who worked with the great Ornette Coleman, an important figure for avant-garde jazz, got his spotlight in the media right after the release of his first album, so in 1993 the Rolling Stone and Down Beat proclaimed him the new artist of the year. His colleagues Pat Metheny and Chick Corea, with whom he performed in the '90s, praise him as well. A decade and a half later, he becomes an equally huge performer and justifies all the compliments he was welcomed with when he entered the scene.

Being the initiator of avant-garde jazz and starting a new chapter in the history of jazz, alt sax player, violinist and a composer, Ornette Coleman, is one of the cultural icons of the 20th century. He got a Pulitzer prize for music, for the first time given to a record, Coleman's concert album "Sound Grammar", as well as a Grammy award for the life achievement.

As you can see, it is worth coming! Hope to see you there from 2nd to 4th November in Zagreb, Croatia!

Who is Mark Levine?

When I started learning jazz I asked my teacher to recommend me some good material to study from, considering I was only classically trained in music, to understand jazz better. She said - Get the Mark Levine book "Jazz Theory"!

I played the piano too, but only classical music, and I asked my teacher - How can I learn this jazz stuff? She said - Get the Mark Levine book "Jazz Piano"!

I started to wonder - who is this Mark Levine character?! Not only my teacher but other musicians and other teachers said the same thing. They even used some material from his books, so I had to check it out. I can now say that I possess all his books and I finally get it.

This guy made it much easier for everyone by writing books that bring jazz closer to people. I simply love the way he starts his Introduction in Jazz Theory:

A great jazz solo consists of:
1% magic

99% stuff that is

Explainable
Analyzable
Categorizeable
Doable

This book is mostly about 99% stuff.

There is no one single, all inclusive "jazz theory". In fact, that's why the subject is called jazz theory rather than jazz truth. The only truth is in the music itself.

Ok, so this sound interesting already. He's honest, and says it the way it is. He says that most of what he has learned is from the masters themselves, by transcribing directly from the recordings. He also learned from musicians that knew it better by spending time with them and learning from experience. I totally agree with this fact. You may study for years in various schools, through various books, but the most valuable experience is really when you learn from someone that has the experience and can show you how to do it.

Mark began playing jazz as a teenager in Daytona Beach, Florida. Continuing his education in Boston and New York, Mark studied with Hall Overton, Herb Pomeroy and Jaki Byard, before moving to California in 1966.

A key phase in Mark's education was a year spent in Woody Shaw's quartet. "Every night was serious school," says Mark.

Mark spent significant time working with Joe Henderson, Blue Mitchell, David Liebman and Harold Land, composing all the while. Joe recorded two of Mark's tunes on "Canyon Lady," the late tenor giant's only Latin jazz album. Mark returned the favor by playing two of Joe's classic compositions, "Inner Urge," and "A Shade Of Jade," on his 2000 release, "Serengeti."

Mark Levine has played/recorded with: Woody Shaw, Mongo Santamaria, Joe Henderson, Willie Bobo, Bobby Hutcherson, Moacir Santos, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Wallace Roney, Tito Puente, Milt Jackson, Francisco Aguabella, Harold Land, David Liebman, Blue Mitchell, Pete Escovedo, James Moody, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Fortune, Eddie Harris, Stefon Harris, Eddie Henderson, Conrad Herwig, Clark Terry, Ingrid Jensen, Charlie Rouse, Bobby Watson, Chet Baker, Philip Harper, Mark Murphy, Art Pepper, Julian Priester, Bobby Shew, Steve Turre, Madeline Eastman, and Poncho Sanchez. So I can say, let's hear what this guy has to say since many people already seem to have accepted his views anyway.


Check out more info about Mark Levine and his work:

Mark Levine Official website

Music wish

Don't you just love the smarties that come to you asking for music wishes? Yeah, like I know it all! I actually admire those guys who play everything people ask them to. It's incredible how you can have such a vast repertoire and be flexible about it. The other night we played at one fancy banquet and two of the guests came up to us and said that the lady who organized the event had a birthday and they wanted to surprise her with a song. They asked us to play a Tom Jones tune! We say - but we play jazz and bossa nova only! We don't know that kind of stuff! - Uhm. Ok. How about some Billie Holiday tune?
I didn't know what she meant, so I asked - You want one that she herself composed or her interpretation of some tune? I mean, come on! We play jazz standards. Better yet, we play early jazz stuff. She sang those tunes man...

Jazz people, luckily, don't have to take wishes - unless it's a jazz standard of course. But the problem is that people don't really know what jazz standards are. Even jazz cannot be classified as one thing. Jazz varies depending on the time period through which it evolved, so to ask a jazz person to play a tune that you feel like hearing now would be a difficult task. What if the musicians play fusion and you ask them to play Tin Roof Blues? Ok, they might know it but maybe it's just not their thing and they wouldn't want to play it. Every jazzer should know jazz standards but with so many of them, how can you pick a tune? Unless they have a real book or two to play it from! Cause you can't possibly know them all.

I must admit I love the fact that we don't play "covers" and that we are not so flexible. Especially if you are a singer. You can simply say - sorry, it's not in my key. :) If I wanted to be an entertainer who plays all kinds of events (weddings included!) with all sorts of music styles, then I wouldn't be doing jazz.

Anyway, this is the good thing about being a jazz musician.
We don't take wishes - we play jazz! ;)

Rules for sax players at a jam session!

Here are some things you should know about if you're a sax player who is planning on going to a jam session!

King Koeller gives advice to sax players...

1. Don't be a solo hog. Say what you have to say in as few choruses as possible.

2. Don't cut another soloist off by jumping in.

3. If you don't know the tune, don't solo. Nobody wants to hear a person who hasn't paid their dues on their horn make a complete fool of himself by trying to make every one think he knows how to play.

4. Don't tell the leader what to do. It's their Jam. Not yours. You can always get your own jam someday.

5. Know when to play.

6. Know when to sit down and chill out and enjoy the other players.

7. Have respect for the other soloists ideas by not doodling' around on your ax when they are playing.

8. If the other players start to riff behind the soloist, then go ahead and join in, but remember the balance, don't cover the soloist up.

9. Remember the solo order so when fours come up, everybody gets a turn.

10. The Bass doesn't need a solo on every tune.

11. If there is more than one horn present don't all play the melody in unison. Use different harmony parts and chord tones to create interest.

12. When playing a Ballad, split up the choruses in half, so the tune isn't an hour long.

13. Don't insist on staying up on stage all night. Play your 3 or 4 songs and make room for the other soloists who haven't played yet.

14. Never be critical of another person on the bandstand. If you have something to say to someone about their pitch, tone, sense of time, or what ever, wait until the break.

15. Never be a mike hog. Always share.

16. Don't call tunes in order to impress somebody. No one wants to hear Carla Bley Tunes with no Bar Lines performed at the speed of Cherokee. Or Anthony Braxton tunes performed with a polka feel.

17. Learn some tunes that you love, and do them.

18. Don't judge other people's tunes. If you hate the song Stella by Starlight, instead of complaining about it, go sit down and take a break.

19. As a horn player, when the singer sings don't play. It's ok to fill in between their phrases as long as it's done tastefully.

20. Use space. Don't play every Jamie Abersold lick that you know in the first three minutes. Save some ideas for later.

21. Be Mature. A jam is supposed to be about mutual respect for all the players regardless of ability, and not just a cutting contest. There is no room for "Higher, louder, faster," types of players who want to show off.

22. If the person ahead of you just took 8 choruses on the blues, don't try to "better" him by playing more if you have nothing to say.

23. Play in tune with each other. Don't have the attitude that "I'm right, Everyone else is Flat".

24. When ending a tune, look to the Bass or piano player for signs as to which type of ending will be used. Is it the 3 times a charm ending? Or that everybody stops at the same time with tight cut off ending? Is the rhythm section going to put a turn around at the end and vamp for a while ending? Turn on your radar.

If you have more ideas - feel free to share them with us!

What is a jam session?

A jam session is a musical act where musicians gather and play (or "jam") without extensive preparation or arrangements.

The origin of the term jam in this context can be traced back to the 1920s. According to the Online Dictionary of Etymology, the term originally appeared ca. 1929, referring to a "short, free improvised passage performed by the whole band". The derivation of this usage is obscure, but like other novel terms that came into English through jazz music — such as the terms "hip", "hep" and "hepcat" — it is possible that it ultimately derives from the West African Wolof language.

The word 'jam' can be more loosely used to refer to any particularly inspired or improvisational part of a musical performance, especially in rock and jazz music. Jam sessions, however, are generally for the benefit of the performers and not part of a public performance.

Jam sessions are often used to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression chart suggested by one participant, or may be wholly improvisational. Jam sessions can range from very loose gatherings of amateurs to sophisticated improvised recording sessions intended to be edited and released to the public.

The New York jazz scene during World War II was famous for its after-hours jam sessions. One of the most famous was the regular after-hours jam at Minton's Playhouse in New York City that ran in the 1940s and early 1950s. The Minton's jams were a fertile meeting place and proving ground for both established soloists like Ben Webster and Lester Young, and the younger jazz musicians who would soon become leading exponents of the bebop movement, including Thelonious Monk (Minton's house pianist), Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. The Minton's jams were legendary for their highly competitive "cutting contests", in which soloists would try to keep up with the house band and outdo each other in improvisation skill. In recent years, some restaurants, bars, and clubs have been featuring jam session nights, where either bands come in and play, or soloists play with a band who has already played at the location. "Open mic nights" are common also, which usually feature only a singer, or piano and vocal together.

London Jazz Festival 2007 (16th-25th Nov.)

If you are wondering where to go to listen to some good jazz, I would definitely suggest - London! We all know it's an intercultural city with many different places to see and people from all over the world. It's a blend of different influences, but most importantly - there is plenty of jazz! There are many jazz clubs and places to listen to jazz, as well as many amazing musicians, that you can find even at jam sessions that take place all over the town. Apart from gigs, jams and concerts there are many festivals going on. I would like to dedicate this article to the London Jazz Festival which takes place in November (16th-25th).

This is the 15th year that this festival is held in London, every year bringing exciting new events, that often include important musicians from the jazz scene. Some of the great people that you can see there are Sonny Rollins ("the greatest tenor ever"), Charlie Haden ("the world's greatest jazz bassist"), who will mark the Quartet West's 20th anniversary and Joshua Redman, one of the most vital figures in jazz today. There will also be a special concert dedicated to the music of Ella Fitzgerald on the 90th anniversary of her birth. ‘We All Love Ella’ brings together some of the worlds greatest vocalists and the BBC Concert Orchestra in a homage to the life and music of the first lady of jazz.

Chick Corea’s collaboration with virtuoso banjo player Bela Fleck makes for an unusual and eclectic pairing, Fred Hersch Trio perform music from their new album and Scotland’s Brian Kellock performs at the Floral Hall in the Royal Opera House.

We will also have the opportunity to hear Cape Verde's amazing singer Cesaria Evora, performing music from her new album, alongside Robert Plant’s guitarist Justin Adams, a Latin jazz night at the Roundhouse from the Fania All-Stars and a performance from legendary flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia.

Apart from the main program there will also be plenty of concerts and additional events in various clubs throughout the city. Be sure to check them out!

As you can see, plenty of great musicians in one place make this an event that should be on your to-do list!

More information about the festival:
London Jazz Festival 2007

Latin Jazz

What is Latin Jazz really? We know about Latin music and we know about Jazz, but the mix of the two? It's actually a wonderful mix of the two styles, as the name suggests it.

Latin jazz is the general term given to music that combines rhythms from African and Latin American countries with jazz and classical harmonies from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and United States.

The two main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian and Afro-Cuban.

• Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova
• Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz includes salsa, merengue, songo, son, mambo, Timba, bolero, charanga and cha cha cha.

One of the contribution of Latins (Latinos in Spanish) to America, Latin jazz was further popularized in the late 1940s. Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton began to combine the rhythm section and structure of Afro-Cuban music, exemplified by Machito and His Afro-Cubans, whose musical director Mario Bauza created the first Latin jazz composition "Tanga" on May 31, 1943, with jazz instruments and solo improvisational ideas. On March 31, 1946, Stan Kenton recorded "Machito," written by his collaborator/ arranger Pete Rugalo, which is considered by many to be the first Latin jazz recording by American jazz musicians.The Kenton band was augmented by Ivan Lopez on bongos and Eugenio Reyes on maracas. Later, on December 6th of the same year, Stan Kenton recorded an arrangement of the Afro-Cuban tune The Peanut Vendor with members of Machito's rhythm section. In September of 1947, Dizzy Gillespie collaborated with Machito conga player Chano Pozo to perform the "Afro-Cuban Drums Suite" at Carnegie Hall. This was the first concert to feature an American band playing Afro-Cuban jazz and Pozo remained in Gillespie's Orchestra to produce "Cubana Be, Cubana Bop" among others.

In comparison with traditional jazz, Latin jazz employs straight rhythm, rather than swung rhythm. Latin jazz rarely employs a backbeat, using a form of the clave instead. The conga, timbale, güiro, and claves are percussion instruments which often contribute to a Latin sound.

Samba originated from nineteenth century Afro-Brazilian music such as the Lundu. It employs a modified form of the clave. Bossa Nova is a hybrid music based on the samba rhythm, but influenced by European and American music from Debussy to US jazz. Bossa Nova originated in the 1960s, largely from the efforts of Brazilians Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, and American Stan Getz. Its most famous song is arguably The Girl from Ipanema sung by Gilberto and his wife, Astrud Gilberto.

Latin jazz music, like most types of jazz music, can be played in small or large groups. Small groups, or combos, often use the Be-bop format made popular in the 1950s in America, where the musicians play a standard melody, many of the musicians play an improvised solo, and then everyone plays the melody again. In Latin jazz bands, percussion often takes a center stage during a solo, and a conga or timbale can add a melodic line to any performance.

(resources used - wikipedia)

Learn more about Latin Jazz:

Latin Jazz Network

Latin Jazz Online Radio

Latin Jazz Club

Jazz Festival Sarajevo 2007

Considering the fact that I live in Croatia I would like to inform the world about jazz happenings in this area. The festival that I would like to recommend is not in Croatia but is nearby. I'm talking about the Jazz Festival in Sarajevo. The festival has proven to be a high quality event with amazing musicians that have already taken part in it, and still we can be sure we will not be disappointed. There is something for every taste. You can find traditional jazz, modern jazz, funky, acid jazz, traditional music, world music...it's a blend of styles with taste and great sound.

It all started in 1997 with only 8 performers and this year is the 10 year anniversary where we will have the opportunity to see and hear 13 groups/musicians from all over the world. In the past we can mention some names that might be familiar to you like John Scofield Trio, Ravi Coltrane Group, Al Foster Quartet, Dennis Rollins, Maria João & Mario Laginha, etc. This year there will be musicians from different parts of the world, such as Aziza Mustafa Zadeh (Azerbaijan), Joshua Redman Trio (USA), Maria João (Portugal), Sidsel Endresen (Norway), Mercan Dede & Secret Tribe (Canada/Turkey), etc. Find out more about the program on this page - http://www.jazzfest.ba/

This year the festival will be held from 31st October to 4th November on various locations in the city. This is an opportunity not only to listen to great music, but also to visit Sarajevo which is an amazing city with unique culture and friendly people. You can only enjoy while you're there and if you like to eat well too, you will be pleasantly surprised!

SEE?
There is jazz in the Balkans too! :)

More about SARAJEVO