Remember that song "Zoot Suit Riot"? I recently discovered this footnote in swing era history: After a concert by the celebrated orchestra of drummer Gene Krupa, two of the band members, a pianist and sax player, were assaulted by sailors, apparently inspired by the events in Los Angeles. The band ...
Communication is a critical component of the success of a big band, and without, a band can easily crash and burn, or at the least, waste a lot of time and goodwill. Difference between "jazz" and a "jazz orchestra" “Jazz” implies improvisation and spontanaeity. This is often true in the ...
Sol Barzune passed away on September 18, 2013. Sol was not a musician. But often in a musician's life there are people who are influential in other ways. Sol was born in 1918 in Dallas, TX, and spent his entire life there. His mother was born in Poland. He fought ...
It was almost ten years ago to this day that I started classes at Berklee. I think my first course was probably Ear Training, on a Monday at 9am. It was Ear Training 4. Apparently I got a perfect score on my ET entrance exam but Berklee insists that folks ...
Almost every young student I've ever taught has asked me about the feasibility of having a career in music. And most of them are already discouraged by family, friends, even other teachers. They think that the only viable options are to play your instrument, or teach, and that both pay ...
