Major: Piano Blues and Boogie-Woogie
We'll begin with a review of the basics -- common chord progressions (8-bar, 12-bar, 16-bar etc) and left hand patterns. We'll touch on different approaches to playing in major and minor keys. Then we'll focus on making it all sound professional, with different ‘turnarounds’ and voicings and elegant ways to get from one chord to another, plus a bit of what the old-time pros called "artifice" (glissandos, trills, fast runs, etc). Rhythmically we'll focus on swing, shuffle and rhumba. We’ll learn the basic boogie-woogie left-hand styles of Pinetop, Pete Johnson, Amos Milburn and others. And we will emphasize "playing attention," the art of listening to others while you play music together, and of course what to do when it's your time to solo. We will also prepare a song to present at the student concert.
Please note: all piano students should bring a pair of headphones. A cheap pair is fine, as long as you can plug it into your keyboard. We will try to allow some time at the end of each class for students to practice what they've been learning, and students will want to play along with some of the recordings we listen to.