How to listen to jazz: Intro to deep listening

In this season of school closures and social distancing, many educators have been tasked with converting their classrooms into an online format. Listening assignments are incredibly valuable and easy to implement in our new educational landscape.

Thomas Graham

Published on April 17th, 2020

Music Education

General Music

Recent articles

The road to launching Downbeat Academy

What was the result the last time you searched for something music education-related on the web? If you’re like me and my confidants, the results were...less than fruitful.

Jory Tindall Greg Feingold Skyler Floe

Published on April 13th, 2020

How to listen to jazz: Listening webs

If someone wants to excel at any activity, it is necessary for them to observe the greatest practitioners of the craft. This is especially true of jazz. By immersing themselves in ...

Thomas Graham

Published on August 3rd, 2020

Enclosures: The genius and simplicity of Clifford Brown

Learn how to use a fundamental part of the jazz language, enclosures, by referencing how Clifford Brown uses them in his solos.

Jory Tindall

Published on May 1st, 2020

I transcribed. Now what?

If you’re like me, then there always seems to be a gap between the time you spend transcribing and your growth as an improviser.

Skyler Floe

Published on May 1st, 2020

How to shape your solos like Kurt Rosenwinkel

"Chords" is from Kurt Rosenwinkel's album The Remedy recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City. This solo encompasses a variety of pentatonic scale applications paired...

Skyler Floe

Published on February 20th, 2020

Why starting improvisation in beginning band is a necessity

Improvisation is an essential skill in today’s musical landscape. Professional musicians of all kinds are often expected to improvise whether on a “classical”, “jazz”, or “commerci...

Thomas Graham

Published on April 29th, 2020

4 tactics to getting and keeping the gig

Getting and keeping a regular gig as a sideman is a skill that presents a myriad of challenges. "Learn the music and you'll be fine" only goes so far.

Greg Feingold

Published on April 21st, 2020