Phrasing Is Paramount
Joni Mitchell’s Grammy performance this year reminds us that phrasing is paramount in musical interpretation.
Recommended Reading/Listening
2023 Roundup: Music and Other Media
Recordings, shows, films, podcasts – here’s the media I recommend from this year.
2023 Roundup: Books
I read some great books in 2023. Here are a few favorites.
My Christmas Favorites
Here’s my top Christmas album list.
50 Years Ends Tonight
Let us all salute the vocal harmony juggernaut that is The Manhattan Transfer.
Intros And Endings
How do you learn the right way to start and end tunes in the jazz tradition?
Säje: The Album
Säje is one of the best things happening in vocal music today.
Who To Listen To Part 2
It matters who you choose to listen to. As I wrote yesterday, when my students are learning a jazz standard, I work hard to impress on them the importance of targeted listening. This is, after all, an oral tradition, and we can only sing these songs well if we understand […]
Who To Listen To When You’re Learning A Song
It matters who you choose to listen to. When my students are learning a jazz standard, I work hard to impress on them the importance of targeted listening. This is, after all, an oral tradition, and we can only sing these songs well if we understand that tradition. Even as […]
Live Vocal Jazz
A recent request from the brilliant composer/conductor David Von Kampen in the Facebook Vocal Jazz Educators group sent me down a rabbit hole, so I’m sharing the request and my answer here. I ended up with two playlists. One from the pros and one from academic groups. Enjoy! (Note: I […]