Style > Jazz
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans!!!
DaNatiMaestro:
Hello all,
I just finished watching a 5 part video series on YouTube called The Universal Mind of Bill Evans. It's a very enlighting and mind-opening conversation with the great jazz pianist Bill Evans as he talks about The Creative Process and Self-Teaching. Honestly, this video series has changed the way I think about music and life in general. Not only was Bill Evans a musical genius but he was a great mind as well. These clips have arguable one of the greatest Jazz Pianist ever talking about improvising, altering harmonies and displays some of his playing. My whole thought process and approach to music has been changed by watching this.
This is one of the best things that you'll watch from a music standpoint. I have alot of instructional gospel music DVDs and none of them have spoken to me like this video series has.
One of the biggest points that I've taken away from watching this is that so often we are wrapped up in learning musical STYLES, Urban Worship, Neo-Soul, Talk Music, Preacher Chords, Shout Music, etc. When really our focus and energies should be emersed in learning principles and concepts that we've extracted from those styles that we can use to develop our OWN STYLE that we all have inside of us. Part of the joy and excitement of music is developing your own sound and style based on principles and fundamental building blocks. We should learn to extract the principles separate from some ones playing style and use those as the building block to take our playing to the next level. T-Block and so many others on LGM do this the right way by teaching principles and fundamentals separate from style.
Here are the links to the video series:
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 1/5 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm6V7bWnVpw
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 2/5 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihw6K7jiAS4
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 3/5 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=basa3P38BRQ
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 4/5 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKAEMkbDXfE
The Universal Mind of Bill Evans - 5/5 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRuhSrLyZOs
I hope this challenges someone else because it has certainly challenged me!
Feel free to post any thoughts you may have based on the clips here!!
darkwing:
Bill Evans has been a favorite of mine ever since my first Jazz piano instructor turned me on to him. I will definitely check these out! He's got some great inner voice movement that would sound killer if applied to the organ. A bunch of these inner voice movement progressions are found in "Stylistic II-V7-I's for Jazz Keyboardists" by Luke Gillespie. I lost my book and need to reorder it!
DW
chevonee:
Thanks for sharing this DaNati, it is indeed very challenging :o. These videos sort of remind me of the principles that the Hannon exercises teach, in that they really challenge you to step outside of the box. Fundaments can sometimes be very boring but if you can get through that tough period of time, you can really separate yourself from other musicians. God bless you DaNati and thanks again for sharing. ;)
Rjthakid:
A deeper understanding of music and concepts is FAR more valuable than a progression or a lick.
thanks for this Maestro
DaNatiMaestro:
--- Quote from: darkwing on December 31, 2007, 05:57:34 AM ---Bill Evans has been a favorite of mine ever since my first Jazz piano instructor turned me on to him. I will definitely check these out! He's got some great inner voice movement that would sound killer if applied to the organ. A bunch of these inner voice movement progressions are found in "Stylistic II-V7-I's for Jazz Keyboardists" by Luke Gillespie. I lost my book and need to reorder it!
DW
--- End quote ---
Great minds must think alike because I have that same book! And yes it is very good! I really like the section on Altered Dominant Chords & Scales Lesson #3.
Bill Evans had gotten to a point in his playing that he was able to fully express himself in every way through his instrument. I think that is the ultimate goal of playing and really art in general. To get so imersed in the joy and excitement that is playing piano or organ to the point that the instrument becomes an extension of you so that what and who you are comes out on the instrument.
DW continue to bless others with the great knowledge, playing principles and fundamentals that you have to offer!
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