A Master Class in Playing Jazz with Pianist Kenny Werner

In this clip from www.artistshousemusic.org - Jazz Piano great Kenny Werner conducts a master class in jazz piano at the famed Blue Note in New York. He addresses a wide variety of issues that jazz players on all instruments face - issues of confidence and mental preparation, techniques for better improvisation and for improving your ability to collaborate, and how to overcome the mind games that every musician plays with themselves over "what to play next?" and "does this sound good?" He also demonstrates his approach to music with several performances of standards and original compositions.

[@johnlopresti1739]

I learned more about practicing, listening, music, spirituality, and life in general in this video than all the books and videos I've read in the past two years. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.

[@peteinthepocket9208]

Thank you Kenny. I got my bass out, and whilst you were talking just thought about letting go and not trying to be awesome. It totally worked. Whilst watching this video - unreal. Kenny thank you again for giving me exactly what I needed at this time in my musical adventure.

[@ericharding92]

"There is a space in all of us where greatness lurks..." K Werner

[@WhatTheFlyinFudge]

He's 100% right. EVERY time I've ever played, thinking "Wow, I sound really good", I was totally 'out of my head'.

[@DM-vn8xg]

Thank you, Mr. Kenny Werner! I am a musical teacher with a classical education. You help me to keep on going the musician's way, because sometimes it's hard to stay inspired and productive in the each day routine, especially when I am always chasing perfect, concrete results. It was a discovery to me - the pleasure to play without judging myself. I am so grateful for this piano master class! Thank you! Do it more!❤️

[@victorparedes4863]

You are a "musical teacher"? Do you mean "music teacher"?

[@PhilipVassallo]

This is a great master class on jazz piano by Kenny Werner, whom I have seen before swinging at the Blue Note, NYC, with the Belgian harmonica jazz legend Toots Thielemans, and in the Village Vanguard, NYC, with the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, formerly the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band. Werner is as gifted a teacher as he is a musician.

[@ricaard]

Musical Jeet Kune Do, a philosophy to which I've adhered for years. Form without form, knowing the objective rather than the subjective, acting without thought, or ego, "being water, my friend..."

[@katrad333]

Priceless playing. Priced playing relates more to being influenced to like what the group likes so you will fit in, which mainly happens in youth and is often reflected through out ones life.

[@Guitfiddlejase]

That was really well spoken.

[@MainAttractionProd]

Thank you Mr. Warner. I have been struggling with my musical identity for some time now. To the point where I actually have given it up. Your clinic was so inspiring that I might consider trying it again. And this time through your insights, I feel I might be able to find myself in the music this time.

[@SonnyWalter]

I love this guy. He has the greatest insights and the most helpful suggestions.

[@roanmccormick2297]

Genius ..fascinating lecture, very helpful for all musicians.

[@torino429scj]

All the music was amazing, but the last piece was soul stirringly beautiful. Your music truly comes from that place within you where you must shed the self to get there. Many musician's work sounds contrived, but this is effortless grace. Thank you for this!

[@NUJAKKCITIE]

his playing is marvellous! just love it! pure soul!!

[@JazzHarmonica]

Ken you continue to inspire, serve and do it with Love. Thank you for this. Chris

[@quantametric]

Combining music and spirituality. Absolutely genius. This man is wisdom incarnate.

[@16yearoldwhiteboy]

wow i love the way he goes into depth they need more videos like this on youtube

[@bendavies1100]

His outlook is so refreshing. I really needed something like this!

[@Erkung]

I love his approach to music. Just let it come!

[@shermanjackson8519]

Best takeaway from this was: NOT THINKING WHEN PLAYING....just an amazing thought.

[@mstashride]

This applies to so much more than just music. Really psyched that I found this gem

[@pentest]

Great insight, thank you. The solo an hour in is inspiring.

[@TheBreathsmith]

Beautiful Playing. Beautiful Speaking. Here and Now. A very Wise Man.

[@Joedoriamusic]

So very cool, love this. Thanks for sharing this.

[@sanmarinojr]

The guy goes deeper then Bernstein's lectures and if you haven't watched those and you like this you should definitely check it out! Kenny obviously suggests we are in a 21st century crisis of art & soul cause of technology and the likes. This guy has a voice!

[@javierleutenegger]

leonard would be very interested ahah

[@MadSmokerBBQ]

wow!!! Brand new fan, I just love this guy!

[@AlexArcanum]

There is such a good vibe around this guy. Inspiring!

[@Yanzazzzz]

Kenny Werner es uno de los más creativos pianistas que escuché! con un estilo completamente propio, sus modulaciones métricas y todas las cosas que hace son maravillosas!

[@TrapEgroeg]

I am a bass guitar player and I like how Kenny reminds me of Victor Wooten, whose concepts are similar. For example, at 55:00 he says that there are no right notes and wrong notes. Very very inspiring.

[@fredericovinhasmusic]

great vision.... thank you

[@bgorrell]

Excellent - thanks for posting!

[@givingvoice1]

The Bruce Lee of performance and teaching others. I highly resonate with all he says. It's the highest truth in artistry!!!

[@franksalerno9516]

At about 37 minutes, I was reminded of a story I was told in Los Angeles by session musicians who lived and worked there in the 60's and 70's (some are still there today!) Neal Hefti was to write the Batman theme. According to the interview he gave John Burlingame, Hefti toiled for weeks trying to write something that fit the camp and tone of the show. He said he proudly landed on the 3 chord tune inspired by surf guitar, etc. He won a Grammy, etc. The story I heard from these guys (and for the credibility sake, they played on tons of stuff: Mancini, Goldsmith, Alan Silvestri, Quincy Jones, Nelson Riddle, countless movies … I connected with them as an alumni from the same music school) is this: Hefti wrote this thing he suffered over for awhile trying to best other TV themes and incorporate the sounds of Boplicity, etc. IN THE STUDIO, after a few hours of recording and everyone knowing it was not working (even the suits) - he quit on the piece and said something to effect of "Fine! Let's just do this rock and roll shit!" Made it up on the spot - almost in spite of the TV show. Which … I can understand not wanting that as part of your legacy - if it happened like that. But what a better inspirational story about letting go to the moment and trusting your hands/self to do the job.

[@xxmanx1]

Best version of Round Midnight I ever heard..i think ive heard most of them.

[@Winfried.Strauss]

a holistic view on making music!

[@craigschwartz234]

Kenny , You`ve mastered into part of the mind that splits our negative and positive apart from each other and float to a higher level that shares with our soul, very cool Thanks Kenny

[@AryaJenkins]

Absolutely. Teaching Jazz as Buddha. It's already perfect.

[@josallins1]

Outstanding!

[@xxmanx1]

Just amazing.

[@BrendanHengle]

I'm a guitar player, suck at piano, but this was still one of the most helpful videos I've seen that's helped my songwriting.

[@7550375503]

The refrigerator lick reminded me of the movie "Psycho".

[@misstiklyrique]

What a masterpiece! I'm an instant fan....btw, would love to perform at Blue Note one day.

[@yonimiller]

Deep & precise.

[@TheReturn2Life]

This changed my life

[@davidbonnin7162]

Thanks a lot for sharing

[@saxfish]

! What A CLASS !

[@gspotjazz]

This is great.

[@DesertFishHQ]

Amazingly deep and inspiring! He should give one of those TED talks !!!!

[@4tune889]

Great stuff

[@BlastBills]

Amazing great talent

[@LarsHansenArtTalents]

Imagine coming home from a jazz concert, and you can not turn on Leno. How great a thought

[@vernoky]

THANKS !!!

[@johnfumomusic]

thank you.

[@ArgoBeats]

what a great man

[@Bookssful]

wonderful

[@CrazyYeehah]

Listening is key. The only useful reason for practicing definite things over and over is acquiring cold technique and fingerings. Once that is established on a sufficient level, the ear must be your only guide. In fact it should be playing its role from the start, but it's usually hard to do while focusing on purely technical difficulties. Now if you pay attention and listen, you then realize that you can only truly play what you can hear. Listening and technique are always linked.

[@therealrussellsmyth]

Best video on youtube! Boom

[@vincentfn]

Great!

[@IndependentGeorge76]

what a great seminar - like a Taoist approach to jazz...

[@willshakeyou]

ahh!! thank you so much rrnewmed!!

[@bakters]

The guy is simply right, although he expresses himself in a difficult to understand way. If you would be interested in a more down to earth interpretation, most music happens in your subconscious part of the brain. When you are really good, or have this magic moment, your conscious part won't even interfere, and that's where you want to be. He tries to teach people how he gets "there". Useful skill to have, if you ask me.

[@geoffpeterstrio]

wow!!

[@zeljkogrilec5204]

I Like,very,very good...

[@janenew1220]

Love this video. Just learning piano and Kenny is an inspiration. Is there anyway to find out what the name of the piece he plays at (approx) 1:04:40 -- so beautiful. WOuld be something I'd love to try to learn eventually. THANKS!

[@SuperHOWARDL]

YES!!!!

[@SamadhiPrana]

Indeed sir

[@cranfillka]

-"John Cage died for our sins." Werner, Kenny 14:07 This is the most hilarious musical quip I've heard in a long while.

[@charlesridgell4449]

The Joseph Campbell idea, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us” applied here to music. Thanks Kenny!

[@manaseswaweru3126]

Hey..can someone please help me with what he is playing the first 3 minutes please..

[@persenaamarit]

Profound shit you got here, mr. Werner!

[@mikekaupa9190]

that guy's pretty good!

[@jroobz]

besides all the cat videos and stuff this is my favourite video on youtube

[@Chilajuana]

Does anyone know the song Kenny played at 1:04:42?

[@ns81]

The one thing I'll say is different people have different psychologies. Some people perform better under pressure. Some folks do well at jam sessions and auditions, but will have "off" musical days on low-pressure situations. And I think performance experience is the great equalizer. If you make it 10 years you'll have figured out a few ways of coping. But the underlying message of EM is sound.

[@willshakeyou]

Can somebody help me out with the name of the last song please?

[@evanbobrowski9262]

At 1:04:40...is that a tune? Or is he improvising?

[@oneman1970]

this guy is either the "yoda" of music or a nut... i love it.

[@JohnStraussmusic]

I love these clinic videos but please set up 2 mics. im sure the mix board has a second input for the people asking questions to have a mic. why just one mic?

[@RobinsonWith]

wow what are words

[@pencert]

He's a Jazz Bodhisattva.

[@purplepopel]

Fuck, this is too awesome

[@DyerDrums]

now if this were done 50 years ago the room would be filled with smoke.

[@7550375503]

"The Babbling Chef"

[@altologist]

the nuts call sign is yoda:)

[@CarltonMoxley]

This story about Charles Mingus That concert wasn't meant to be a practice session didn't tell the people I had a time Or didn't make it clear Beautiful concept to explains how people practice the Day he Got into a fightthat was at a different concert It was with Dizzy Gillespie Don't let the truthGet in the way of a good story

[@katlegom]

whats the tune called at 1:04:40??

[@ProfileP246]

did you ever find out what the song is called I love it to.

[@katlegom]

2banjbob nope.. :S

[@bluecrueful]

katlegom Dolphin Dance by Herbie Hancock

[@xxmanx1]

dolphin dance was the first tune...we are asking about the one an hour later. Anybody?

[@wimtaymans7133]

I hear it like "Fly me to the moon"

[@kimpollak]

This is cool! Check out Eric Vaughn - Eric is the ultimate well seasoned jazz pianist. He's brilliant. If you like this you will love Eric! You can find him on You Tube or kickstarter.

[@lkrauss100]

My teacher is always telling me to play the set licks I know over and over, but I also have to think about what sounds good, otherwise I can't get better. It's a confusing thing, jazz these days.

[@altologist]

and the smoke will be blue:)

[@MatthijsGeerts]

0:20

[@altologist]

and the smoke woulda bin blue:)

[@pobz100]

Yea yea, this is class.. just wish he's hold/develop some of the themes a little longer!!

[@thinkingtom]

Read "Zen and the Art of Archery"

[@ericharding92]

Practice is the careful study of that which you can not do well

[@Yadeehoo]

Intro sounded Bartokesque

[@morkus26]

1:16:07 Dark age.

[@filmcrew1551]

Hope you guys didnt miss the message. Wise advice here.

50 years ago?? As of July 2012, 27 states have enacted statewide bans on smoking in all enclosed public places....how about a few months ago :)

[@7550375503]

I can't find 'Chocolate Cake". I fear he ate all copies..

[@JazzKeyboardist1]

excellent, pull up your lawn chair society for some effortless mastery,,,,,

[@frankfeldman6657]

Reasonably thoughtful, but he could say it all in 5 minutes. They must be paying him by the word.

[@WilliamSlaght]

Listened. Enjoyed his speech, understood all his points, but nonetheless disagreed with over 90% of what he said such as his pseudo-philosophical statement without any strength or at times logic, yet I understand why people would be interested in this spiritual, freer, looser, abstract, anti-conformist, anti-intellectual, etc. approach to music. I believe in practice, concentration, thinking, analyzing, criticism and such to make your own natural talent blossom. "If dissonant notes are played and the player embraces them as consonant, the listener will also hear them as consonant!" I disagree because it mostly depends on what type of listener you're playing to. How you move those dissonances to consonances or other dissonances or into consonances with dissonance, etc. A lot to say. There's no means to go in more details to explain his comment as just wrong. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Buddy Rich, etc. They played effortless due to their efforts to become masters. I see old cats like Kenny who fall into the same kind of thought failing to realize all their efforts beforehand to reach the point where they don't need to think anymore, then they say "Ah! This is the secret! To not think!" and that isn't true at all. Many things Kenny says here goes against what Ted Greene, a genius educator, stated. Ted used to say "learn the sound of the chords you're about to play, train yourself, and expect it. Sure, it ruins the surprise of it, but it's definitely worth it. Makes you better at your craft of music." Etc. My two cents nevertheless. I nevertheless appreciate Kenny's playing a lot.

[@fullmoon7192]

Sounds like you've wasted 1.5+ hrs of your precious time and still didn't get it ? That's fine, not everybody has to ... ❀♥(~‿~)♥❀

[@WilliamSlaght]

***** Nah, I got it. I just disagree. How is it really that hard to get? Just asking. Getting/understanding it is much different than accepting/implicating it in your life though.

[@fullmoon7192]

LinkBulletBill I was told once: "When student is ready, the teacher will come". Well..., I had to wait quite a few years for that teacher to give me a lesson, but she showed up out of the blue and taught me what I needed to learn at that point of time. Kenny follows very old, universal wisdom. It doesn't matter if you agree with it or not. When you're ready, your teacher will find you. If you stubbornly keep refusing the obvious, you may have to wait 'til next lifetime. Good luck ❀♥(~‿~)♥❀

[@WilliamSlaght]

***** Your comment doesn't mean anything. Not only to me, but to humanity in general.

[@fullmoon7192]

LinkBulletBill It doesn't have to. That's alright with me. Peace... ❀♥(~‿~)♥❀