Blue Monk: Journey Through The Real Book #38 (Jazz Piano Lesson)

Combine bebop, blues and stride piano on this Thelonious Monk blues.
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Thanks for joining me on this musical adventure, and please LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE this video with your musical friends.
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For Zoom and Skype lessons, please email me at [e-mail].
Enjoy the journey, and "let the music flow!"
Ron

[@christophersimpson5243]

❤ wonderful

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Chris!

[@abbbee8918]

Apart from the over use of tremolo (particularly at the beginning), I loved it.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Interesting topic. Those tremolos helped me get away from my usual way of playing the tune. They tilled the soil for what came after.

[@marklaser6293]

Another gem! Love the E vs. F and the straight 8ths commentary. Top view rules!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks, Mark! It's funny how we can hear a tune like this with fresh ears after playing it for years.

[@singforukraineandjustice]

You make me wanna take up the piano again. And I don't have one. But I still enjoy listening to your analyses and demos. 💥

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks, and I'm glad these videos are helping you keep your musical flame going until you get a piano again!

[@singforukraineandjustice]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 I have a guitar, a darbuka, and my voice for now. Thanks!

[@Angel-jv5zv]

Love your Monk videos man, that's what I was looking for 👍

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks!!! Glad you like these, and I hope you're playing some Monk yourself!

[@Angel-jv5zv]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 I like how you break down Monk's songs. Actually not, I'm about to begin to play, Monk's music has inspired me to begin.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@Angel-jv5zv Excellent! Good luck and also learn simpler tunes, like Autumn Leaves and Take The A Train.

[@bills48321]

I love the stride playing on that.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks! Check out Marcus Roberts' version, where he plays stride too.

[@ryankcmusic5570]

Loved the little flurry at 6:07

[@rondrotos5285]

Thanks, Ryan! It's based on the diminished scale, and sort of outlines a G major triad over the Bb7 harmony.

[@Hudson510]

Thanks! F sounds “right.” But E sounds Monk. Of course I play out of an old RB.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Well said! I go both ways with it when I play the tune.

[@ryankcmusic5570]

What you did at 6:08 to 6:15 sounded way cool.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks, Ryan. That's something I like to do sometimes. It uses the diminished scale.

[@luiszuluaga6575]

Loved the improvisation and early on you hit a great circular phrase before going in deep. 🙌🏼

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Luis! It's one of those tunes that invites us to go deep, maybe because of how Monk himself played.

[@billygewin1154]

Dang that sounds good man. Thanks for this video.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Billy!!!

[@abbbee8918]

Loved the blues scale @8:00

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks!

[@lounote1]

Wow. Wonderful.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Louis!!!

[@solo_international777]

WOW!!!! Love the description and analysis, great playing as usual!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks so much! It's played a lot but with good reason!!!

[@juancarlosbravosandoval2515]

Aún no me meto de lleno a la teoría musical, pero estos vídeos son una joya!!!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thank you Juan :)

[@zuzuvalle]

Que espetáculo !!!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thank you, Tania!

[@andyquinn1125]

That E natural - Monk might have been thinking an A major sliding into the Bb. Try it.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Yes - possibly. It's a great sound, and very classic!

[@cosmicwav]

Sometimes I don't finish your videos because I need to run to my keyboard and play the tune :)

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Yes - go for it!

[@diegootero4234]

3:18 7:23 excelent!! Great job!!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Diego!

[@danielgabrielli3411]

thanks for doin it

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

My pleasure!

[@Toracube]

Great channel !

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks very much!

[@peteypablo2081]

Wow! Very cool! How long until I can play like that following your lessons? ;) haha working on them everyday and enjoying them :)

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks!!! Yes - just keep on playing and having fun :)

[@emmanuelmartinez9953]

keep it up these are helping me a ton!!!!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Emmanuel! Keep practicing :)

[@robertosozio3425]

+KeyboardImprov nice lession

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Monk "A little different" Yes mate, I'd say....lol

[@odjobnibblelob3650]

I enjoyed the upbeat vibe. Some versions are a bit maudlin

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks! Monk played this at a "medium peppy" tempo.

[@odjobnibblelob3650]

Got better as you got into it IMO

[@ignatiusjackson235]

Needs more ELBOW.

[@composerdoh]

That E that you say you thought was wrong basically functions as a chromatic lower neighbor tone to the F in an inner voice, but it sort of sounds like an "incomplete lower neighbor." However, if you listen to the whole thing at full tempo and the overarching harmony, he uses a lot of complete chords which really function as chromatic neighbor and passing chords between the harmonies- those chromatic chords giving him his distinctive style. But your ear probably heard it as resolving to the F so it felt "wrong" when you read it on the page.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Could be. That makes a lot of sense.

[@composerdoh]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 You're welcome! I like your videos! I've been teaching this song to my classes and your commentary was interesting and helpful.

[@composerdoh]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 PS- I wish I had your piano chops. Or the time to practice enough to get them. :-( PPS- what kind of piano are you playing in this? It looks like a grand or baby grand, but the view of the fallboard in the "overhead" shot reminds me a lot of my ex-wife's piano.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@composerdoh It's a 1906 Mason and Hamlin grand, which I had restored.

[@jackjonesdrums42]

Burning

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks!