Israel: Journey Through The Real Book

[@edawgisawesome]

What a gem of a KZbin channel

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Doge! I'm glad you're enjoying these videos - have fun with your music :)

[@adambartone9193]

The bill evans recording is one of my classic upright practice tunes for the minor blues.

[@rickrocketts183]

Thanks for another great video Ron. Those timestamps you added are super helpful too. I was just enjoying the tune and then found them and it really helped me go back and get what you were doing.

[@rondrotos8347]

I'm glad you're finding these videos helpful, Rick. This one is especially meaningful for me, since it's from the Birth of the Cool sessions and I was Gerry Mulligan's assistant from 1987-88. Wonderful music!

[@rickrocketts183]

That’s awesome. What a learning experience that must have been.

[@rondrotos8347]

@@rickrocketts183 It was incredible! I went to Europe 3 times with him when he performed at all the jazz festivals, and I got to meet so many great musicians, like Dizzy Gillespie. Also, hearing Gerry play all the time was like being back in the 40s-50s when you could hear the jazz greats on a daily basis.

[@rickrocketts183]

That’s amazing. Thanks for sharing.

[@ImpulseGenerator]

Love this, well-played. I am practicing my bass lines with your playing on here!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

I'd enjoy hearing you play along with this!

[@ImpulseGenerator]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 Exciting! If I record something I will let you know and post it on my creator KZbin channel.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@ImpulseGenerator Please let me know if you do!

[@bramvanderhoeven]

Hey Ron, I improvised some upright bass over your version of Israel. It was more difficult than I thought because of the fluctuating tempo, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. I am a jazz bass beginner so extra curious about your thoughts. Here's the vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmiYc5uIfrOhf8k&ab_channel=BramvanderHoeven

[@BartolomeoIrnerio]

Thank you for the comprehensive lesson! The chapters/timestamps are also greatly appreciated. That way we really get the structure of the lesson.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks for the feedback about the timestamps. They're fun to make!

[@ninjapolitician6994]

I've always loved the Bill Evans Trio version of this song from their album Explorations. It's one of the few versions that manages to not get weighed down in the dense harmonies in my opinion, thanks to LaFaro and Motian's otherworldly playing. Hearing the history of the tune also really helps to give me a new appreciation for the tune. I had never heard of Claude Thornhill before watching this video, so I paused in the middle and went and listened to some of his work, and you're right that it's absolutely gorgeous. It's a new band that I'm excited to spend some time with, so thank you for sharing the history and introducing myself and anyone else to them. And as always, your analysis, examples, and playing have helped open new avenues for me to take into my own playing. Keep up the good work, big man. It means a lot from one musician to another.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Very much appreciated, and I'm glad you're enjoying the Thornhill Band. They're a gem!!!

[@benmilstein5654]

this was a helpful and enlightening video. thanks!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Hi Ben, I'm glad you liked this and it helped with your music. I'm learning a lot from making these videos!

[@gpwaltz]

absolutely brutal timing with this one 😓 👏👏

[@geoffmontgomery4838]

Thanks Ron.Very inspiring.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Geoff - great tune to play!

[@AFSoar01]

Love the songs! Love the stories!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks John! Give it try!

[@brendaboykin3281]

Thanx, Maestro. Almost halfway to your end goal of 400. THAT must be celebrated when you hit 200. Lovely song, beautiful presentation. Your Journey is very inspiring. Thanks for sharing the backstory of each song. 🌹🌹🌹😎

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Yes, almost halfway!!!!

[@diamondfuller9385]

Yeah man

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Hey Diamond!

[@Karsten_Kramer]

Great lesson! Gave me some inspiration for my gig on Saturday, where I have to play this tune. Thanks! 🙂

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Have a great gig, Karsten!

[@nickcollis4954]

Awesome playing as usual Ron....great tune and thanks for the heads up about it being a minor blues !

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Nick! Yeah - the blues form is kind of disguised!

[@debbiewarwick2036]

Awe inspiring! P.S. Thanks for putting in the Chapter Headings/Breaks. They help explain your thought process while listening to you play.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Debbie! I'm glad you're enjoying these!

[@jeffreydelisle7337]

I love this song. Outstanding analysis and a great history lesson. I was transfixed by your left hand treatment!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Jeffrey - it's such a fascinating combination of minor and major blues! Lots of LH possibilities.

[@arthursantiago100]

Great job Ron. I’ve always been intrigued by this tune. Love the idea of taking a breather during the improv. Do you know what inspired this tune ? What was this about ( other than the obvious ). Thanks. You’re a real renaissance man.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Arthur! I don't know the exact history of this tune, other that it was recorded for the Birth of the Cool sessions, a few years after World War II.

[@golighrunes7984]

This was great, I hadn't attempted playing this before. Your walk through and breakdown was really helpful.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks, and I'm glad this helped you get into the tune!

[@marshacarm]

Thanks for the history/context. I love the openness of the walking bass section of your improv, too. As a technician, you want the ability to extrude as long a line as possible, but technique and musicianship should not be confused. Too much mindless Bird worship, perhaps.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Agreed, Marsha! The key word you used is "mindless," sing Bird himself played relatively short phrases. His longer phrases are often several short phrases strung together.

[@rbtubin]

Hi Ron I love what you are doing. The knowledge and stories you are passing on to everyone is amazing! Q. When you learn a song do you learn the words? Like Mulligan did (eg. Have you met Miss Jones)

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks!!! I've played with so many vocalists over the years that I have at least a general idea of the lyrics to most songs I play. Also by listening to Ella, etc, and playing in Broadway situations. If I don't know the lyric, ten yes, sometimes I'll sing it a bit. It changes how we play these songs.

[@rbtubin]

Thanks for getting back to me. Imo, I find some songs I can learn the words almost instantly and never forget them and other songs it takes years for them to stick. Eg. Lullaby of Birdland doesn't want to stick but Masquerade I learned in no time. Learning the words helps me to learn the phrasing and where to breath. Q. Do you think it's true... "if you don't know the meaning of a word, you shouldn't use it"? Is that the same for a words to a jazz song?

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@rbtubin I wouldn't spend too much time on the lyrics to Lullaby of Birdland. It was originally an instrumental and I think the lyrics were added after. In any case, they're just a little "fluff." I know the lyrics to some songs but only a few key phrases and the general "gist" for other.

[@TheRealSandleford]

Cool. I was taking a look into quartal harmony I see if you just remove the 5th and replace with fourth in seventh chord you now have all quartal!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Yes - remove the 3rd too.

[@TheRealSandleford]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 I see they arent all 4ths after all unless they are root inversion. What you said, I see that the 5 chord with lowered 5th is the same chord as the 1 chord with a raised 3rd

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@TheRealSandleford Yeah, quartal harmony lessons the feeling of the functional harmony.

[@TheRealSandleford]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 I have heard that said before. I think the guy that got me started playing music. Then my teacher was saying that quartal was like Tyner and thirds are Evans. Anyway supposedly a more modern type of sound. My teacher studied with Chuck Wayne, a guitarist who did a lot with Shearing. Stopped lessons when he got parkinsons. But now so many wonderful teachers online, have been trying to keep it going!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@TheRealSandleford Yep, although Evans played the famous So What voicings on Kind of Blue which are mostly 4ths. I met Chuck Wayne one evening in the 1980s. Very nice guy!

[@spacemanbose]

Amazing work. You should have millions of views for your work, unfortunately in depth videos like this can rech a minor range of people. Like bill Evans said, the majority of people Is satisfied with what they can grasp on the surface. But there will always be a maybe 10% who wants to explore deeper

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks! Actually this is my goal - to only reach those, like you and me, who truly want to go deep into these tunes and this music. Much appreciated :)

[@spacemanbose]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 thank to you sir. In my opinion you are one of the finest jazz channels on yt. Best wishes from Venice

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

@@spacemanbose Thank you! I spent a great day in Venice in 1987 when I was Gerry Mulligan's assistant. His band was touring jazz festivals in northern Italy (Perugia, etc.) and some of us took the train to Venice on a day off.

[@paulmidi9207]

Ron what do you set the metronome on?

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

The heartbeat.

[@JohnEpto-ng6ml]

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[@JohnEpto-ng6ml]

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