Love Is The Sweetest Thing: Journey Through The Real Book

[@hank60don]

I am really glad that you explained the connection between McCartney, Ray Noble and the 1930s cultural influence. Thank you. I really you enjoy your series.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Yes, it's an important connection and largely overlooked these days. But we can let it influence our music in a nice way!

[@debbiewarwick2036]

I don’t often comment but I do watch every one of your videos, frequently more than once. Love them. Keep up this important quest to do the entire Real Book! Your public is counting on you!👍

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Debbie! I'm glad you're enjoying these videos and yes, I'll definitely keep going!

[@isabellasjazzjourney3624]

That was beautiful! I'm awed and amazed! I have a long way to go but I think crooning to jazz piano would be a dream come true! I've always loved Rosemary Clooney and Ella Fitzgerald. Ella's voice is out of this world beautiful! I'm new to jazz but it's got a hold on me! You should see me furiously keeping notes as you mention artists and songs so that I can look them up and listen to them. (Those Were the Days was so sad) I will learn so much from your videos! Thanks again Ron!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Hi Isabella - you're a great learner!

[@sobriquet5016]

Wow, never knew the connection with Paul McCartney! Excellent insight here, as always.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Fascinating about McCartney, right? Now you'll hear this influence in much of his music.

[@johndownes3891]

Thank you for saying “ we don’t have to surpass ourselves”. I am going to remember that during my Sunday afternoon jam session today. I’m sure it will help me relax into the music.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

I'm glad this resonated with you, John. Have fun at your jam session :)

[@louisparry-mills9132]

this was a really fantastic episode , im glad you're keeping this series going, hopefully there is a steady build in interest, but even if it stays small viewership wise i thoroughly enjoyed this video. and this improv killed, keep it up !

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Louis, I really appreciate your support and enthusiasm!

[@donk.5730]

What a great video Ron ! Your comments and instruction are amazing, and I will be heading in your direction with more of my practicing keyboard ! I've never heard of Ray Noble, thank you for the brief intro on him. It's great to know Paul McCartney was inspired by this style. I'm grateful to be able to learn something from you. I look forward to more learning ! Cheers, Dk.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

I'm glad you like this, Don! Learning about these musicians and musical connections can inspire us and help our understanding of how to play this great music. Enjoy :)

[@song4night]

Is it just me or are there bass and drums playing along? this is some fabulous playing! wow!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks! I was very fortunate to study with two pianists who had come of age in the late swing era. Hale Smith and Billy Taylor both played this slow stride style with waking 10ths and I got it from them directly. A fun style to play!

[@song4night]

@@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453 thanks for the info. This tune is one of my top favorites from you.

[@daman031019]

You have some of the most beautiful real book renditions, Please never stop!!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Lucas! After volume 1, I'll immediately begin volume 2!

[@smichener1]

Beautiful playing. Glad you're back. I look forward to these videos. Keep up the great work in helping us appreciate the nuances of these pieces!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks! It's been a real busy couple of months, but I'll be posting regularly again, and even more frequently starting in June.

[@DonaldTamMisterDee]

these videos are perfect to listen to when I am coding lol

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Awesome!!!

[@rachelsmename6]

That was very beautiful. I can hear the Broadway influence in your music. I love it!

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Thanks Rachel!

[@jonathanhagen9054]

such fantastic insights, thank you ron! this series is a true gem.

[@dwdei8815]

Hullo hullo. That modulation up a 1/2 step took me by surprise. Western classical music is obsessed with the idea of the "home key" and entire sonatas and symphonies are written around how to be knocked "far" from it and then find a way to return. Much of what you read about Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven or Rachmaninov seeds the belief thatm only once it has returned to its home key, does a piece of music "triumph" or conclude itself. So I was on tenterhooks to see if you'd come up with some brilliant way to "restore" the D. The shortest route is Eb - Eb7 - tritone A7 - D, but that way it sounds like something's deflating, slumping. How would you have done it? As you say, Bill Evans modulated and had no qualms about not returning to the home key. With even-tempered tuning I don't even think it matters that much, and most audiences haven't a clue by the time a Beethoven symphony ends in (say) G that that's where it started thirty-five minutes ago. I noticed how you focused on the g# (in the E) v. g natural (in the A7) as a definitional harmonic trick, and lots of your licks centred on ways to "land" on those notes.

[@rondrotoskeyboardimprov9453]

Great observations and analysis! In a lot of Broadway music, and some pop (like Barry Manilow), the ending just stays in the new key. As you said, there's no need to return to the old key which might seem like a bit of a let down. don't really know how I'd do it, since it never occurred to me. If a singer, for example, asked me to do an arrangement that went back to the original key, I'd probably find a way to do it at the end of the bridge.

[@bobhall4403]

Far too much talk … get on and play !!!