Mr. Levy you are a musician's musician, you bring such depth and nuance in every subject you turn your sights on, every video you make is a masterclass of the highest caliber, we are lucky to have you.
@ergbudster33333 ай бұрын
No man, it's not just harmonica players or jazz musicians.. it's all musicians. You got ears.. we got ears. Thank you.
@DT-dz1jc5 ай бұрын
Flecktones at The Peace Center in the '90s & Howard as special guest at Newberry Jazz Festival where my Son was competing on trumpet with his Junior High School's jazz band in in like 2008 or maybe 2009 were 2 of the most amazing shows EVER & I've seen PLENTY. I THOUGHT that I'd been playing harmonica well for several years until witnessing Howard accompany himself on piano while playing Amazing Grace. Outstanding. Watched with my Son's director in the chapel where some older kid in the State band played some JUST incredible trombone. My Son at his very 1st Newberry trip would win the first of his solo awards that week What a great GREAT time that I'll never forget. Elliot Rawls retired this year but only after inspiring my Son who is now a director himself & a multi instrumentalist. We speak of that first time in Newberry & Howard often. Mr. Levy is a national treasure and KZbin came along JUST in time to capture his genius & enthusiasm for music....and All Blues...nice choice.
@DT-dz1jc2 ай бұрын
UPDATE !! Mr. Elliot Rawls is NOT retiring after all. He is now leading the chorus in addition to drumline instructor for the Clinton High School Red Devils in Laurens County SC. We're all getting older for sure but once again Cherokee County has made a very short sighted & stupid decision and it WILL BE to Clinton's benefit. GREAT hire Devils. Go get 'em Mr. Rawls !!
@W.O.P.RАй бұрын
I discovered the Flecktones at sea in the early 90’s. I only met you when you re-toured with the group. That music shaped my life into a discovery of so many other things to follow. Thank you sir 🫡
@MikeBouchard5 ай бұрын
I stumbled on this, got sucked in by your playing and then mesmerized by your explantation. I learned more in this video about modes, than any other source in my life. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years and this really clicked in place for me. thank you.
@ulimerckens99255 ай бұрын
Danke!
@danielmargolis32105 ай бұрын
That Bb harp sounded amazing.
@pvillez4 ай бұрын
Thank you for breaking this down. Genius minimalism, elegance and sublime musicalilty.
@leidischd4 ай бұрын
Not only are you great at explaining and share important insights - your harp solos knocked me off my socks. I have never heard anything like that on diatonic harps until now, and I absolutely love it.
@dmitriveremeenko90284 ай бұрын
Oh God, the great & simple explanation, thank you so much! ❤🎉
@blakebranchbass4 ай бұрын
Honestly I get weird looks when I stay on G in that section. It depends who I’m playing with if I play it or not. I know what’s correct but you have to keep everyone happy sometimes.
@michaelkiese77945 ай бұрын
The reason why most jazz musicians play a C7 is because those are the changes in the Real Book to this very day, and it works. As pertaining to this video, "right" means playing it like the original recording, and "wrong" means not playing it like the original recording. That begs the question: is it imperative that one performs a song like the original recording in order to be correctly or authentically playing jazz? Having said that, I think it's really cool for Howard to point this out. Not playing the IV chord is a nuance that is lost amongst most jazz players. The reason why nuance is lost is because there are scant opportunities for the average working class musician to make money playing jazz live. Reading out of the Real Book is pragmatic and practical to getting through a 3 hour gig. Everybody knows that "serious" Jazz musicians say "throw away your real books", and "listen to the original recordings". I agree that is great advice because Jazz Standards have been covered so much over the decades that the changes drift far from the original changes, which confuse beginners. Listening to the original recordings gives context and perspective. What happens to music and songs is similar to how the lexicon changes over time through generations. The Girl From Ipanema is arguably the most recognized "jazz" song. The original is in Db with Astrud Gilberto singing it. The Real Book version is in F (Jobim's versions with Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams are both in F). But Jobim also played it in D with Joao Gilberto. Jobim recorded so many versions of the song that he reharmonized chords and created different intros/outros/transitions. Which version is "right"? Idk. Astrud probably just liked the key of Db for her voice. Should we have to play "Girl From Ipanema" in Db in order to be "right" because that's the original recording? idk. Maybe. I honestly think Hal Leonard has done a great job, and just by making the Real Book legal and widely available, the Real Book is the main thing keeping jazz from totally dying out. Keeping all this in mind, I'd argue that at this point in history, the Real Book versions of tunes work well, are well written, and have become the standard changes. So the "standard" key of Girl from Ipanema is F. Because it's in the book, and everybody learns from the book. Is that "right", "wrong"? idk. At the same time, I've learned a heck of a lot by listening to all the different arrangements in different keys of Girl from Ipanema. Which version is "right"? idk. The next time I go to a jazz jam session and someone calls All Blues, if I ask them to not go to C7, an argument will probably occur, and we'll end up just playing C7 because it works and people have played it that way for years. Conversely, if the bass player is cool/hip and we play it like the recording, some other musician will inevitably come up to us and tell us that we're "supposed" to play a C7 there. In the end, pragmatically speaking, the C7 is likely there to stay for all time whether we like it or not, because it's written that way in the Real Book. Whether we like it or not, the vast majority of musicians learn by referring to sheet music, rather than listening to original recordings. The Hal Leonard Real Book is serving a great purpose by keeping Jazz from completely dying by making jazz accessible to those who want to learn jazz, and most likely will not get much opportunity to perform jazz in a live setting with an audience. When those scant opportunities arise, everybody pragmatically will bust out the Real Book to get through the performance. Hopefully someday the economy will boom again to the point where the majority of people have more expendable time and money to enjoy personal hobbies and interests. It's likely then that music and the arts will thrive again, and nuance will return. One can only hope! In summary, thank you for pointing out this nuance Howard and allowing me to post this long comment. lol.
@jeromeharrismusician22265 ай бұрын
Something relevant to consider (and that I personally think is important) is that the vast majority of people--audience members certainly, but also music performers to an extent--experience songs primarily through *recordings*, and not mainly through printed music (the "Real Book", or other versions). After all, music is mainly a *sound* medium and auditory experience. I think that being able to give audiences some of the "flavor" they experienced and formed a relationship with when they heard recordings is a valid reason for players to check out those recordings (of course, when multiple recordings exist, *which* recordings to refer to is a decision for the players to make). When I teach, I strongly encourage folks to check notable recordings and compare them to sheet music versions. They can then choose whether to stick to recorded versions, printed versions, choose their own deviations, interpretations, arrangements, re-hamonizations, etc., but they will have a clear sense of what constitutes "the tune" (in the jazz world, knowledgeable audiences are part of the community that the music lives within once it has left the page, the speakers, the earbuds, etc.) By the way, I can't count the number of times I have found clearly audible errors in fake book versions (often in the chord symbols; sometimes in melodies). In my experience, the Sher Music/Hal Leonard "legal" Real Books tend to be better in this regard than many earlier fake books.
@vecernicek22 ай бұрын
Well, I think that if you play it differently because you made a conscious choice to do so - it's not wrong. But if you play it differently, because the sophistication of the original got over your head and you misunderstood the form - then it is wrong. Plain and simple. The problem with art is people always say it's subjective, you can't tell what's better and what's worse.. But I think if you lose any standard for artistry, you're on a slippery slope that'll inevitably lead to destruction of that artform. That's why we need to live up to given standards and then - but only then - become free to make our own choices.
@Gino-ds2ce4 ай бұрын
Howard, if I'm not mistaken I saw you in the '80s in a club in Mpls with Paquita Rivera's group. You played piano but also did one tune on harmonica. I was knocked out. Your videos are primo.
@andressegura62945 ай бұрын
Thanks for the wisdom. So much to learn here. :)
@CrossBonesAlex29 күн бұрын
Very interesting insights - thank you very much ❤
@danniebourne52034 ай бұрын
Thankyou Howard …Gold !! I’d fly from Australia to go to your school if you had one
@circa1907czec4 ай бұрын
Thank you for the brutal honesty! It is very hard to learn how to play modal music but we need to learn closely how and what was played on the monumental album. It was clear explanations and fabulous play.
@DenisChangMusic5 ай бұрын
I really love this historical approach to teaching! Bravo!!!!
@Lodovico3805 ай бұрын
Thanks Howard. 👍🎺
@steamboatmcwrigley5614 ай бұрын
This is the coolest thing I've ever seen
@criticaltinkering5 ай бұрын
Howard, I could listen to you for hours! Love the way you explain things!
@ulimerckens99255 ай бұрын
Wirklich absolut fantastisch... Greatings from germany Uli
@HowardLevyland5 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@CarlitosMayo5 ай бұрын
For the love of music. Thank you.
@autokrohne5 ай бұрын
Wow! I am inspired! Thank you.
@julianoaviz-6683Ай бұрын
Wow!!❤
@starckwest63584 ай бұрын
it sound stranger when we're used to play chromatic... nice video🎉
@jasonricci5 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@michange31415924 ай бұрын
Thanks. ❤
@michaeldavis99545 ай бұрын
Love these
@paulrodger86924 ай бұрын
The other thing people almost always miss, is the ( 4, 8, ) bars of vamp after each head. A wonderful opportunity for a dynamic build and stop to nothing but the bass. The live recording of Herbie, Ron, Tony, Wayne, Wallace R. ( A Tribute to Miles ) exemplifies this brilliantly.
@JL-bu8bz4 ай бұрын
Great Tks
@MaxSchranner5 ай бұрын
Wow sound real good in Bb. I'll try it in that key. Thank you.
@John-rb3yv4 ай бұрын
Thanks for jamming for us! Mad musical knowledge and feel! Youre the best
@keesgreven53715 ай бұрын
Incredible!! ❤
@funwithmadness5 ай бұрын
Loved the explanation, Howard! Makes me want to practice more.
@jorymil5 ай бұрын
Well... time to come hear you live again! Last time was with the Flecktones a while back.
@bryandickerson53655 ай бұрын
I love learning the details that make the legendary recordings so great. For years I used to put together educational concerts paying tribute to great jazz artists, musical eras, jazz labels etc. I wanted the music to be accurate so I’d dig into evergreens like All Blues and discover SO many beautiful details in the originals that had been largely forgotten or disregarded over the years. When those details are reinserted the songs come back alive! This is actually the second lesson I’ve received from Mr Levy. The first was during a set break when he was playing with Pacquito D’Rivera at the Caravan of Dreams in Ft Worth in 1984(?). I’ll never forget how enthusiastic and generous he was to this young sax player! Thank you so much Howard!
@HowardLevyland5 ай бұрын
Those were great times! Thanks for watching.
@bryandickerson53655 ай бұрын
@@HowardLevyland The pleasure’s all mine, Howard! Quick question: Just this morning I listened to a podcast interview with an automotive author named George Levy who said his brother is a great professional keyboard player. Is that your bro?
@jeromeharrismusician22265 ай бұрын
Clearly, accurately and beautifully stated and demonstrated--thanks, Howard, for putting this info out. It will serve developing players very well!
@HowardLevyland5 ай бұрын
My pleasure!
@kenseidman4095 ай бұрын
Inspiring and illuminating, Mr. Levy! You’ve refreshed our appreciation of this classic! Great performances to boot! 🎉🎶
@HowardLevyland5 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@jamieforjazz4 ай бұрын
Also, Trane and Cannon play the 2nd and 4th note of the backing staccato, but play legato for the 5th/6th bars (in 6/4)
@JuanReyes-ht1bd4 ай бұрын
Try to explain this at a “Blues Jam” 😂. I’ve never taken formal music lessons but I’ve always heard it exactly as this kind gentleman explains it, Peace ✌️
@filippobuccianelli46064 ай бұрын
Well… what you say it’s obviously true, but to me going to the IV is not an “error”, it’s just another sound, more banal for sure. However you can play the same things improvising, so… Great harp playing by the way 👍
@guitaristmichaelstark5 ай бұрын
Great video Howard....The tune sounds much more hip without the true iv chord!...Literally everyone is getting this wrong!
@bobblues11585 ай бұрын
Yeah Howard! Good to see you. I played with you and Ben Sidran and I bought your alto sax on the spot. Bob R.
@HowardLevyland5 ай бұрын
Hey Bob- Great to hear from you, and I hope you’re still playing that alto!
@bobblues11585 ай бұрын
@@HowardLevyland Howard, I hate say that Ben sent it to me in Copenhagen just US Mail. It got trashed so badly that it now being for spare parts at my sax tech´s shop. So it still lives on, just with other body tubes.
@HowardLevylandАй бұрын
@@bobblues1158 Man, I missed your reply.What a shame...that was a great horn.
@stevetweed26304 ай бұрын
Wow
@jipes5 ай бұрын
Absolutely priceless so many wrong things in the classical jam session Always thought that the it was a 4th minor Thanks for educating us so nicely 😜
@ChromaticHarp4 ай бұрын
What may I ask is a 4th minor? I’ve never heard of that in all my years!
@jipes4 ай бұрын
@@ChromaticHarp it’s referring to the second chord of the chart which is very often played as a minor chord
@ChromaticHarp4 ай бұрын
@@jipes oh it’s a 4 minor! Or sub dominant minor, ok!
@johnstuartkeller52445 ай бұрын
I'm not sure why, but your demo struck me as rather Vince Gueraldi. Nice 👌
@John-sj2md5 ай бұрын
Astouding performance. Thank you for this complete, free youtube lesson, it's very generous of you sir. One question: during the turnaround, on the D7 #9 and the Eb 7 #9 chords, were you thinking the melodic minor scale a half tone above (Eb minor, F minor)?
@picek4445 ай бұрын
Love that, thanks! I was playing it wrong of course 😂 Ps. Thanks for mentioning that it's real hard in 2nd position. I mean, i know it was hard, but now I know it's your level of hard
@detharp5 ай бұрын
melodymaker tuning on both keys even less bendings=more fun, hah❤
@lalaland27974 ай бұрын
Didnt you play on the night belongs to mona by Donald fagen? I would love to hear you play that and discuss it
@marknova87045 ай бұрын
I don’t know anything about the harmonica, but the Bb harp sounded sweeter than the C harp. Why is that?
@kenviscidi46214 ай бұрын
So can we say the first two chords are I and IV in C major? Since G mixolydian and G Dorian are C and F major?
@justinsabaj63494 ай бұрын
Ok, I’m changing my tune.
@slateman1185 ай бұрын
another thing people mess up is that there's an interlude between every solo
@MarkDoubleBass015 ай бұрын
Going to go home and play it and check all my fake books to see if they have been lying to me all these years. 🤣
@ergbudster33333 ай бұрын
Brain music
@sharkair28395 ай бұрын
i'm confused, where i come from the turnaround is bars 11 and 12.
@gregormarini5 ай бұрын
Oh come on man! There is definetively a 4th cord involved. It‘s a Blues progression for God‘s sake! And then … who cares if you see it as a minor 7 or a 4th? It‘s the same family and you will play the same stuff over it! In Jazz Music you can do so many things … it’s the beauty of it! There is no „Right“ or „Wrong“ !! - Peace