Scot Ranney's LearnJazzPiano.com archive: barry harris workshop video

LearnJazzPiano.com archives: barry harris workshop video
swingblues1 -- 06/26/2004, 20:10:27 -- #5176
Has anyone purchased the barry harris workshop video? If so what did you think? Thank you for your time.
pjpastir -- 06/30/2004, 17:10:43 -- #5266
I just received mine about a week ago, and I am thrilled with it. I am fifty years old and a pro pianist, and he talks about and demonstrates an approach that for me is already changing my playing. I watched both tapes through several times (which really helps to see his over all approach) before I began using the tape and workbook. I am still on the first page of the workouts but I already have a very different perception and skill that is popping out. I too was asking around before I bought this and got very little response, but I had heard Barry play, and know how dedicated he is to teaching improv, so I decided to take the plunge. This is one of the best investments I have ever made!!!! Any other questions feel free to ask Paul
Barry -- 06/30/2004, 17:21:16 -- #5268
What kind of stuff is covered Paul? Could you outline the basic ideas behind the approach for us? Why do you think it has affected you playing so radically? I'd really appreciate it if you could take the time to tell us a bit more about it - it sounds really interesting....
Max Angelo -- 07/03/2004, 15:11:05 -- #5360
If you are interested in bop purchase it. Barry Harris is a great pianist and a great educator. I havent the video but I watched it same years ago, when a friend introduced me to Barry. I must admit, as Paul says, Barry approach helped me a lot in my music. There are, if I remember right, 3 main sections: the basics ( with exercises, chromaticism rules, etc etc ) the applications ( with exemples about how to put in music the basics )and the movable chords ( very useful in lot of situations ie piano solo, harmonization of a melody, block chords solo, comping etc etc ). The video is good for all levels, but having a good tecnique and a good knowlegde of harmony is useful, in order to apply "soon" Barry exemples and ideas. For sure your bop music will improve a lot :) My advice is to purchase some Barry CDs too ( here the discography http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB040405102349380811&sql=Blmf5zfgheh7k and the bio ). An interesting link regarding Barry's educational stuff is here http://www.jazzworkshops.com/home.html Last, here http://www.barryharris.com/ the official site.
Max Angelo -- 07/03/2004, 15:21:34 -- #5361
Again, here the direct link to some 1 min Barry mp3 samples, if you never listened him to play :) http://www.barryharris.com/music_samples.htm
Barry -- 07/04/2004, 05:25:20 -- #5371
Thanks for the reply max!
sid -- 07/04/2004, 08:05:32 -- #5375
Recently I've been playing around with some scale-chord ideas that seem to be related to the Barry Harris approach. I'm also aware of similar systems using "bebop scales" - Dave Baker seems to be the big name here. Based on the sketchy information I've been able to find online and tucked away in various instruction books, I think I know what all this is about, but I wonder if Paul, Max or one of the other gurus (Gary, Jeff, Scot etc) would kindly provide an idiot's guide to the Harris/bebop system. I have a feeling I've probably rediscovered things that are very well established for advanced players, but before I go public with the results of my wanderings in this area, it would be useful to have the basics of Harris and Baker sketched out. Thanks, and to swing for starting this interesting thread. sid
7 -- 07/04/2004, 10:21:17 -- #5381
Barry Harris' workshops are mentioned in detail all throughout the fantastic book "Thinking in Jazz". But not in enough detail to substitute for what would probably be a very interesting video.
pjpastir -- 07/04/2004, 18:15:23 -- #5385
test eom.
pjpastir -- 07/04/2004, 18:24:55 -- #5386
Hello group, Sorry I couldn't get back to this thread sooner. Like I said earlier I have only had this tape a short time so I am no means an expert Barrys approach as opposed to anyone elses, but I do have a couple of views that I could share. First off I think Max summed up the contents of the tape pretty well. All of my early training was classical, but in my teen years I became really interested in jazz. I read every book I could find on it( Levine, Baker, Coker etc ) and even took some private lessons, and I managed to pick up some understanding and some skill for improv, but I was left with more questions than answers and after some years of playing I felt like I was in a rut. Now this is where Barry walks in, takes me by the hand and says " Here is what you do " As Max points out above, in the first section Barry is dealing with scale exercises, chromaticism rules, etc, now over the years I have seen and tried all kinds of scale exercises, I feel strong technique is a prerequisite for jazz improv, Barrys approach is that for the purposes of practicing, technique must always have a musical context, " practice your playing-not your practicing "
pjpastir -- 07/04/2004, 18:25:40 -- #5387
part 2 Barry states in his opening remarks in the video, everything comes from scales, which requires that they be practiced in a variety of ways and being able to actually see him in the video show these students different ways to practice playing a scale musically was a powerfull trigger for me, for the first time I saw exactly" what" to do, and also "why" it left me with no questions!!!! The power of this video is Barry the teacher, he was there when bop was born, and it is evident when you watch him teaching and playing that he knows exactly what this is all about, and he knows exactly how to pass what he knows on to you. Working with this less than two weeks, the exciting part has been watching how much is already creeping into my playing, I am climbing out of old perspectives and into new ones, and this tape was the grail I had been looking for !!! If you even have the thought that this tape sounds interesting, don't hesitate " Buy it " I have spent 80 dollars going out to dinner, I would spend 5 times more for this tape now that I have seen it, no questions asked. One last thing, in the above post 7p mentions the book "Thinking in Jazz" by Paul F Berliner, this should be the bible sitting on every improvisers music stand, there is nothing else like it !!! Best regards Paul
Jazz+ -- 07/04/2004, 22:02:16 -- #5389
Harris takes the bebop scales (C D E F G G# A B C for I chord) (C D E F G A Bb B for V7) and uses them for Inner Voice motion in chords. Look for 19ths inside (not from the root) your two handed voicings and do Inner Voice Motion along the appropriate bebop scale in 10ths. This is usefull with I and relative ii chords and unaltered V7 chords; less so with altered dominants.
Jazz+ -- 07/04/2004, 22:02:52 -- #5390
Correction: Look for 1oths inside (not from the root) your two handed voicings and do Inner Voice Motion along the appropriate bebop scale in 10ths.
Max Angelo -- 07/05/2004, 17:16:30 -- #5424
Hi Sid, I simply think I am not able to provide a guide :), becouse my musical overall skills ( I am no a teacher ) and becouse my bad english. But I am happy to discuss about chords movements and/or to help beginners, not you Sid, i listened your midi files :) who want to try to apply basic chords movements in standard songs. Probably players able to play melody with RH and rootless chords with LH, could find the chords movements what they need to grow one level :) My advice for people interested is to read these articles, taken from the jazzworkshops page http://www.jazzworkshops.com/home.html http://www.jazzworkshops.com/docs/voicings/article22.html http://www.jazzworkshops.com/docs/voicings2/article33.html http://www.jazzworkshops.com/docs/chords/article11.html In these articles there is lot of good material regarding the chords scales, the seventh chords and, in general, regarding the harmony stuff. Basically what you need to begin to use chords scales is: 1) major and minor bop scales in all the keys 2) major and minor sixth chords in all the keys 3) diminished chords ( I mean diminished seventh chords, with 4 notes in basic position ie D F Ab B ) Now you can put together the ingredients and to build a chords scale, following the notes of the bop major or of the bop minor scale, with the 6th chord alternated to the diminished chord acting as disguised dominant chord. ie The C6 chords scale ( sixth diminished scale using Barry Harris terminology ) is formed with C6 chords in all the inversions and D° ( disguised G7b9 ) in all the inversions: E G A C F Ab B D G A C E Ab B D F .... etc etc The result is a I V I V I V etc etc harmonic movement The Cm6 sixth diminished scale: Eb G A C F Ab B D G A C Eb Ab B D F .... etc etc You can use major and minor sixth diminished scales for all the kind of chords in the major and minor sound. To move during a Cmay chord, you can use C6 or G6 sixth diminished scales. To move during a Am7 chord, you can use C6 sixth diminished scale To move during a Cm ( in tonic function ) chord, you can use Cm6 sixth diminished scale To move during a Am7b5 chord, you can use Cm6 sixth diminished scale To move during a F7 chord you can use Cm6 sixth diminished scale To move during a B7alt chord, you can use Cm6 sixth diminished scale Very common to play these chords scales in "4way close" or in "drop2" 4way close is to play with RH the chords and with LH the top melody note lowered 1 octave. Drop2 is to play with RH the chords and with LH the second top note lowered 1 octave Nice to play RH and LH in contrary motion too. It is true that in a II V I ie Dm7 / G7 / Cmaj / Cmaj , you can use the F6 chords scale to move in the Dm7 bar and, if you like, in the G7 bar too, for 2 or 3 beats, before to play the dominant to resolve in the tonic and it is true too that probably the best choice for the dominant voicing is not che scale chord movements but a good seventh chord voicing, why not "moving" following the common 7th chords movements ie tritone and /or "7th chords of the same family" ... here is the personal taste who leads :) It is true too that you can play chords movements to harmonize the melody of a song but caution, the thing works ok when the melody is scalar and not when the melody is a tension ( resolved or not ). Ie, in a tune as Stella by starlight the chords scales to harmonize melody will be hard to work in first bar ( Em7b5 with A melody note, a no resolved tension ) but will work very good in bar 9 and 13, where the melody is scalar. I read David Baker "How to play be bop" before to "met" Barry Harris. Obviously there are many analogies, more of all in the chromaticism rules and in the "rythm phrasing", beeing Baker and Harris both devoted to bop :) Sorry my english hope you understand :) Max
Max Angelo -- 07/05/2004, 17:24:29 -- #5425
If some beginner want to try to harmonize a song using the sixth diminished scales, I suggest to start with the first 4 bars of I got it bad and first 8 bars of Alone together, both tunes with easy melody :)
sid -- 07/06/2004, 08:54:20 -- #5436
Many thanks, Max - the Howard Rees site is very clear, as is your explanation. I think I probably use many of the voicings and scale materials already, but I've got there by a different route from the Barry Harris way. I think it will be fruitful to spend some time studying these ideas. sid
comrade c -- 07/08/2004, 02:39:37 -- #5489
Barry harris definately has an interesting perspective at looking at things. I have the videos at home, but here I have the workbook with it. I think maybe the 2nd video is released now? Like part two. Anyhow I think people have already went thru content of vid. Howard Rees site, www.jazzworkshops.com? i think. I can't remember is the home of the vid, and provides lots of information and some information regarding the basis to Barry harris' approach. The link for that site will be in LJP's links i posted somewhere. If anyone is interested in checking out the vid, shoot me a pm and maybe I can lend it to you when I get home?
time to talk -- 07/08/2004, 03:58:54 -- #5490
hi all i'm intrigued at reading your posts about the barry harris workshop video have also been on the www.jazzworkshops.com site and found it really interesting.. though i am working on other things at the moment (i.e mark levine's jazz piano book ( chapter on block chords)in some ways related to barry harris' concept )i would like to purchase this video just to see how things work out on the piano.. seeing the principles being put into action.. only problem is, i live in england (london) and i've made enquiries with a number of the top music shops here in london and though they all have several tutorial videos i was unable to find one that had information about this barry harris video so they won't even try to order it.. any of you guys out there from my neck of the woods know how i can get hold of this vid without having to order from oversees? (if that's the only option then it'll have to be) i think london is supposed to be some sort of music capital but at times it's really hard getting some of the better stuff out there.... ps thanks everyone for all the good posting on this subject marvin
Kai -- 07/08/2004, 05:57:47 -- #5493
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Kai -- 07/08/2004, 06:02:58 -- #5494
Sorry, not "Workshop" video.
time to talk -- 07/08/2004, 08:57:40 -- #5497
thank you for your quick response kai! i'll follow those leads 'may get other clues from the web too' i managed to find out about 'jazzwise; an online magazine who have a publisher in london that stock and provide jamey aebersold products' so they may be able to give me some ideas too.. thanks again for your help marvin
Barry -- 07/09/2004, 10:36:42 -- #5520
Marvin, You can order from the Howard Rees site for europe. The price is $124.95 which works out at about £75. I am interested in this but not sure I want to spend that much unless I'm sure this will do for me what it's done for Paul. Let me know if you find it anywhere else cheaper Barry
time to talk -- 07/12/2004, 08:48:08 -- #5631
hi barry sorry about the above post (probably didn't mean much) anyway.. Jazzwise got back to me... check out their email answer below: Good afternoon, Thank you for your e-mail, the video you refer to is actually published by Bop City Productions and is sold by Jamey Aebersold, however it is an American publication and therefore not compatible with English Video players, I also believe that the accompanying book can not be sold in this country because of copyright. Sorry we are unable to assist on this occasion. so i guess i'll have to look outside of the uk for this video and if it's true about the english video players not being able to play this video then i would even be prepared to invest in one that could play it, cos by the way everyone has been raving about this video it really seems worth it... i would definately pay £75 for that (seems to be a lifetime investment) i'll look at the Howard Rees Site and do some more searches and post any good offers i find marvin
Barry -- 07/12/2004, 08:54:23 -- #5632
Thanks Marvin. Normally the reason American videos are not compatible with the UK players is because of the screen resolution. America uses NTSC whereas europe uses PAL. The Howard Rees site does advertise a PAL version for european customers. I don't know about the copyright thing. Maybe it's not allowed to be distributed by a european company but can be imported legally. Here is the link to where I found it on Howard Rees site http://www.jazzworkshops.com/order.html Let me know how you get on. Barry
Seaside_Lee -- 07/13/2004, 07:44:02 -- #5672
Pity it is not available on DVD...I emailed them to see whether it was ever going to be available in that format and they mailed me back saying not at the moment...shame I'd have bought it. regards Lee
Gordon -- 07/14/2004, 04:23:15 -- #5701
Good point Mr Seaside . I much prefer materials on DVD too - will email them myself to keep up the pressure
Seaside_Lee -- 07/14/2004, 06:18:50 -- #5702
Hey thanks Gordon I really want that workshop video on DVD...grrr!. I no longer own a VHS (they are so last century!...lol ) regards Lee
Kai -- 07/14/2004, 07:53:51 -- #5706
I, too, e-mailed them and indicated that they might like to look at this particular thread on this site. It would be good if the faculty of the course brought appropriately formatted copies (of the workshop video at least, if not DVD) over here when they come to Richmond at the beginning of August.
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