Tim Price Bloggin' For Rico- A ticket to nowhere!

You know the actor John Garfield? In one movie he walked up to this train station, the ticket booth, and the guy says, 'Yes, where are you going?' And he says, 'I want a ticket to nowhere.' I thought: that's it. The freedom to do that. I want a ticket to nowhere --- Wayne Shorter

....My Definition of Success is the Freedom to be Yourself. Remember- Knowledge is a weapon. But intend to be formidably armed.

Sometimes you hear great players say “I just play what I feel.” My answer to young players is, “yeh, play what you feel, but not before you learn how to play.Other wise your wasting energy- ya know. Jazz is a language, just like any language. It’s just that we speak our language, called jazz, on our instruments. Imagine...How would you sound speaking German, if you never learned how to speak it? If you never learned the words, phrases, or sentences of German, not many people would understand much of what you were trying to say.I think of jazz improvisation in those terms and you can sort of see where I’m coming from.

The more I listened and studied jazz, talked to real players at gigs, the more I figured out what I thought were the most important things to concentrate on to become a better player and get to a level that makes it as fun for you play as it is pleasurable for the listener to HEAR you play. When I do a masterclass, I take the myth out of playing jazz, you will come away with something that will not only help you in your improvisation, but also make you a more positive person. This I learned from masters like Andy McGhee, Charlie Mariano, John LaPorta. Not...from the internet or gossip.I always say music is life, and life is music! But lets learn how to play first.

TODAY...lets take more time to learn standards, swing and get roots.Guys like Wayne Shorter...could play minor blues all day long and swing. But the roots were there. Get my drift? Learn the rots, and learn to play with all kinds of folks- not just your friends. There is my point, Wayne, Herbie and all our heros could play blues, rhythm changes all day long- do not by pass this. THEN....you'll be able to embark on journeys like Wayne Shorter.Listen to George Coleman, Sonny Stitt, early Wayne,Zoot Sims , Stan Getz and learn the standards...the tempos.

Till next week....work hard- Tim Price