Jazz Intensive Training Center
- Every month for 12 months
- Every year for 1 year
12-months of step-by-step online jazz training, organized by weekly lessons. Bonus Hanon exercises. Cancel anytime.
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Product Description
Weekly Curriculum
Week 1 - "Getting Started With Licks"
Welcome to week #1. In this intensive class, James is going to introduce you to "runs" and show you a popular one you can play over multiple chords. He's also going to cover altered dominant chords and why they're so important.
Week 2 - "Endings I: Easy Ways To End In Style"
Welcome to week #2. Many musicians can play but can't stop a song very well. In this intensive class, you'll learn the famous Count Basie ending, the use of #11, and one of the most common descending #11 licks in jazz. Enjoy!
Week 3 - "A Crash Course In Bebop #1"
Welcome to week #3. In this lesson, James gives you a crash course in bebop. You'll learn about the history of bebop, three bebop scales and articulations to master, two awesome-sounding "2-5-1" progressions, and 3 hugely important licks every great pro knows. Have fun!
Week 4 - "'Flat 9' And Other Altered Chord Secrets"
In this week's session, James shares everything you need to know about how "b9" (flat 9) chords and licks function and how they are used. You'll also review the harmonic minor scale, 3 "b9" licks, and a great pattern used in Latin Jazz. Have fun!
Week 5 - "Mode Workout"
In this week, you'll discover the 6 most important modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian, Mixolydian, Lydian), how to use them and avoid the worst notes, and how to start instantly improvising.
Week 6 - "A Crash Course In Bebop #2"
Welcome to week #6. Warning: This video is jam-packed! James returns to the bebop concept to flush out your knowledge and reviews major scale harmony, minor, major, and dominant 7th chord voicings... and 5 must-know "2-5-1" licks. Enjoy!
Week 7 - Minor Chord Mastery (Part 1)
In this first of 2 lessons of minor chords, James reviews minor 6, minor 6/9, minor/major 7th, and minor/major 9th chords. You will learn left and right hand voicings and arpeggiations to sound your best. Upper structures (right hand triads or chords to put over your left hand voices) will be very important. This builds a wealth of variety and choices into your playing.
Week 8 - Static Chords I
Lots of players can play changes but one of the things that signals the strength of a player is what he or she does when a chord is held. Here, you'll review the melodic minor scale, two different common "walkdowns" descending pattern over minor chords, and applications of the melodic minor scale over various chords! Have fun!
Week 9 - Minor Chord Mastery (Part 2)
Welcome to week #9. Returning to minor chords, James focuses on two-hand chords for Cmin7, Cmin11 and 13, common patterns, and a "stacked fifth" voicing that will enrich your sound.
Week 10 - Fourth Chords Explored
Fourth chords (or "stacked 4th chords") are an integral part of the modern and contemporary jazz sound. James teaches min6/9, dom 7, and sus chords in 4ths. Your playing will never sound the same! These were some of the biggest developments in the history of jazz harmony. Enjoy!
Week 11 - Chord Changes To Satin Doll
James teaches you the best tips and tricks to play down the first section of a common jazz standard. Click here for youtube performance of song
Week 12 - Exploring Major 7ths & Alterations
Similar to the lesson on minor chords, now we turn to major 7ths and related alterations like maj7#11, maj7#5, maj7#9#11, as well as right hand upper structures, scales, and modal applications. Let's get to work!
Week 13 - Diminished Workout #1
Diminished chords are some of the easiest chords to alter but many players struggle with them. This is another area that defines you as a good player; otherwise, non-altered diminished 7th voicings make you sound boring and straight out of a 1920s silent movie. James shows you diminished triads and chords, 5 important left hand voicings, and 3 diminished scales... breaking down everything into digestible chunks to make you sound better than ever before. He also includes a bonus secret voicing that he's shared with Grammy winners who didn't know it! Enjoy!
Week 14 - Half-Diminished Deconstructed I
In this lesson, James reviews another troublesome chord and reveals the critical information surrounding the voicings' use, alteration, and what 2 scales work over them every time!
Week 15 - Half-Diminished Deconstructed II
Continuing on with half diminished chords, James finishes up by reviewing their function and one great progression and its multiple chords, scale ideas, and rhythms to make you sound like a pro.
Week 16 - Chord Changes To Satin Doll #2
James continues with the jazz standard, adding a melody and finishing the song from the "bridge" on forward. You will be able to play the song completely with melody and chord changes after this video!
Week 17 - Static Chords II - Creating Movement
Welcome to week 17. James continues with the concept of static chords, this time showing you upwards movement, substitutions, and a great example of its use in a Jazz Standard. Video: Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
Week 18 - Dominant 7th Chord Ins and Outs
James introduces you to this super common but often complicated chord. He teaches you easy upper structures so you can learn them, keep them in your memory, and sound your best. With his proven method, you will be able to learn and transpose these in no time. You will learn left hand voicings, right hand upper structure, and 2-handed voicings for 8 altered chords (dom7, dom7 b5, dom7 b9b5, dom7 #9#5, dom7 #9b13, dom7 #11, dom7 13b9, and dom7 13b9b5). Enjoy!
Week 19 - Exploring The Whole Tone Scale
Welcome to week #19. In this lesson, James tackles this mysterious sounding scale and gives you some great ideas to get started improvising over this challenging but necessary concept. Enjoy!
Week 20 - Diminished Workout #2
In this lesson, James covers 3 classic diminished licks and shows them using all 3 whole-half diminished scales along with how to apply them. He also introduces the use and function of diminished 7th chords.
Week 21 - Exploring Minor Blues #1
In this lesson, James unwraps the mystery behind minor blues, variations on the basic form, and introduces the concept of tritone substitutions to take your harmony to the next level!
Week 22 - Diminished Workout #3
In this lesson, James introduces 2 more must-have diminished licks over all 3 whole-half diminished scales, covers their use over diminished and dominant 7th chords, introduces an ascending 2-hand idea, and continues his teaching of the use and function of diminished 7th chords.
Week 23 - Exploring Minor Blues #2
In this extended lesson, James teaches you the melody and harmony to John Coltrane's Mr. PC off the seminal album Giant Steps. He also reveals 3 more vital variations of the minor blues form as well as the proper structure for learning jazz songs the quickest as well as proper one and two handed harmony for minor blues. Enjoy!
Week 24 - Roadhouse Blues
Welcome to week #24. James departs from jazz blues form and returns to the roots of what some call Roadhouse style blues. With a repeating pattern in the left hand and 8 licks you can't miss, you'll be playing this catchy and complete 2 handed bluesy tune in no time!
Week 25 - Bossa Nova #1
In this first video on the Brazilian rhythm, Bossa Nova, James reveals the ins and outs of the important cultural concept and its relevance to jazz. You will learn 9 authentic 2 handed Bossa Nova patterns, the proper way to play left hand bass lines (a point sorely missed by a good majority of jazz pianists) and a great progression to which to apply the rhythms. By the end, you and anyone who hears you will be ready to get up and dance!
Week 26 - Bossa Nova #2
Welcome to week #26. A continuation of Bossa Nova 1, James introduces 10 more vital Bossa Nova rhythms and applies them to more chord progressions from a common jazz standard.
Week 27 - Pentatonics 1
James introduces major and minor pentatonic scales, their harmonic and modal applications, a great lick, how to pull pentatonics from major and minor scales, and how to use pentatonic to take your improvisation to the next level!
Week 28 - Black Orpheus 1
James teaches the melody to this popular tune and works the tune out, step by step, including substitutions and altered jazz harmony.
Week 29 - Black Orpheus 2
In this lesson, James continues exploring all the jazz options available, teaching the coda, working 2 hand rhythms and altered harmony, reviewing choices for beginnings and endings, and upper structures. You will be able to play the tune all the way through as a soloist or with others by the time you're done!
Week 30 - All Blues 1
James teaches the landmark tune from Miles Davis' album Kind Of Blue. You will learn the melody, work over 4 blues licks, learn the bass line, and begin exploring the concept of moving chords, hugely important to getting a bluesy sound and to playing solo piano.
Week 31 - All Blues 2
James continues with All Blues, finishing up the tune by teaching 9 more blues licks, reviewing Dominant 7th harmony, and introducing some exciting new topics: quartal jazz, 4th chords, and a few 2-hand chord ideas not to be missed!
Week 32 - All Blues 3
James continues work with Minor Blues forms, maximizing your harmonic potential! He reviews turnarounds in measures 1-2 and 11-12, secondary dominants, turnarounds to secondary keys and chords, tritone substitutions, and more.
Week 33 - Bass Line Bliss 1
James introduces the hugely important concept of walking left hand bass lines. He walks you through how to build winning bass lines step-by-step using 10 examples in increasing difficulty. This fundamental concept will give your playing unmatched drive, movement and direction and lets you sound like a one man band. Now, as you learn any new tune, you will be able to apply this winning bass line formula to create solid bass lines every time!
Week 34 - Bass Line Bliss 2
Welcome to week 34. James continues his coverage of bass lines, covering must-know patterns to master bass lines quickly and effectively.
Week 35 - Stride Piano
In this first video on stride piano, James unlocks the mystery behind learning stride piano and teaches the basic pattern. He also introduces the highly important usage of walking 10ths (and for people with all sizes of hands). Synthesizing the information over a common chord progression, James also teaches a melody so that you can play stride completely alone! Lastly, he covers some must-know variations on the basic stride pattern.
Week 36 - Comping 1
In this first video on comping, James talks shop behind one of the easier sounding but more difficult concepts to learn as an aspiring advanced jazz pianist. James uses patterns to show some common rhythmic patterns and provides play along tracks for you to practice.
Week 37 - Blue Bossa
James teaches this common Jazz Standard, providing melodic and harmonic guidance to master this historically important and commonly played tune. He also dives a bit into the concept of Block Chords, a way to move chords around systematically, giving your harmony more drive than ever!
Week 38 - Block Chords Continued
James continues with the concept of Block Chords/Locked Hands expanding beyond Close Voicings and teaches the Drop Voicing approach over minor 6 and 7 chords, Major 7 chords, Minor 7 chords, and he also uses it to show how to harmonize the melody to Blue Bossa
Week 39 - Bass Line Bliss 3
James continues exploring killer bass lines by adding 6 more bass lines to your repertoire. He adds embellishments for more of a “pro” sound to make your lines stand out above the rest.
Week 40 - Diminished Workout #4
In this lesson, James finishes the series on diminished chords and shows you some pretty amazing two-hand ascending diminished licks, among other things. Enjoy.
Week 41 - "So What" 1
James demystifies “So What,” one of the most important tunes in the history of jazz, teaching the melody, harmony and form to the “head” over the AABA form and covering Bill Evans’ chord voicings. He looks at So What chords in root positions, inversions, and moves them around both diatonically as well as uses inversions to maximize your jazz vocabulary.
Week 42 - "So What" 2
James moves the So What voicings around the circle of 4ths/5ths to practice them in all minor keys and covers how to systematically generate proven improvisational ideas based on the form.
Week 43 - "So What" 3
James introduces a very hip, modern two hand modal coming pattern, reviews it in 3 keys, and applies the So What chord structure to Maj7, 6/9 and Maj#11 Chords. Includes play along tracks for all chord qualities!
Week 44 - Bill Evans 1: 8 Greats
In this first lesson on the pianist Bill Evans, James covers some history and background on the iconic pianist and demonstrates 8 typical Evanesque ideas that distinguish his playing to this day, from those played over common chords and jazz progressions to comping patterns and some characteristic locked hands work.
Week 45 - Fourth Chords #2
James expands on the first 4th Chord lesson. He first covers one-handed 4th chords covering minor and major harmony and alterations. He introduces Maj7, Maj7#11, and min7 voicings voiced purely in 4th intervals. This is major development in modern jazz harmony and must-know material as a contemporary jazz player.
Week 46 - Oscar Peterson 1
James first gives historical background and biographical information in his introduction to legendary jazz pianist called “beyond category” by Dave Brubeck. He categorizes essential aspects of Oscar’s playing and presents hallmarks within that framework.
Week 47 - Oscar Peterson 2
James continues an in-depth look at the playing of this great, breaking down exactly what makes Oscar sound like Oscar. Every jazz piano player has been influenced by this player – now you can be, too. You WILL swing harder and have some great bluesy licks under your hands after this set of lessons.
Week 48 - "2-5-1" Chord Voicing Rundown
In this lesson, James builds upon your knowledge of "2-5-1" chords and takes it a step further by showing you two-hand voicings, substitutions, and various alterations.
Week 49 - Autumn Leaves 1
In this lesson, James introduces Autumn Leaves, the popular jazz standard, and covers introductions, melody and harmony over the A sections.
Week 50 - Autumn Leaves 2
James continues with Autumn Leaves and teaches the melody to the B and C sections, reviews altered dominant harmony, reviews 2-5-1 improvisation and more!
Week 51 - Take Five 1
To finish off with an extremely well-known and commonly requested tune, James teaches background and history, melody, harmony, and improvisation to the A section of the jazz standard Take Five, the first jazz single to sell 1 million copies.
Week 52 - Take Five 2
James continues with Take 5 and covers the melody, harmony, and improvisation for the rest of the tune.