conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What could be a title for a book about Founded, Hal, Leonard with the genre: Arts & Photography, Music?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A title for this book could be 'Berklee Jazz Standards for Solo Piano'
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the first five paragraphs for this book
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Berklee Jazz Standards for Solo Piano
  In order to do that, a good solid foundation in the jazz harmonic vocabulary is important. Even more important, listening to recordings and playing with others is vital to the process of developing your own voice and personality when you recreate these jazz standards. These twelve piano arrangements illustrate the use of basic textures and harmonic vocabulary that are considered indispensable to jazz piano playing. Understanding this theory and context is required of every piano student at Berklee.
  The four Berklee faculty members who have contributed these arrangements would likely play them differently every time. A written arrangement represents just one possibility out of an infinite number of possibilities. And each piece has the stamp of the personality of its arranger, despite our pedagogical attempts to make the tunes clear and accessible.
  The piano can be played as a solo or as an ensemble instrument, and it has a long history of both. All of our students at Berklee must become versed in the use of the harmonic vocabulary and textures used in both kinds of piano playing.
  For teaching purposes, we describe different levels of approach as four different "levels" of textures and complexity.
  In levels 3 and 4, the textures used are particularly useful for solo piano playing. Most people think these levels are more challenging, both technically and musically. You begin to add more bass activity, harmonize the melody, use more open or spread voicings, and discover ways of playing piano that take on more of the responsibility for bass lines, melodic harmonization, and rhythmic feel.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: four more paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: This piece debuted on an Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis recording in 1960 (under the title "The Stolen Moment"), but the definitive version is on composer/arranger/saxophonist Oliver Nelson's The Blues and the Abstract Truth, his seminal septet recording released in 1961. Other versions worth checking out are by pianist Ahmad Jamal and organist Jimmy Smith.
  This arrangement mimics the voicings Nelson used for the four horns in his arrangement—the close position harmonies in the first eight measures, and the fourth voicings that define the following eight measures. The intro here is an expanded version of the original intro; the first four bars are repeated with larger voicings (again using the fourths intervals) at a louder dynamic. Be sure to pay attention to the dynamics throughout this chart. As with Nelson's septet version, they make a big impact on the sound and the vibe of this tune.
  Achieving a good swing feel is crucial to performing this song well. Listen to Nelson's recording, then play the melody by itself (without the accompanying notes), and try to match the phrasing you hear. Then add in the other notes, but maintain the same phrasing and feel. One useful tip for the first part of the melody: in each two-bar phrase, use the sustain pedal to connect the first three melody notes, releasing the pedal on the third note to create a staccato finish (measures 9, 11, 13, and 15). You can use quick pedals on the chords in the second bar of the phrase to connect those too.
  Just be careful and precise with your pedaling to avoid a muddy sound. And work to bring out the melody line on the top of these voicings.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the last four paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Hey Rim graduated summa cum laude from Berklee and also holds a masters from New England Conservatory. She studied with Joanne Brackeen, Laszlo Gardony, Ray Santisi, Ran Blake, George Garzone, and Michael Cain. Visit her website at www.jazzjeon.com.
  Tim Ray's wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from all walks of music. Appearing on over 75 recordings to date, Tim regularly performs with leading figures in the jazz world, among them Gary Burton, Phil Woods, Scott Hamilton, Esperanza Spalding, Dave Douglas, Brian Blade, Mike Stern, Lewis Nash, and Rufus Reid. He has performed in concert with an extensive list of pop music icons, notably Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Jane Siberry, and for over fifteen years, touring with Lyle Lovett. His classical credits include solo performances and concerts with Gunther Schuller, the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Boston Classical Orchestra.
  Tim's busy schedule has included frequent tours throughout the Americas, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has included performances at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, and the 1992 Presidential Inauguration. Tim has also performed repeatedly on The Tonight Show (Johnny Carson, Jay Leno), Late Night with David Letterman, The Conan O'Brien Show, Austin City Limits, and various other national TV and radio broadcasts.
  Tim released his first recording as a leader, Ideas & Opinions, in 1997 on Gunther Schuller's GM Recordings label, featuring drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Rufus Reid. His second self-led recording, Tre Corda (2003), includes Greg Hopkins on trumpet and Eugene Friesen on cello. This "chamber jazz" trio released their next recording, Squeaky Toy, in 2013, featuring original compositions and music by Béla Bartók. Tim's most recent recording, Windows (Whaling City Sound: 2016) includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Mark Walker. Tim also has recorded a solo piano album, On My Own, Vol. 1—New Works, which is a collection of original compositions and improvisations. He maintains an active and varied performing schedule in addition to his teaching duties in the Piano Department at Berklee College of Music. Find more information about Tim's performances and recordings at his website www.agitatedcatmusic.com.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the first sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: She studied with Joanne Brackeen, Laszlo Gardony, Ray Santisi, Ran Blake, George Garzone, and Michael Cain. Visit her website at www.jazzjeon.com.
  Tim Ray's wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from all walks of music. Appearing on over 75 recordings to date, Tim regularly performs with leading figures in the jazz world, among them Gary Burton, Phil Woods, Scott Hamilton, Esperanza Spalding, Dave Douglas, Brian Blade, Mike Stern, Lewis Nash, and Rufus Reid. He has performed in concert with an extensive list of pop music icons, notably Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Jane Siberry, and for over fifteen years, touring with Lyle Lovett. His classical credits include solo performances and concerts with Gunther Schuller, the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Boston Classical Orchestra.
  Tim's busy schedule has included frequent tours throughout the Americas, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has included performances at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, and the 1992 Presidential Inauguration. Tim has also performed repeatedly on The Tonight Show (Johnny Carson, Jay Leno), Late Night with David Letterman, The Conan O'Brien Show, Austin City Limits, and various other national TV and radio broadcasts.
  Tim released his first recording as a leader, Ideas & Opinions, in 1997 on Gunther Schuller's GM Recordings label, featuring drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Rufus Reid. His second self-led recording, Tre Corda (2003), includes Greg Hopkins on trumpet and Eugene Friesen on cello. This "chamber jazz" trio released their next recording, Squeaky Toy, in 2013, featuring original compositions and music by Béla Bartók. Tim's most recent recording, Windows (Whaling City Sound: 2016) includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Mark Walker. Tim also has recorded a solo piano album, On My Own, Vol. 1—New Works, which is a collection of original compositions and improvisations. He maintains an active and varied performing schedule in addition to his teaching duties in the Piano Department at Berklee College of Music. Find more information about Tim's performances and recordings at his website www.agitatedcatmusic.com.