Most folks have a fear of making mistakes, yet it’s common knowledge that mistakes are an unavoidable part of the human experience. So how do some musicians react when mistakes pop up during a performance? That depends largely on the performer’s training and confidence level. Thankfully, there are mental practices that can help you recover […]
Biography: Artie Shaw
Jazz legend Artie Shaw achieved much in his lifetime, but was not satisfied with any of it. Known by most as a brilliant jazz clarinetist and bandleader, he formed and broke up at least five successful ensembles, was married eight times (to Hollywood icons like Lana Turner and Ava Gardner, among others), survived a stint […]
Not Close Enough
These days, the saying “Close enough for jazz” has less meaning for me than it did when I first heard it. One thing that gets on my nerves is when non-jazz musicians assume that playing jazz does not require accuracy – it most certainly does. Randomly throwing together a collection of notes and ignoring the […]