Educational Resources
Jazz for Piano by David Sharp
Whether you're a pianist, guitarist, saxophonist, bassist, or drummer, this comprehensive resource offers deep insights into the harmonic structures, rhythmic concepts, and chord progressions that define jazz. While many examples include piano voicings, the analytical approach applies to any instrument and any musician seeking to understand the language of jazz at a deeper level.
Explore detailed analyses of compositions and solos by masters including Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Nichols, McCoy Tyner, and many others who shaped the evolution of jazz from the 1940s through the 1970s and beyond.
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New York Jazz Workshop Remembers McCoy Tyner (1938-2020)
Jazz Nerd March 12, 2020
The New York Jazz Workshop’s CJ Shearn offers a reflection on the passing of jazz piano legend McCoy Tyner. Below […]
What is Soul Jazz?
Jazz Nerd February 27, 2020
What is soul jazz? For individuals getting into jazz, this is a good question. Jazz (or Black American Music depending […]
New York Jazz Workshop Remembers Lyle Mays (1953-2020)
Jazz Nerd February 11, 2020
In this blog post, New York Jazz Workshop’s CJ Shearn offers a personal, heartfelt statement on the brilliant pianist Lyle […]
New York Jazz Workshop Remembers “Little Bird” Jimmy Heath (1926-2020)
Jazz Nerd January 23, 2020
NEA Jazz master Jimmy Heath, one of the all time greats of the saxophone, and of composing and arranging left […]
Where was jazz in the 1990’s part 2?
Jazz Nerd December 30, 2019
Part I of this article focused on the large American jazz market which was a natural outgrowth of the commercial […]
A Life Between: New York Jazz Workshop In Conversation with Chase Baird
Jazz Nerd October 15, 2019
Tenor saxophonist David “Chase” Baird has been a powerful presence on the New York jazz scene for many years. Born […]
New York Jazz Workshop In Conversation with Gerry Gibbs: Part 2
Jazz Nerd October 11, 2019
In the latest installment of the New York Jazz Workshop in Conversation With podcast series, I speak with drummer/multi instrumentalist […]
New York Jazz Workshop in Conversation with Gerry Gibbs: Part 1
Jazz Nerd October 1, 2019
In the latest installment of the New York Jazz Workshop in Conversation With podcast series, I speak with drummer/multi instrumentalist […]
Where was jazz in the 1990’s? Part 1
Jazz Nerd September 6, 2019
Where was jazz in the 1990’s? The music was riding a continuum since the 1980’s, where the music was jump […]
Is acid jazz a valid style of jazz?
Jazz Nerd August 20, 2019
Is acid jazz a valid style of jazz? In the late 1980’s and early to mid 1990’s in the UK, […]
New York Jazz Workshop in Conversation with Wallace Roney Part 2
Jazz Nerd July 9, 2019
Part 1 of my podcast was so insightful that he came back at my request for a second interview. We […]
Where did jazz head in the 1970’s?
Jazz Nerd July 3, 2019
Where did jazz head in the 1970’s? The music expanded texturally and technologically as it moved away from the swing, […]