Tag: Wayne McConnell

1 February 2017

Improv Column: Wayne McConnell – Jazz Theory Sells

    On Wednesday 18th of January Brighton Jazz School held their Jazz Education Conference in association with the South Coast Jazz Festival. I invited Julian Nicholas, Claire Martin and Geoff Simkins to give short presentations on varying aspects of jazz education.  It really was a fantastic day full of very insightful perspectives.  Julian’s talk was […]

1 June 2016

Improv Column: Out Playing by Wayne McConnell

    Out playing is all about playing against the harmony.  Its playing the 'wrong' notes at the right time.  Out playing isn't just random, it still must have all of the melodic content of inside playing such as development of ideas, rhythmic interest,  space etc.  It must say something.  So if out playing is not […]

1 April 2016

Improv Column: Wayne McConnell – Starting Out In Jazz

    In order to play jazz, one has to master the basic elements of music.  Apologies if that seems like a very basic statement.  This article is aimed at those who are just starting out in jazz, or people who are thinking about starting. I strongly advise you to not invest in a pile of […]

1 December 2015

Improv Column: Wayne McConnell – Jazz Theory?

Wayne McConnell on Jazz Theory?       I don’t usually do this but this article might seem like a plug for something I’ve been working on over the summer and well, I guess it is.  But it will benefit any budding beginner jazz improviser.      I spent most of the summer writing a book to help […]

1 October 2015

Improv Column: Wayne McConnell – Just Improvise!

Pianist Wayne McConnell urges people to Just Improvise!       I genuinely believe everybody is able to improvise in one form or another. This basic ability is the very essence of how we get through life. Music aside, the ability to put together words and construct sentences is essential in everyday living. Free thinking is […]

1 June 2015

Improv Column: Pentatonic Scales by Wayne McConnell

Pentatonic Scales    A Pentatonic Scale is simply any scale with 5 notes in.  Pentatonic scales can be very simple sounding, they have an earthy, natural quality but they can also be used in a way that makes them harmonically rich and interesting.  Most of you will be familiar with the basic pentatonic scales for […]

1 April 2015

Improv Column: Memorising Tunes by Wayne McConnell

Committed to Committing it to Memory   You would think learning songs would be a relatively simple exercise and in many ways it is.  In jazz however, simply knowing the song is not really enough.  As improvisers, we want to be able to feel completely relaxed with the material that we are improvising on.  Learning […]

21 July 2014

Live Review: Wayne McConnell Trio at All Saints Church

Wayne McConnell/Steve Thompson/Piers Clark All Saints Church, Hove Wednesday 9th July, 2014          This was another enjoyable concert in the lovely setting of All Saints Church in Hove, this time with ace rhythm guitarist Piers Clark and multi-talented bassist Steve Thompson backing pianist Wayne McConnell.     Although this was an all-acoustic group, the […]

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