Ten Weeks of Gershwin & Rodgers: Masters of American Popular Song
(Note this downloadable program is a past presentation that previously aired live)
Ten Weeks of Gershwin & Rodgers: Masters of American Popular Song
This Learning Club™ delves into a selection of music by two Masters of American Popular Song: George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
Both men were born in New York City within a few years of each other around the beginning of the 20th century and their compositions make up a very large and important part of the jazz repertoire.
George Gershwin, born 1898, was a pianist and composer in popular and classical genres. Richard Rogers, born 1902, composed over 900 songs as well as 43 Broadway musicals, and is known for his songwriting partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.
The ten songs by these composers we will be using as the focal point for this Learning Club are some of my favorite songs to play: “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”; “Blue Moon”; “Fascinatin' Rhythm”; “I Got Rhythm”; “It Might As Well Be Spring”; “Love Walked In”; “My Favorite Things”; “Oh, Lady Be Good”; “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “There’s a Small Hotel”.
As always, we will use the songs as a jumping off point to study guitar playing and improvisation. In this Learning Club™, we will take a look at a variety of concepts: melody, rhythm, groove, accompaniment techniques, harmonizing, chord melody, using different chord substitutions and extension choices to create different musical effects, and much more.
(Note this downloadable program is a past presentation that previously aired live)
Ten Weeks of Gershwin & Rodgers: Masters of American Popular Song
This Learning Club™ delves into a selection of music by two Masters of American Popular Song: George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
Both men were born in New York City within a few years of each other around the beginning of the 20th century and their compositions make up a very large and important part of the jazz repertoire.
George Gershwin, born 1898, was a pianist and composer in popular and classical genres. Richard Rogers, born 1902, composed over 900 songs as well as 43 Broadway musicals, and is known for his songwriting partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.
The ten songs by these composers we will be using as the focal point for this Learning Club are some of my favorite songs to play: “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”; “Blue Moon”; “Fascinatin' Rhythm”; “I Got Rhythm”; “It Might As Well Be Spring”; “Love Walked In”; “My Favorite Things”; “Oh, Lady Be Good”; “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “There’s a Small Hotel”.
As always, we will use the songs as a jumping off point to study guitar playing and improvisation. In this Learning Club™, we will take a look at a variety of concepts: melody, rhythm, groove, accompaniment techniques, harmonizing, chord melody, using different chord substitutions and extension choices to create different musical effects, and much more.
(Note this downloadable program is a past presentation that previously aired live)
Ten Weeks of Gershwin & Rodgers: Masters of American Popular Song
This Learning Club™ delves into a selection of music by two Masters of American Popular Song: George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
Both men were born in New York City within a few years of each other around the beginning of the 20th century and their compositions make up a very large and important part of the jazz repertoire.
George Gershwin, born 1898, was a pianist and composer in popular and classical genres. Richard Rogers, born 1902, composed over 900 songs as well as 43 Broadway musicals, and is known for his songwriting partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.
The ten songs by these composers we will be using as the focal point for this Learning Club are some of my favorite songs to play: “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”; “Blue Moon”; “Fascinatin' Rhythm”; “I Got Rhythm”; “It Might As Well Be Spring”; “Love Walked In”; “My Favorite Things”; “Oh, Lady Be Good”; “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “There’s a Small Hotel”.
As always, we will use the songs as a jumping off point to study guitar playing and improvisation. In this Learning Club™, we will take a look at a variety of concepts: melody, rhythm, groove, accompaniment techniques, harmonizing, chord melody, using different chord substitutions and extension choices to create different musical effects, and much more.
My Learning Clubs™, with their ten-week duration, are the perfect way to really dig into the songs and make a lot of improvement while having a lot of fun. The interval and regular sessions provide you a sustained look at the material. The formula provides real results: with consistent practice, so you can make consistent and measurable progress.
Here’s how it works: When you sign up, a link is provided to you that contains a wealth of downloadable material for you to start practicing for the weekly jams. You get pdf chord charts for each of the ten songs, and a short video lesson where I show you how to play them. And, you receive sound recording files of each of the songs featuring me and a rhythm section playing a backing track so you can practice playing the melody and improvising with me.
Best of all, each of the ten weeks features a live, one-hour jam session over Zoom that I lead.
The codes are emailed to the participants each week. The virtual jam room always opens up 30 minutes before the session, so you can say hello to other participants and “do the hang.” I sometimes play a relevant recording, tell a story or make myself available for questions before the jam session starts.
During the sessions, we focus on the songs. Repetition leads to mastery. So we play them over and over in different ways, putting them under the microscope and having a ball while doing so.
After the session, participants can submit any questions they may have. I answer them all, compiling the questions and answers onto a video and placing it inside the materials folder. New materials are also routinely provided based on things that happen in the jam sessions.
I am really, really excited about the new Learning Club™ and about this new way of approaching guitar study!
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today and let’s get to work!
