Corey Christiansen - In the Pocket: Playing in the Groove
Corey Christiansen In the Pocket Playing in the Groove DVD download. One of the roles of a jazz guitarist is providing accompaniment. Economy of rhythm and harmony while comping and grooving with a band will get jazz guitarists further with their fellow bandmates than playing lots of bulky, cluttered rhythms and chords. "Playing in the Groove" will demonstrate to jazz guitar students how not to overplay in a small jazz group settings but rather play tasty lines and chords that will impress any soloist.
In this DVD, emphasis is placed on locking in with a bass player and drummer and using chord voicings that won't clutter up the harmony. The accompanying chart provides abbreviated but clear and easy to understand musical material that is covered in the 48-minute DVD.
DVD contents:
- Tuning
- Exercise with Quarter Dotted 8th Rhythm
- 12 Bar Blues in B
- Adding More Rhythmically
- 3rd and 7th Double Stops
- Adding Chord Substitutions
- 3rd and 7th in the Circle of 4ths
- 3rd and 7th in E Blues
- More Interesting Rhythms
- Sticking With an Idea
- Mix Chordal and Riffing Ideas
Chart contents (Book):
- B Blues Scale
- Rhythmic Examples 1
- B Blues
- Basic Riffs
- 3rds and 7ths
- B Blues with Chords and Substitutions
- Other Rhythms
- Blues with 3rds and 7ths
- More Riffs
Review:
First of all, let me say this was very timely for me since I have been working on playing rhythm using smaller chord forms. In The Pocket has a DVD of Cory playing with a nice Jazz Blues Rhythm, and comping over it using various simple chord shapes that utilize the root, third, seventh, octave. Depending on the chord, the third and or seventh will be flattened.
Of course, it sounded really good and helped me breakthrough visualizing the thirds and sevenths of various chords. I was surprised at how well the DVD worked for me when compared with reading instructional books. It seems using both helps reinforce ideas.
He also includes some riffs with 4 or 5 notes as well as simple chord riffs. The music is also written out on a four-page insert although not all of it is annotated exactly. I was able to work with it with little or no problems.
This was one of those breakthrough moments and I am building on what I learned by adding more notes here and there to taste.
He also teaches the Blues Scale for you to utilize with riffs.
CON: The DVD's sound was not recorded well. Cory's voice is at a much lower volume than the music so I found myself having to turn the volume up and down.
Still, if you want a lesson in simple Jazz Blues comping, this should help you out.
Language: English
Year: 2003
Country: USA
Running time: 00:47:47
Quality: DVD5
Video: MPEG2 720x480 8000 kbps NTSC 4:3 29.970 fps
Audio: AC3 2 ch 224 Kbps 48.0 KHz
Booklet: Yes (PDF)
Size: 2.3 Gb