Workshop III: Bach Loops plus sale on physical merchandise.

Well, after ten years we are moving to a new place. I’ve amassed quite a bit of stuff over the years and now would be a great time to pick up a print edition of Bach Shapes One, or any of my CD releases, at up to half off. This is also to clear the way for the FIVE, count ’em, FIVE new releases coming out this spring, starting with Bach Shapes: The Etudes on March 31st in four transpositions. More on that later!

Next bit of news, I am going to do my next Zoom workshop on Friday March 12, from noon to 1:30 EST. Sign up below by scrolling down to the calendar, clicking on the date, then time. Register to get a recording even if you can’t make it. Some feedback from the last two sessions:

“There are precious little tidbits in these videos”

“That was fun! It’s inspiring to hear your analysis”

“I really get a lot from these talks”

It’s great to be able to interact and take questions. The topic for this meeting will be Technical Practice. To discuss this I’m going to be referring to a chapter in the new book called “Bach Loops.” These are short looping technically challenging parts, directly out of Bach’s music and sometimes altered. I will address:

  • Outlining, the methods of teacher Abby Whiteside, which I discuss here: Jazz Ideas 6: Outlining
  • Inclusive intervals, ways to approach wide intervals
  • Releasing tension through repetition
  • How I practice this in my daily routine
  • Doubling on clarinet and/or flute
  • Basic image, imagining the music before you play it
  • Whatever else comes up!

Registering will also get you a discount code to use towards the new books, which will be available very soon!


Sign up open for the next Zoom Workshop and Paul Desmond Analysis

Well we had a great time on Friday in the Zoom session. Here is a short outtake of a few spots:

I’d like to try the next one on February 25 at 11am EST. This time on writing jazz lines with Bach’s Shapes. Topics will include:

  • voice leading, adapting Bach’s sensibilities to jazz line building
  • bebop language
  • use of tensions and “color” notes
  • doubling on flute, clarinet and saxophone
  • phrasing
  • polyrhythm and irregular phrase lengths

Same system, donation based, $10-20 sliding scale. We’ll talk about ideas in the new book, or just about playing in general. You’ll get the recording afterwards and you’ll have plenty of chances to ask questions. The class will run 1.5 hours again. Sign up below!

 
And if you’re here for the PDF of Paul Desmond’s “Wintersong” solo, here it is!

 
 

Zoom Workshop Friday February 12th!

I’m going to do my first Zoom workshop on Friday February 12th at 11am. I’ll be talking a bit about Bach Shapes, my books, and also on learning tunes and how those two things go together. Since it’s Lunar New Year I think we’ll go with a moon theme, maybe you can decide which tunes we work on:

Blue Moon
I Wished On the Moon
Moonlight in Vermont
Moonglow
What A Little Moonlight Can do
etc.

We’ll see how to navigate chords as a monophonic instrument, how to find the right recordings and scores to learn from, and how to use the melody as our skeleton to hang everything on as we improvise. You can register for free below to confirm your slot and I’ll send the link as we get closer. The workshop will be a suggested donation of $10-20, and will run 1.5 hours. Looking very much forward to it!

Jon


Bach Shapes – The Jazz Etudes Special Release

So I’ve decided to put out a separate mini-book of all of the jazz etudes from the upcoming book, previous book, and some unique to this release. This will be done in C for flute, Eb, Bb Tenor, Bb Trumpet and bass clef! Pretty exciting stuff.

Bach Shapes Jazz Etudes Cover
Jazz Etudes from Bach Shapes

The best part is that I’m currently recording backing tracks for all of the etudes with great NYC musicians! You’ll be able to hear me play the etudes and then try it yourself with or without me. There will be a variety of grooves and feels, really looking forward to this!

For a taste of what’s to come, I’ve compiled some of the etudes posted so far here. These are NOT the backing tracks, just the recordings I made when I first wrote the etudes. There will be about 12 tunes total. Some stay very close to the original Bach Shapes they are based on, others are more freely inspired by Bach’s sensibilities. This will be a great tool for classical musicians hoping to bridge the gap between the melodies they know and playing jazz.

This will be out in the next 2 months so stay tuned!

Thanks and remember you can get the current books here in my shop, or on Amazon!

Bach Shapes Book(PRINT): Diatonic Sequences from the Music of JS Bach

(1 customer review)

$19.95

Diatonic Sequences derived from the music of J. S. Bach, for saxophone. Includes 4 jazz etudes, an explanatory introduction and the Shapes transposed into all keys. More information at www.bachshapes.com.

48 in stock (can be backordered)

Category:

Description

The first Bach Shapes book of sequences derived from J.S. Bach, for saxophone and all treble clef instruments.

“Jazz musicians have naturally gravitated towards the music of JS Bach for years, so a book like this one has been a long time coming. Jon has done a wonderful job capturing various snapshots of Bach’s seemingly infinite musical language, organizing these shapes in a setting that could be very useful to improvisers. A truly interesting and enjoyable book that will hopefully lead to more volumes in the future.”

Miguel Zenon, International Touring Artist

A unique approach to scale/interval practice, Bach Shapes is the music of J.S. Bach distilled to its basic elements: beautiful melodic shapes. These can be studied as technical exercises, or used as building blocks for jazz improvisation. Suitable for any instrument and currently being used by guitarists, oboists, clarinetists and more. The studies are drawn from Bach’s violin, cello, flute and keyboard music and ordered by difficulty, transposed into all keys. Learn to stretch your range and play intervals more evenly with these musical studies. At the end are four etudes based on jazz standards. The cover and interior has been beautifully designed by Chrissy Kurpeski. “I really dig this book, there are so many musical ideas that one can find in Bach’s music. It’s about time someone like Jon comes along to organize it to be practiced by jazz musicians. It’s good both for the chops, vocabulary and knowledge of harmony. You really have to know what you’re doing when you utilize his devices.” Dmitry Baevsky, NYC Saxophonist “This book is great for practicing and learning really nice sounding passages from Bach in a more focused manner. All passages are transposed as well so you can focus on a particular key that needs work. The engraving is very clear and spacing very well done, its been on my music stand for a while now and has really been fun!” –Andrew Hadro, NYC Freelance Saxophonist   More info on bachshapes.com Check out the Bach Shapes Etudes now for sale too!
Bach Shapes Etudes ebook up for Preorder Now!

Additional information

Weight .8 lbs
Dimensions 9 × 12 × 2 in

1 review for Bach Shapes Book(PRINT): Diatonic Sequences from the Music of JS Bach

  1. Everette Macy Colquette

    LOVE this book. I actually use it for flute. I start every practice by turning on a drone of whatever note I’ll start with, then I run through the exercises. For fun, I practice different modes with the exercises 🙂 Great book for a beginner like me that has significantly improved my expression, my tone, and my speed.

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Playing with Peter Ind, in a manner of speaking

Happy to have found these playalong recordings that bassist and Tristano student Peter Ind recorded way back in 1969 called “Time for Improvisation.” Just walking through some of the favorite tunes of the Tristano School. You can check them out here:

I always loved Peter’s ringing tone on the London Concert recording with Lee and Warne.

I’ve recorded with a couple of the tracks in anticipation of actually getting to play with people again!

Check it out!

Thanks to Peter who is currently 92 years old living in England. You can see him in action here in 1977 with the great Louis Stewart:

Speaking of the bass, my Bach Shapes bass clef edition is selling well on Amazon! If you are interested pick up a print or kindle edition there or the PDF on my site!