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EDDIE LANDSBERG
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Days of Wine and Roses  (Mp3) LIVE

How To Play Jazz Ballads


Once you've got your basic Jazz chops down anyone will tell you this... Its not uptempo tunes that are the challenge when it comes to playing... they're easy... In fact, some players can turn almost any tune into an uptempo cooker...  and even when its not initially, they'll keep speeding up and speeding up until it does... So what's really the challenge is keeping count and time on ballads without getting lost.  --Doing it at slow tempos can be really tough... But the secret is simple : You simply need to learn how to count the beats between the beats.  Its also important to learn how to relax!

Counting the Beats between the Beats
The way to do this was taught to me by an old drummer in Philly named Bob Hampton. The answer is simple... You simply count the beats between the beats like they're a measure in themselves... for example, if its really slow 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 you go 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4 - - but even better, you can count the changes as if they're double time. For example, if its G-7 to C7 in one bar you pretend its two bars (1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4). I find this particularly helpful for my bassline and chords, because instead of just dragging, at times I can see the beats between the beats and use it to improve my walk ups and passing chords.

Now, check out my recording of Laura on my new CD... This is an even better take off on this method. You tap 3 instead of 4 beats on each beat... There are actually a lot of Jazz ballads that are played like this and gospel players love it... Sometimes the musicians only count like this, but the drummer will play straight 4/4 though at other times you'll get a hint of what's going on by the way the drummer plays the pick up beats. - - In my version of Laura however, I asked the drummer to play on all 12 beats, which gives it somewhat of a grindy slow shuffle feel... (In the '50s people use to love doing a type of "dirty" slow dance to this type of rhythm... though the tune is still slow and sweet, those extra beats allow for a bit of extra how should I say grinding...) The 12 beat approach also gives space for some extra fills and builds as well. - - On my take of it, I asked Royce to comp on the upbeat... the reason I did this was so the tune would have an on word moving feel... For a ballad, a lot is definitely happening rhythmically if you listen closely and it forces the listener to really get into it. (This rhythm can easily be transformed into a bass shuffle as well by playing the pick up onto the one as in "b'boom cha cha cha cha cha" !)

All in all, there are a number of things to consider when playing ballads...  Yes, a ballad should be sweet and pretty, but no that doesn't mean the audience has to be put to sleep.  By being aware of the beats between the beats you can actually let the tune build as the tune heats up. This is both the job of the drummer and rhythm section, as well as chord playing instruments who can come up with creative ways to lead into the beats. Most importantly, as you get used to counting those extra beats, eventually playing straight time at slower tempos will come first hand... and trust me, being able to play really really really slow will blow away even the most seasoned musicians... it isn't easy... and nothing's worse than sweating through a ballad !

Finally, its important to learn how to relax.  Frankly speaking, I'm not a new-agey type hippie dude, but when it comes to playing Jazz, I will admit, that there are some lessons to be learned from YOGA and other controlled breathing methods.  At times you just have to calm yourself down -- simply focusing yourself and getting your breathing in control with the rhythm.  Ideally, I try to get my intake and outtake of breaths aligned with the actually phrasing of the tune, almost as if I were playing a saxophone.  --Ironically, you'll notice a strange tendency of some musicians to make strange grunty noises when they play.  I've caught myself doing this a few times, and recently suspect it may be a result of wind passing over my relaxed vocal chords as I try to deepen my concentration and connect my body with the tune.

So, with all this said, how 'bout digging down into a nice ballad style standard today?

Eddie Landsberg (2004)

www.eddielandsberg.com

    Your comments are always welcome!

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​Eddie Landsberg, MA, Ed.M, B.Mus

An internationally respected music theorist and performer, Eddie was born and raised in Philadelphia and began classical piano training at the age of 5,  starting Jazz Studies at Philadelphia's famous Settlement Music School in his teens.  Switching to Hammond Organ in his mid 20's, he received his first organ lesson from the legendary Shirley Scott then studied Jazz composition and performance with Blue Note Recording artist Big John Patton.  He also received guidance from Austin Mitchell (a favorite accompanist of Ella Fitzgerald) and began performing alongside Byard Lancaster and other "old school" Philly and East Coast Jazz and R&B legends.  After recording several CDs which received national air play ( NPR, WBGO and hundreds of radio stations across in the U.S), Eddie became one of the original factory demonstrators for the original Nord Electro, touring Europe to promote their product.  Shortly after, he moved to Japan where he spent almost 20 years teaching, leading bandstands and running his own venue which was featured on NHK and in magazines throughout the country.  While there, he also did vocal and performance coaching for Victor Records, and was involved in promotions for Yamaha Motorcycles and the Mori Building (celebrating the opening of the famous Roppongi Hills Complex.)
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Eddie currently resides in Astoria, Queens and is creator of the "7 Secrets of Jazz and Soul" Jazz improv series.  


Education: BA in Music, Thomas Edison State University MA Liberal Studies (focus onEthnomusicology and Critical Jazz Studies), Rutgers University (Capstone with Honors) Ed.M, Rutgers University, specializing in Adult Education
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Recordings | Publications | Interviews 


エディ・ランズバーグ、MA、Ed.M、B.Mus
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エディ・ランズバーグは、国際的に尊敬される音楽理論家兼演奏家で、豊かで多様な音楽的背景を持っています。フィラデルフィアで生まれ育ち、彼はわずか5歳のときから音楽の道を歩み始め、クラシックピアノのトレーニングをスタートしました。ティーンエイジャーの頃、フィラデルフィアの名門セトルメント音楽学校でジャズスタディに没頭しました。そして20代半ばでハモンドオルガンに転身し、伝説的なシャーリー・スコットから初めての指導を受けました。その後、ブルーノート・レコーディング・アーティストであるビッグ・ジョン・パットンの指導のもと、ジャズの作曲と演奏の技術を磨きました。  エディの音楽的旅路は、エラ・フィッツジェラルドのお気に入りの伴奏者であるオースティン・ミッチェルなど、著名なアーティストからの貴重なアドバイスで彩られました。彼は「オールドスクール」のフィラデルフィアや東海岸のジャズとR&Bのレジェンド、バイヤード・ランカスターなどと共演し、音楽シーンに不朽の足跡を刻みました。 エディの創造的な旅は、全米で放送されるなど、高い評価を受けたCDの制作につながりました。彼はまた、革新的な楽器であるノードエレクトロのオリジナルファクトリーデモンストレーターの一人として、ヨーロッパツアーを行い、製品の宣伝に貢献しました。 その後、エディは日本への大きな転機を迎え、ほぼ20年にわたり教育者、バンドリーダー、独自の名門会場の経営者として活動しました。彼の仕事は、NHKでの出演や国内の多くの雑誌での取り上げられ、広く認知されました。この期間中、彼はビクターレコードのためにボーカルとパフォーマンスの指導を行い、ヤマハモーターサイクルと森ビルディング(有名な六本木ヒルズコンプレックスのオープニングを祝う)のプロモーションにも貢献しました。
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現在、エディ・ランズバーグはクイーンズのアストリアを拠点にし、「ジャズとソウルの7つの秘密」ジャズ即興シリーズのビジョナリーです。
学歴:
  • 音楽学士号(B.Mus)、トーマス・エジソン州立大学
  • 芸術修士号(MA)リベラルスタディ、ラトガーズ大学(エスノミュージコロジーとクリティカルジャズスタディに焦点、優等でキャップストーン)
  • 教育修士号(Ed.M)、ラトガーズ大学(大人の教育を専門とし、特別研究で優等)
エディの録音、出版物、インタビューを通じて、彼の驚異的な音楽の旅に深く没頭してください。

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