Jazz & improvisation in Paris
Jazz can be studied at the piano, but these lessons are not limited to pianists. I also work with singers and instrumentalists who want to hear harmony more clearly, develop their vocabulary, strengthen their time and become more comfortable improvising.
Language before formulas
We work from tunes, phrases and recordings. Listening, singing, transcribing, transposing and reusing material develops vocabulary that is genuinely available while playing, rather than a separate collection of scales.
Improvisation, phrasing and rhythm
Target notes, chromatic movement, resolution, repetition, motivic development, articulation and placement all help build phrases with direction. My approach is informed in particular by Barry Harris, whose workshops I attended in Rome and Paris.
Harmony and ear training
Depending on your instrument, we can work on scale degrees, cadences, voice leading, chords and the form of a standard. The piano can also be used as a practical tool for hearing and visualising harmony, even when it is not your main instrument.
For pianists
At the piano, a standard is more than a chord chart. We work on melody, form, bass movement, voicings, comping and transposition, until the harmony is not only understood on paper but actually heard and played.
If you come from classical piano, jazz often requires a change of reflexes: playing without a fully written score, memorising form, hearing function and making choices in real time. That transition can be made progressively without losing the technical and musical strengths of classical training.
For singers
Lessons can focus on scat, phrase construction, bebop vocabulary, hearing chord movement, target notes and the relationship between melody and harmony.
For instrumentalists
We can centre the work on repertoire, transcription, transposition, phrasing, ear training and improvisation, adapting the work to the possibilities and constraints of your instrument.
Formats
Individual lessons in Paris or online. For a more intensive project or substantial work between sessions, the format is built around the goal. See pricing and formats.