Jazz: Anyone Can Improvise!: DVD

Jamey's on-camera demonstrations transform abstract improvisation concepts into concrete, observable techniques. Watching a master improviser explain his thought process in real time bridges the gap between knowing the theory and actually hearing how it sounds when applied.

Intimate and encouraging, like having a master musician sit down and explain what actually happens in their mind when they improvise. The nearly two-hour format allows Jamey to move thoughtfully through each concept without rushing, building understanding alongside motivation.

This DVD serves students and teachers exploring jazz improvisation for the first time, regardless of their primary instrument. It works equally well for pianists, wind players, guitarists, and any musician curious about how to start improvising rather than just reading notes.

• Study the chord-scale relationships Jamey demonstrates, then isolate one concept per practice session rather than trying to absorb everything at once.
• Pause the DVD frequently to play along with Jamey's examples before moving to the full exercises, building confidence incrementally.
• Reference the accompanying play-along volumes (Volume 1 and Volume 24) while watching to hear these principles applied across multiple songs and keys.
• Return to sections on articulation and phrasing after you've worked through the harmonic content; they'll make far more sense once the foundation is solid.

Use this as foundational content in a jazz elective or improvisation unit, assigning sections that correspond to the repertoire you're rehearsing. It works best early in a student's jazz journey, before or alongside ensemble rehearsals, so students understand the why behind improvisation patterns and exercises.

• Chord-scale relationships and their application to improvisation
• Identifying and navigating harmonic progressions by ear
• Building and organizing practice routines for improvisation
• Blues and pentatonic scale applications across different harmonic contexts
• Improvisation phrasing and articulation techniques
• Memorizing jazz standards for authentic solo performance
• Understanding patterns as building blocks for melodic creation