New Phase

I might just have managed to break the dependency I had on Mike Ledonne's arrangements from 'Jazz Conception'.
Actually, I sort of reached a point where the next tune is a serious technical step up, and it just gets worse from there. To be specific, it involves some fast (200bpm give or take) 2 hand lines.
I just don't have those chops... yet.

So here's the battle plan.

I am going to start focusing on 2 things:
- Finger independence
- Harmonies

Finger independence is pretty straight forward. For the last week, I am religiously spending 20 minutes or so a day on Hanon. The left hand drags. But it's getting better already. The goal is to be able to play those crazy lines after about a month or so. And play them "effortlessly".

Working on harmony is not quite as simple. Here's the plan.
- Play a few things from the Piano Stylings Series. These are easy to play, yet harmonically complex with nice reharm and counterpoint.
- Transcribe some good stuff. I'm going to start with my favorite album of the moment. Monty at Maybeck. Just gorgeous. Harmonically, it doesn't get any better. I'll start with 'Where is Love?'. A beautiful ballad. I won't try to get each and every note down, but rather understand what is happening.

Island in the Sun and perfect pitch

Something interesting occurred today. I looped 3 or 4 times over Monty Alexander's tune "Island in the Sun" while on my way to work (I love it that much). I sat at the piano in the evening --10 hours later-- and started playing. I heard the tune perfectly well in my head, and what else, there was no doubt in my mind what pitch it started on. I checked, it was an E. Then I played Monty again, and sure again, it starts on E.

So I was able to memorize with a good degree of certainty the starting tone of "Island in the Sun" after a 10 hour break.

This reminds me of my teacher who said once: "I know Bb because I played Misty so many times".

Next step, associate E to this tune. I will try again later...