LESSON NOTES

Trial Lesson notes. July 14, 2026.

Technique/scales
  • Traditional scales, just like classical. Parallel. Major and 3x minor
  • Jazz based scales. See special chart below. Only the elements in black will be considered in the beginning

Method Book.  Jazz Piano Method by Mark Davis.
Attention. We will use the older version in one in ONE volume.
Not the two volume version (Volume-1 and Volume-2)
It is out of print, so you will need to find it used.
Here is a link to one of the places that has this book available:
Jazz Piano Method on Ebay

Tunes in C Major: On Green Dolphin Street ​

First Lesson notes for 
Monday, September 14, 2026.
NW DC Campus

Notes for this lesson will appear here

TECHNIQUE applied to Jazz. 10'

Here we’ll build your scales by having two routines: classical scales and jazz scales .
Jazz scales are a little differently from the way they’re typically practiced in classical piano.

The video here does a light demonstration on how to practice the scales. You can make them as many octaves as you wish, the more the better. For the example I keep it to a smaller range so the video is not too long.
7/7/26 SCALE ON RH, CHORDS ON LH
File Size: 87 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

METHOD BOOK: Jazz Piano Method.  Mark Davis 20'

During the fall we will be using this book to keep our jazz material organized. It is out of print but it can be purchased used.  Here is a
Attention. We are using the older version in ONE volume. Not the two volume version (Volume-1 and Volume-2)
Link to one of the places that right now has this book available:
Jazz Piano Method on Ebay

TUNES and REPERTORY 20'

On Green Dolphin Street. C Major
green_dolphin_street.pdf
File Size: 111 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Concepts we will be applying to this tune:
  • Creating a solo piano theme introduction.
    • Apply open/closed chord voicings.
  • Creating a version of the theme to play with rhythm section. (3-7 LH chords)
    • Practice playing it along iRealPro
  • Improvisation techniques:
    • Applying the techniques learned at the scales
    • Creating linear, chord outlining and motive based improvisation.
  • Crafting your own "composed" solo, writing or memorizing it is ok. This is to teach the brain to think rather than throwing the fingers to run notes.
  • We will also transcribe ideas from a solo and then we will analyze and use it as base to create our own improvisation.
Listening assignments
Oscar Peterson.
  • Theme starts at 1:27
  • Solo 1 starts at 2:18
​https://youtu.be/_qFI1qQm1a0?si=3lAT3t7GxAxr5Z-R
You can follow along the improvisation with this transcription below:
On Green Dolphin Street OSCAR PETERSON (Gabriel's transcription)
File Size: 52 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Another solo by Oscar Peterson
  • Solo 2 starts at 1:17
​youtu.be/CsgonzDgtRY?si=UVV-a-ZmBLXlRvDe
Solo by Miles Davis
https://youtu.be/xGVdAlxlp18?si=aoxwk9RYWCp9kdM6

REHARMONIZATION 10'

- Happy Birthday
​- Ode to Joy
The goal is to pick some very simple songs that we can reharmonize and then improvise on the arrangement.

Gabriel's own notes

My own notes will be here