Here's a new video I just shot for the online piano instruction site www.pianolessonsonline.com. It features some cool way to decorate major chords using the 9th. The basic idea behind this piano lesson is to give a player some new ideas when they see basic piano chords in a chord chart. 

Instead of just playing triads the whole time there are lots of simple ways of creating variations. This provides some different textures and definitely cooler sounds than the plain old triad approach.

You can add the…Read more

 Here's another free jazz lesson I just made.  This one was shot in my Chicago Piano Lessons studio.  Hope you enjoy and I get to teach you soon.  There are a few slots still open for private lessons. Please contact me today to get started.

I just watched this really great video by conductor and pianist Benjamin Zander.   We need more people like Benjamin Zander who have the rare ability to be able to communicate through their playing and their words.  Music as an artform would be in much better place if we had more people with his skills.  

Here is a very cool video I just found.  It's of Otis Spann playing his "Spann's Blues".   There are some phenomenal blues licks in this video and the first chorus is a close up of his hands.  Spend some time learning these blues licks my friends.  Otis Spann was perhaps the greatest Chicago Blues Piano Player of all time.  Enjoy!

 This brought me such joy when I listened to this. I have to share it with you guys. Here's a video of Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme scatting together at the Grammy's in 1976. This is some of the most awesome scatting I've ever heard. Two of the greatest jazz singers of all time bringing the house down. Enjoy!

Yesterday I traded my Blackberry in for a Google Android phone. It’s a little hard to believe, even for me. I loved my Blackberry, and got some pretty extensive use out of it. I was hearing great things about Android, particularly for musicians, and I was ready to make the leap.

To be honest the jury’s still out on whether or not the Android is for me – I plan to give it 30 days, and swap my Android for my Blackberry if I don’t find it useful. I want to make sure that I’m not going to be more distracted…Read more

Today, I published another guest post over at Music Teacher's Helper: "Online Tools to increase Your Music Teaching Business". I discuss some online tools you may not know about that will increase your student base, solidify your rep, and expand your reach as a teacher.

For readers of my blog, consider the info I presented a great way to extend your branding of yourself as a teacher. Using mentoring advice and some other techniques listed here on my site, you can build a global power house studio…Read more

 I'm excited to announce that through luck o' the Irish I received my first invitation to do a guest post on another music blog.   I've been a fan of Music Teacher Helper Blog for quite some time.  It's a great opportunity.   Anyway,
Here is the link http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/crafting-a-compelling-music-teachers-bio-2/

I've heard some people criticize other players for playing to "monotonous or robotically".   This video is on a whole other level though.  The engineer has definitely applied his own special talents to a "music career".  Check it out....

I was lucky enough to find this Jazz Internet Radio station a few days back.  What a great find.  You can choose what you prefer to listen to by decade, region, style, instrument, and many more.  I highly recommend.  http://www.accujazz.com/    Enjoy!! This radio station has really helped me teach teach my jazz piano lessons to the world and in Chicago.