What Time Is It?

I hope you‘re having a great weekend! (And to quote the old saying – “It’s ain’t over till it’s over!) This morning, I woke up, taught a Skype lesson to a student who lives in Australia (not near the wild fires), responded to a few emails, and then drove into Manhattan to play organ at … Read More

I’ve been fascinated with Elton John’s piano playing ever since I bought his Greatest Hits (on cassette!) when I was about 14 years old. I still love his music, and I learn something new every time I listen to one of his recordings. Lately, I’m becoming more and more interested in the influence of classical … Read More

Hey everyone, I hope you’re having a great weekend! I just have to say that the response to my ebook Get Ready To Jam Vol. 1 was very touching. Lots of you downloaded a copy and I was overwhelmed by how many of you emailed me to share your experiences with learning walking bass lines. … Read More

Q. When we play music, what are we listening to? A. (Study this for 30 years, and then please let us know your answer.) Enter your email here to get your free copy of my ebook, Pop and Rock Accompaniment for Piano * indicates required Email Address *

Here’s my (our) latest Journey Through The Real Book video. It’s #142 which means we’re nearing the 3-year mark! (At one video per week, it’ll take about 8 years to complete the entire book.) “Grow Your Own” is an early Keith Jarrett tune which to my ears reflects the influence of composer Steve Swallow, who … Read More

I remember it well. I was accompanying a well-known jazz vocalist at a New York City jazz club called Cleopatra’s Needle (great name!). It was just the two of us, and I was having a great time playing walking bass lines with my left hand while “comping” with my right, as this wonderful vocalist sang … Read More

When you play an older musical genre, what approach do you take? Do you simply “wing it,” or do you think about the possibilities you can use? It’s a good question and whether we realize it or not, almost all interpretations of historical musical styles take one of two approaches to interpretation. One approach is … Read More

Have you seen the NY Times video on Taylor Swift, where she shows us exactly how she composed her song “Lover?” If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is: Here are 5 Songwriting Lessons we can learn from her: 1. The song doesn’t have to be complete when you begin. This is where a … Read More

What don’t you know yet? Here’s the thing: we think we know what we don’t know, but we don’t really know it until we learn it, right? This isn’t just semantics. It’s what’s limiting our musical experiences and our abilities at the piano. Let’s take improvisation, for example. We each have a “specialty,” or perhaps … Read More

The Beginner’s Guide To Keith Jarrett by Ron Drotos Whether you’re just now discovering Keith Jarrett, or want to dive deeper into his work as a whole, I hope this Beginner’s Guide helps you get a good overview of his artistic evolution as well as the breadth of his musical diversity. Jarrett has never defined … Read More