Welcome to the latest episode of the ArtistWorks Music Series podcast! This week, ArtistWorks CEO Patricia Butler sits down with jazz piano master George Whitty to discuss the rich culture of jazz and the nuances and intricacies that define its various subgenres. The show is available wherever you listen to podcasts, or you can listen here at ArtistWorks.

LEARN MORE: Want to learn from a piano master like George Whitty? Try a free jazz piano lesson now!

In this episode, George discusses the many flavors of jazz, the unique characteristics that define each of those flavors, and some of the players that pioneered these various subgenres. He begins by emphasizing the importance of studying jazz history in order to understand how the genre has evolved. “I went all the way back. I was curious to see where it all came from,” George explains, “If you want to sound like Chick Corea, you listen to who he listened to in order to understand his journey.”

George further explains that the harmonies and rhythms of jazz are fundamentally rooted in early ragtime and stride piano music, and goes on to outline how those elements evolved into bebop, free-jazz, and, eventually, fusion. “If we go back to the early ragtime guys, that’s where a lot of the harmonic vocabulary and rhythmic ideas that later developed into the stride piano and improvised music came from,” George explains, “and, those rhythms are present in everything from 1910 on. That was the beginning of the rejection of plotting along with the beat on one and three, and getting hip and putting the back beat on two and four.”

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

NOTE: Join George Whitty, Martin Taylor, Julian Lage and Joe Locke April 1st at Noon Pacific Time for a live stream event when they discuss the styles of jazz in more detail and of course, play a lot as well! Join us on Facebook.com/artistworks

On the ArtistWorks Music Series, CEO Patricia Butler speaks with master musicians across all genres who teach at ArtistWorks. Join them as they dive deep into topics like becoming a musician, playing at all skill levels and the journey of learning music.

Looking to dive into more music podcasts? You’ve come to the right place. Now’s the perfect time to investigate previous episodes. There are plenty of topics to explore with fantastic guests.

Tune in for new episodes released every other Wednesday on all platforms, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review the show!

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