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looking for jazz teacher nyc

pbass888

pbass888

Up the Irons! Westham United FC--mile high irons
Supporting Member
Jul 8, 2009
2,298
2,153
Denver
#1
I will be in New York City and would love to get a lesson or two while I am there in January. I would love to find Jeff Andrews or someone who is a top electric jazz bassist. Would like to work on improvisation and soloing over standard tunes, realbook type stuff.

Thank you in advance!
 
#2
My former teacher who I miss, Mike Longo.
He played with Cannonball as a teen
With Dizzy and Moody for a long period
Trio with Bob Cranshaw
Paul Chambers
He knows a lot about jazz.
I promise.

No single teacher has it ALL. There used to be a great teacher Charlie Banacos.. but even as great as he was, I will bet he didn't cover everything. That is where Mike comes in... he is unique. what you will learn from him- (jazz, right?) is absolutely unique.
There are other teachers, but I say Mike. He may not seem impressive to you, but trust me, he knows a LOT about aspects of jazz that others do not teach. That is why I recommend him.. his uniqueness. If Charlie were with us, he is a great teacher. Andy La Verne is great, but Mike has a special thing.
 
#3
suraci said:
My former teacher who I miss, Mike Longo.
He played with Cannonball as a teen
With Dizzy and Moody for a long period
Trio with Bob Cranshaw
Paul Chambers
He knows a lot about jazz.
I promise.

No single teacher has it ALL. There used to be a great teacher Charlie Banacos.. but even as great as he was, I will bet he didn't cover everything. That is where Mike comes in... he is unique. what you will learn from him- (jazz, right?) is absolutely unique.
There are other teachers, but I say Mike. He may not seem impressive to you, but trust me, he knows a LOT about aspects of jazz that others do not teach. That is why I recommend him.. his uniqueness. If Charlie were with us, he is a great teacher. Andy La Verne is great, but Mike has a special thing.
Click to expand...

Off topic sorry, but have you seen his DVDs?
 
#4
Thank you Suraci, I will try to find Mike and appreciate all your help!
When I do a 'google' search for "Mike Longo New York" I get a piano player. This is not the same one is it?
Thanks!
 
#8
pbass888 said:
Thank you Suraci, I will try to find Mike and appreciate all your help!
When I do a 'google' search for "Mike Longo New York" I get a piano player. This is not the same one is it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

yup
i have his number just PM me
his thing is understanding jazz rhythm I know no one who has his insights... playing with the people he played with helped...haha

as far as piano vs bass,,,, he WILL help you
his last album was with the great string bass player Bob Cranshaw, and I believe the album is doing well.

Save your pennies and find an elec bass teacher too, but what Mike offers me is unique.. and he does not market himself much at all. I play bass and keys myself...though we talked about harmony, I was not there for that, RHYTHM was the thing.. the most elusive thing to teach
 
#9
suraci said:
yup
i have his number just PM me
his thing is understanding jazz rhythm I know no one who has his insights... playing with the people he played with helped...haha

as far as piano vs bass,,,, he WILL help you
his last album was with the great string bass player Bob Cranshaw, and I believe the album is doing well.

Save your pennies and find an elec bass teacher too, but what Mike offers me is unique.. and he does not market himself much at all. I play bass and keys myself...though we talked about harmony, I was not there for that, RHYTHM was the thing.. the most elusive thing to teach
Click to expand...

Thank you. Im going to try to contact him tonight. I look forward to it. I love Bob Cranshaw, saw him play with Sonny a few times. Wonderful electric player. I would try to get his dvd too if I can online.
Thank you again!
Sri
 
#10
_chrispy said:
Off topic sorry, but have you seen his DVDs?
Click to expand...
Yes, I took those lessons with him in person.
But I bought them anyway. I was a little put off by what felt like
the slowness of "when do I GET the goodies", but in retrospect, for someone new to it, he takes it slow and uses the valid concept of repetition... teaching 8 students the same lesson on different instruments.
Let me ask you this... where else can you find this "thing", answer, nowhere.
He also spent 5 days a week for 6 months studying with Oscar Peterson and he told me that Oscar looked up to Dizzy, and learned from him.

we are bass players, RHYTHM is primary for us...
harmony teachers "are a dime a dozen", everyone with their pet theories of harmony... but who teaches jazz rhythm, hmm? Please tell me, because I only know of Mike. And Hal Galper seems to be in sync with Mike's ideas about the dearth of proper education with regard to jazz rhythm, etc.

Jazz to me, does not SWING the way it used to... of course that is called evolution, BUT do todays cats understand the swing of previous generations? I think we need a solid ( solid, as in bass as the foundation ) rhythmic foundation. We need to groove our butts off; in the manner of past masters like Ray Brown, Jaco, and present master, Marcus Miller, etc.
If a bass does groove, he greatly reduces the chance to be employed !!!
 
#11
A wonderful idea. The key about NYC is the huge amount of great players and teachers. To survive is to stand out, and top-level people tend to have highly individualistic approaches. To make your visit worthwhile I would really look for the musician who teaches something you can't get from anyone else.

I found that teacher in Connie Crothers, who is not a bass player, but a great jazz improvisor, and great music teacher. Best money on lessons I ever spent.

When in town, I'd suggest to go see any gig you can in the jazz bars (find the listings in Time Out New York, All About Jazz New York and so on). All the good people play low profile gigs on weeknights and approaching them directly after a gig is usually the best way to set something up.
 
#12
suraci said:
who teaches jazz rhythm, hmm?
Click to expand...

No-one should.

A student of the great jazz drummer Clarence Becton once demanded that Clarence taught him how to swing. Clarence, correctly, told him he could not teach him that. The student threatened to sue him.

Ray Brown or Oscar Pettiford or Thelonious Monk (or whomever else in your list) have great jazz rhythm because they found their own rhythm. You and I therefore, need to find our own rhythm. A teacher who tells you he can teach you "jazz rhythm" is selling you an illusion, IMO.
 
#13
theretheyare said:
A wonderful idea. The key about NYC is the huge amount of great players and teachers. To survive is to stand out, and top-level people tend to have highly individualistic approaches. To make your visit worthwhile I would really look for the musician who teaches something you can't get from anyone else.

I found that teacher in Connie Crothers, who is not a bass player, but a great jazz improvisor, and great music teacher. Best money on lessons I ever spent.

When in town, I'd suggest to go see any gig you can in the jazz bars (find the listings in Time Out New York, All About Jazz New York and so on). All the good people play low profile gigs on weeknights and approaching them directly after a gig is usually the best way to set something up.
Click to expand...

That is Great. Thanks for the suggestions I will look and see what shows are going on when I am in town. Im sure there will be some great shows! Thanks for the suggestion.
 
#14
theretheyare said:
No-one should.

A student of the great jazz drummer Clarence Becton once demanded that Clarence taught him how to swing. Clarence, correctly, told him he could not teach him that. The student threatened to sue him.

Ray Brown or Oscar Pettiford or Thelonious Monk (or whomever else in your list) have great jazz rhythm because they found their own rhythm. You and I therefore, need to find our own rhythm. A teacher who tells you he can teach you "jazz rhythm" is selling you an illusion, IMO.
Click to expand...

I like that sentiment. But I still learned from Mike. who in turn learned from Dizzy by spending years on the bandstand with him.
NO one can teach you to swing like Ray Brown, obviously.
But jazz is a sophisticated language and I believe aspects of it can so to speak "rub off" through association with those who seem to have it.

Let's use a rhythm that OUGHT to be natural to me, but isn't quite- the Bronx based ( ha ha ) salsa stuff.
These guys are very particular about HOW you play and WHAT you play.. their music.
I cannot just go into a salsa ( forgive me if salsa is an outmoded term I am talking about bad mofo Eddie Palmeri circa 1970 ) bandstand and just impart myself into their music without considerable preparation with THE WAY THEY DO THEIR THING. Same with jazz.
 

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