Product Details

• Actors: Andy LaVerne
• Directors: Happy Traum
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Homespun Tapes
• DVD Release Date: March 15, 2006
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000F3UO80
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,538 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

LEARN TO PLAY JAZZ PIANO STANDARDS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the very best Instructional Jazz Piano DVDs, August 21, 2010

By 

T. Wood "tim_jazz_man" (Morecambe, Lancashire, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: DVD-Learn To Play Jazz Piano Standards (DVD)

This DVD has really helped me expand my jazz piano playing, and sped up my development.

Andy takes 6 great standard tunes and shows how you might arrange the song from a lead sheet which just shows the melody and the basic chord changes.

First he just demonstrates a basic version of the tune with basic 7th chord voicings in the left hand and melody in the right hand. He then demonstrates a more elaborate version of the tune by using more complex voicings and some approach chords that make the arrangement sound a lot fuller. By playing it back at 50% speed on the Disklavier piano without Andy obstructing the keys, you get to see these voicings which is very, very helpful.

He then reharmonises the tune which I still have to study, but is obviously very useful to show what can de done by completely changing the harmonic structure of the tune, makes the song sound completely fresh. Andy finishes off by playing a contrafact which is a new melody over the original chord changes.

I always used to ask what the "secret" was to the voicings of legendary players like Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock etc but Andy Laverne shows how to do it. Sometimes it is just one or two notes that make the chord sound richer, and this DVD unlocks the "secrets" to these questions of what the legends actually do.

I would say this is the best Jazz Piano DVD on the market. I wouldn't recommend it to beginners, as knowledge of basic chords and harmony is required. There is a lot of material/study here but it's just like having a one to one lesson with an incredible jazz pianist. I wish he would do another sequel DVD with more arrangements of other standards.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons from "The Pro", November 25, 2007

By 

Robert DeVivo (Monroe Township, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: DVD-Learn To Play Jazz Piano Standards (DVD)

Andy Laverne is a great teacher. All good teachers have a flare for passion. Andy is one of the best and his passion for teaching is evident in everything that he does. His presentation of the material is logical and straightforward and allows the student ample time to absorb the information and put it to practical use. I'm always on the lookout for anything that Andy has to offer.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great pianist,great teacher,great DVD, October 10, 2010

By 

j guitar (Rio de Janeiro,Brazil) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: DVD-Learn To Play Jazz Piano Standards (DVD)

Andy Laverne is an experienced musician and teacher.He knows that it's very important to a student to play well arranged examples in standard formats and reharmonized versions to compare and feel those new ways to expand arranging skills.It's better than study static theories and rules.Great instructional DVD for any musician,no matter the instrument he plays.That's important to say that the beautiful and amazing reharmonizations are very sophisticated and a pleasure to listen to.Highly recommended.