Tag Archives: jazz

transcriptions on YouTube

Posted by mjohancsik on

Thanks so much to everyone who has checked out the videos/the album! It makes me really happy to know that people are listening and enjoying it.

I’ve decided to start posting some of the transcriptions I do on YouTube so people can check them out and follow along – I do think that the best way to learn a solo is “by ear” (ie memorizing it before writing anything down) but I also think it’s really neat to see how things look on paper. Some things that sound surprising are actually really normal on paper, and some things that sound really normal and natural are actually pretty weird when you see them written down.

There’s a few up already but here’s my lift of Steve Lacy’s solo on Petite Fleur from “Hot House,” a duo record with Mal Waldron. I love this duo – two extremely distinctive and idiosyncratic musical personalities whose music together always sounds timeless. Lacy’s solo here is a masterclass in getting the absolute most out of every single note and every single phrase while sounding relaxed and ‘vocal.’ Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

for the full sheet music, send me a message using the contact page here!

“Breakglass Sessions” is out now!!

Posted by mjohancsik on

The album is out now!!! You can find all the videos on the “videos” page of this website, and the album can be streamed on any of the major streaming platforms plus on bandcamp (where you can optionally purchase it) below.

I’m so grateful to everyone who made this possible – hope you enjoy the music and videos and stay tuned for more to come!

Frédéric Hébert “l’Aube” album release

Posted by mjohancsik on

Excited to announce the release of new music from Frédéric Hébert! I really enjoy playing his music and I think you will enjoy listening to it. The album can be found here and you can also check out cool photos below taken by Marc-André Dupaul taken at the album release show at Le Zaricot in Ste-Hyacinthe, QC.

Paul Bley…

Posted by mjohancsik on

to commemorate the recent passing of the great Paul Bley, here’s a little transcription i did a while back of one of his solos (just the melody line because i’m a saxophonist).

he had an indomitable sense of melody, an authoritative touch, a deep sense of the blues, and was fearlessly innovative. this particular solo is cool to me because of his minimal left-hand comping, the beautiful flow and funkiness of the rhythm, the almost sing-song melodic quality and the weird but clever subversion of the harmony – made all the more wild by its departure from Coleman Hawkins’ wonderful solo.

and more than 50 years later it still sounds like it comes from the future!

(starts around 3:13)

All the things you are - Paul Bley solo (1)All the things you are - Paul Bley solo (2)All the things you are - Paul Bley solo (3)