Join Jazzfuel host Matt Fripp and other jazz fans from the community for...
- A daily video lesson about how to listen more 'deeply' to your favourite jazz albums
- A list new musical discoveries to add to your to do list
- Meeting fellow jazz fans to chat with inside the community forum
"The more I learn, the more I enjoy"
Many fans around the world were drawn to jazz not through formal education, but through that magical 'feeling' when they first heard it.
Those first few bars of Louis Armstrong, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, John Coltrane...
Many of the most devout jazz fans have the feeling that, without the knowledge of a professionally educated jazz musician, there might be things they’re missing when listening to the music they love.
"I want to know more about the music I love..."
We’re not talking about complicated musical theory or advanced techniques, but things happening both on the record and in the world at that time which can give a better appreciation of the playing and improve the listening experience.
Essentially: why do you love the types of jazz you love, and how can you use that knowledge to discover more?!
"I want to become a better informed listener and fan"
What if you could identify the things that are happening in your favourite albums and, as a result, uncover other amazing records in a similar style?
What if you knew why you like the specific genres of jazz that you do and turn that knowledge into a tool for new discoveries?
Would knowing more about the backstories of the specific musicians increase your appreciation for what they are playing?
Of course, being a consummate jazz fan is a life long quest, but my goal is to help you uncover a few things that will help you make progress with this, in an enjoyable way.
Join Jazzfuel for some essential listening
For this 14 day challenge, we’ll guide you through 7 legendary jazz performances from the 1920s through to the 1960s which demonstrate some of the classic elements of the best recordings.
For each one, we’ve deconstructed - in layman terms - some of these things for you to dive into and hear for yourself.
The challenge: commit to going deeper with each of these tunes, finding out the specific things that really speak to you and put together a list of new music to listen to based on what you’ve learnt.
By the end, we’ll be sharing each others’ discoveries and trading more ideas for new jazz discoveries!
The goal: within 14 days you will have some extra understanding of not only what you like when it comes to jazz, but some new ways to talk about this with friends and fellow fans.
What will this challenge include?
Each day we'll focus on a different song from jazz history and look at:
- The historical context of the recording
- Notable musicians in the band
- Easy descriptions of the melody and solo styles
- Key elements to listen out for
- Instrumental techniques used
- Recommended listening from other eras (through to 2021) which share similarities with the example track
FAQs
Do I need any musical training for this challenge?
No! Although beginner musicians can benefit from this challenge too, the lessons are made to be understandable by anyone with some curiosity and motivation!
How long will this take?
Every other day you'll get access to a new module which you can work through whilst listening to the tunes of the day and can be completed in 10-15 minutes.
What if I'm busy that week?
Registering for the challenge gives you lifetime access to all the videos, so whilst it might be fun to work through it with us each day, it's not essential.
Do I need to buy these records?
No. We will provide Spotify & Youtube links for each song, so you can stream it for free online.
[We'll also provide links to buy in case you find some to add to your collection though!]
Can I ask questions during the challenge?
Yes! Each daily session includes a comments section where you can communicate with Jazzfuel host Matt Fripp and the other participants.