INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO  COURSE

By Dick Grove

JAZZ KEYBOARD PROGRAM

At one time, jazz pianist Dick Grove operated a very well-respected music school under his own name in the Los Angeles area. Its curriculum was characterized by an emphasis on solid, practical fundamentals taught by professionals of considerable
talent and real-world experience.
Many of those who were fortunate
enough to take classes there during the school's 18-year existence have gone on to successful careers as players,
arrangers, composers, and educators.

So for those of us who missed the
opportunity, tough luck, right?
Not so. Dick Grove is back, and he has fashioned several courses for the '90's, which is to say in a multiple-media format. Dick's expertise is now available on video, accompanied by workbooks and CDs.

Here's how his JAZZ KEYBOARD
PROGRAM works. Each month, or
every week if you can practice
enough, you get a package in the mail.

Pop in the video, and there's Dick
Grove himself, seated at the piano.

Unlike other video methods that
show you what the pianist's hands
are doing via a split screen, Dick
talks to you for about an hour and
a half, unedited. He takes you
through the workbook, page by
page, singing here, playing there,
telling you what the goal of each
exercise is, suggesting practice
methods, offering sage advice and
encouragement, and occasionally
telling a joke. Since each lesson
covers a ton of material, and
since he has very particular goals
in mind for you, he meticulously
explains his plan. Toward the end
of the lesson, he sometimes even
looks at his watch, the mark of
a truly professional educator.
It's just like going to his house
on Saturday morning.

The curriculum is based on
training your ears to hear voice
leading of the moving chord tones
in jazz harmony, and consequently
you're asked to do quite a bit of
singing as well as playing.

The method thoroughly covers scales, fingering, melodic phrasing, improv and voicings. Not all exercises are limited to a particular element; actual tunes are included with each lesson. On the practice tapes, Dick has recorded his piano playing only on one channel, so you can turn his part down and play along with the bassist and drummer.

There are eight lessons in Level 1,
and eight more in Level 2. The first
lesson of Level 1 starts out with the IImi7-V7-Ima7 progression, but it's done at a slow enough pace that inexperienced players should have little difficulty in grasping the concepts. The second level takes you into extensions and appropriate voicings.

This is a great program. It presents no quick fixes or licks, nor is it an encyclopedia of voicings. You do all the work but Dick is there every step of the way helping you to get it done.

The accompaniment tracks are well- played, if occasionally uninspired.

But they're played with good time,
and you can hear each exercise as
many times as you want.

Oh yeah, if you have any questions
about what to do, how to practice,
or even if you just need a kick in
the pants, Dick's phone number is
printed in the workbooks.
- Ernie Rideout

($110.00 per lesson, videos approx.
1-1/2 hour long, workbooks,
approx 90 pp; CDs approx.
70 tracks. Grove/Rasch Music
Education Systems, 810 W. Peak Vista
place, oro Valley, AZ 85737
800-994-7683, 541-552-9605;
EMAIL: dana@beyondchops.com