Lennie Tristano was a jazz pianist and composer who became a very influential teacher designing his own method for jazz improvisation. Many great jazz musicians such as  Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Bill Evans and many others have spent years studying with Tristano. His influence is still present in the playing of musicians like Mark Turner and others and his method offers an endless variety of ways to approach jazz- harmony.

In this course we will listen to his music, study some of his exercises, we will transcribe and study exemplary jazz solos that Tristano gave as homework to his students and of course we will be playing his compositions, mainly alternative themes on existing chord changes. During the course you will play, review and analyze the music of Lennie Tristano and you will be required to use his compositional techniques in your own compositions/arrangements.

The requirements for this ensemble are affinity with jazz, an advanced playing level and enough time (one hour a day) to study themes, exercises and transcriptions and practice.