Bob Albanese

”Bob Albanese is a rhymer, a poetic soul whether he is thinking and talking or composing and playing. He has all the requisites-harmonic acumen, melodicism and swing. With all that he has nuance, that certain something that gives him distinction. He’s not radical, or fanatical but artistically he’s never on sabbatical.” --Ira Gitler (Jan. 2009), jazz historian and journalist, former New York editor of Down Beat magazine. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jazz Journalists Association.

“Bob is a wonderfully creative pianist and his CD -One Way/Detour- proves it

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”Bob Albanese is a rhymer, a poetic soul whether he is thinking and talking or composing and playing. He has all the requisites-harmonic acumen, melodicism and swing. With all that he has nuance, that certain something that gives him distinction. He’s not radical, or fanatical but artistically he’s never on sabbatical.” --Ira Gitler (Jan. 2009), jazz historian and journalist, former New York editor of Down Beat magazine. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jazz Journalists Association.

“Bob is a wonderfully creative pianist and his CD -One Way/Detour- proves it. He not only has a firm grasp on standards, his compositions are most interesting and he is someone who is not a traditionalist but knows the tradition which is a compliment I do not use very often. Bob was a Composition student of mine at Manhattan School of Music and is also a very creative orchestrator and arranger. More people should know about Bob Albanese.” --Michael Abene, Grammy winning Composer, Arranger, Producer and currently the Musical Director (Chefdirigent) of the WDR Big Band of Cologne, Germany on the 15th Nov. 2008

“One Way / Detour”: “Nice work! Fine playing by all, thoughtful originals, and a few non-hackneyed others. Nice to again hear Ira Sullivan, whom I haven’t heard or seen in a number of years.” --Bill Kirchner, WBGO 88.3FM, Autumn 2008

“I thoroughly enjoyed Bob’s originality, harmonic and rhythmic depth and fluency of ideas” --Clare Fischer, the legendary pianist and composer after hearing a solo performance Bob gave in Los Angeles in 2006.

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

1) Where do you/ did you teach?

New York University, Mannes College The New School, Manhattan School of Music (ensembles), Five Towns College, Master classes throughout former Yugoslavia i.e. the Balkans: Albania, The Republic of Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bulgaria. I also teach privately and I do video conference lessons through Skype.


2) What do you/ did you teach?

Jazz improvisation, composition, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic development, clavé, 'the language of music' especially as it evolves through, of and into the essential Jazz Canon, the blues. the latin tinge. modes, compositional devices, constant note value improvisation, interpreting standards, jazz tunes: a vehicle for improvisation vs. set composition, ear training, arranging, musical story telling.


3) What do you like to teach during the masterclass?

I do a variety of things. A good set up would be to have at least 2 pianos and a chalk board, preferably with musical staffs but adequate if not. Drums, amps and music stands would be helpful for instrumentalists other than pianists. All instruments welcome. Knowledge of treble and bass clef, note values, chords, chord symbols, are recommended.


4) Some of the activities would be (not necessarily in this order):

a) discussion of everyones needs as pertains to improvisation, especially relating to the jazz tradition, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE JAZZ TRADITION.

b) trading solo choruses back and forth.

c) chalk board explanations of the devices to be used in the actual playing demonstrations and group exercises.

d) the conflux of opposites as it relates to intervals relationships, consonance and dissonance in chord building and melodic (linear) development.

Clinic/Workshop Information

Read more

Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

1) Where do you/ did you teach?

New York University, Mannes College The New School, Manhattan School of Music (ensembles), Five Towns College, Master classes throughout former Yugoslavia i.e. the Balkans: Albania, The Republic of Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bulgaria. I also teach privately and I do video conference lessons through Skype.


2) What do you/ did you teach?

Jazz improvisation, composition, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic development, clavé, 'the language of music' especially as it evolves through, of and into the essential Jazz Canon, the blues. the latin tinge. modes, compositional devices, constant note value improvisation, interpreting standards, jazz tunes: a vehicle for improvisation vs. set composition, ear training, arranging, musical story telling.


3) What do you like to teach during the masterclass?

I do a variety of things. A good set up would be to have at least 2 pianos and a chalk board, preferably with musical staffs but adequate if not. Drums, amps and music stands would be helpful for instrumentalists other than pianists. All instruments welcome. Knowledge of treble and bass clef, note values, chords, chord symbols, are recommended.


4) Some of the activities would be (not necessarily in this order):

a) discussion of everyones needs as pertains to improvisation, especially relating to the jazz tradition, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE JAZZ TRADITION.

b) trading solo choruses back and forth.

c) chalk board explanations of the devices to be used in the actual playing demonstrations and group exercises.

d) the conflux of opposites as it relates to intervals relationships, consonance and dissonance in chord building and melodic (linear) development.

Clinic/Workshop Information

1) Where do you/ did you teach?

New York University, Mannes College The New School, Manhattan School of Music (ensembles), Five Towns College, Master classes throughout former Yugoslavia i.e. the Balkans: Albania, The Republic of Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bulgaria. I also teach privately and I do video conference lessons through Skype.


2) What do you/ did you teach?

Jazz improvisation, composition, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic development, clavé, 'the language of music' especially as it evolves through, of and into the essential Jazz Canon, the blues. the latin tinge. modes, compositional devices, constant note value improvisation, interpreting standards, jazz tunes: a vehicle for improvisation vs. set composition, ear training, arranging, musical story telling.


3) What do you like to teach during the masterclass?

I do a variety of things. A good set up would be to have at least 2 pianos and a chalk board, preferably with musical staffs but adequate if not. Drums, amps and music stands would be helpful for instrumentalists other than pianists. All instruments welcome. Knowledge of treble and bass clef, note values, chords, chord symbols, are recommended.


4) Some of the activities would be (not necessarily in this order):

a) discussion of everyones needs as pertains to improvisation, especially relating to the jazz tradition, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE JAZZ TRADITION.

b) trading solo choruses back and forth.

c) chalk board explanations of the devices to be used in the actual playing demonstrations and group exercises.

d) the conflux of opposites as it relates to intervals relationships, consonance and dissonance in chord building and melodic (linear) development.

Show less