Sys Grabs A Try As Smooth Jazz Pianist

Hey...

I'd like your opinion on my performance on this style, I'm seeking job as pianist in Restaurants or Hotels but no luck so far, they have musicians already, still, there are more places I can go to offer my services..

There is not much Jazz in Mexico, there are tons of so-called musicians with keyboards playing a melody along midi background, sometimes the piano is there but they prefer to carry their heavy stuff (bad sign).

My performance in these videos is already good enough for my city, but you people from other places, specially American guys, even New York guys, I bet you know pianist play way better than this, so I'd like you to tell me how could I improve this, all I want is $300 pesos (like $25 dollars) per hour, I'll be happy with that.

I come from Classical world, I have taken these piece from fakebooks, no complete score, I try to make the best arrangement I can, is always kinda improvised, not 100% defined, each time sounds a bit different, I also can introduce sections in the middle and make the piece longer etc...

I'm not yet in full control of this style, you can notice at the end, the last note, my finger...I'm a bit nervous :D (also I was cold)

YC Shoutbox sound, chord progression at the end :D, it is not officially called The YCSB ending.

I think I got nervous at the end too, kinda lost track of harmony, (I can't blame temperature on that)

so what do you think ?, just replace in your head the casio sound with a real piano, my room with a much better ambient.

(Note, Digital pianos resonance is way weaker than real pianos, it automatically forces me to add more notes, to avoid emptiness, I usually play less stuff on a real piano.)

Why'd you go and call it 'smooth' jazz!? ...there's no electric bass, synth strings, soprano sax or hip-hip electric drum beats. :whistling:

Regardless, I say your sound is nice solo piano interpretation; the classic tin-pan-alley pop sound. I wouldn't call is jazz...definitely wouldn't call it smooth.

well I don't know the variants very well but then what's the name ? tin-pan-allen pop ? that's new to me :P

I can play the bass and the soprano sax, but I need to clone myself first...

So is nothing like "don't do i-iv that much" or "too many arpeggios" ? anyway Thanks for your comment, coming from you is quite refreshing to know.

I did doubt to call this exactly 'jazz' as well. It's rather the kind of live music I'd like to have while dining on a very classy restaurant or hotel lounge. You're hired.

I hope I find myself lucky on these next days, I have a job offer but in microwave ovens repairing :unsure: ...

I wanna play, please Lord, let me find where to play.

I have two, but is very difficult to record, sound with a horrible ambient, that's why I recorded on elec piano, at least that sends the audio directly to the pc. with time I can try to record the one in the living room but my house is small.

Piano or GTFO

Sure, honestly I'd like to find a place with real piano, not to carry that 17kg all the time, but sometime one can't have it all...

Then if the guy ask me "what style you play ?" what do I answer ?

Is not only the chord itself, 9ths but double a lot, in octaves like it would have an organ coupler,

instead just C (bassline) Eb+G+Bb+D,

is C, D+Eb+G+Bb (jump a 8va) D+Eb+G+Bb+D, that's when the effect comes out.

Nice playing! I can hear elements of jazz, but mainly classical, especially in the left hand. I think it sounds quite unique and I haven't heard Tenderly played this way before :D

As a jazz pianist myself I can advise if you want to have more of a jazz influence in your playing, you should start listening to loads of jazz pianists and transcribe what they play and try to perform with the recordings. You will develop more 'feel' in your playing.

Also, get your hands on The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine.

Thanks for your comment, yes I've been studying and paying attention, I sound more jazzist today, (these vids are a few months back). Actually I heard Tenderly like that once, it was a recording with cricket sounds as background :dunno: just it didn't have the vivace at 2:16-2:20 that was my adding... :D

I'll get that book you mention,

That now you mention you're a jazz pianist, I'd like you to take a look to this, because I have been not only learning how to play but also how to write these songs, this is my first jazzy song, it is not very very good but I'm writing a new one will sound better :whistling:

Thanks again.