Join Tuomo this June for two Zoom workshops focusing on ‘The Nearness of You’ by Hoagy Carmichael. These sessions will provide a rich palette of ideas, techniques, and insights for playing jazz ballads in solo piano and ensemble settings.
Session 1: Solo Piano Interpretation
Monday, June 9, 2025 – 12:00 PM EST
In this first workshop Tuomo guides you through The Nearness of You in a solo piano context. Explore various arranging techniques focusing on the harmonic and melodic structure and learn how to bring out the emotional depth of the tune.
In the second seminar, we’ll move into the trio setting. Tuomo will demonstrate how to approach ballad playing with sensitivity and beauty while maintaining musical interest. Expect thoughtful discussion on interaction, dynamics, and creating space within a trio.
Why can’t I access the replay? It keeps telling me to join the Zoom meeting but nothing happens. This is different from the other replays.
Ron Domansky
Our video editor is working on adding the full notation and blue highlights which will be ready shortly. The updated version will be published on the same page.
Tuomo’s PDF handouts can be found above and I have also added these to the workshop page.
Enjoy the workshop and let us know if you have any questions with the material.
I will post a message here when the final version is ready with the notation and blue highlights.
Also on a related note, @Tuomo’s next seminar has been rescheduled to Monday 23rd June (Previously Monday 16th June). I have updated the seminar pages and the ‘Add To Calendar’ button.
Hey @Tuomo
Looking forward to tomorrow’s seminar. In preparation, I was reviewing the first seminar on “Nearness of You.” I was struck by your comment on bar 15 (@ about 16 minutes or so) where you said that the Eb7 made you think of IVmin because of Eb7 being the 5 of the IV (if i followed you correctly). This reminded me of another chord sequence of the I chord going to another chord and then back to the I chord at the end of an A section: bar 16 of “I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love with Me.” In this case the I goes to the IVmin6 then back to the I (on the lead sheet that i have). Curiously, the notes in Eb7 are quite similar to Bbmin6. Also, curiously, in both cases the root of the I chord is the sustained melody note.
On another note, I have a comping question that I was hoping you might have time to address tomorrow. I heard a trio yesterday and was listening to what the piano player was doing when comping. In addition to playing the chords, occasionally he sensitively inserted short melodic phrases to compliment what the lead player or soloist was doing. If you were doing this when comping, would your melodic phrases be constructed in relation to the chord tones of the harmony, in relation to the melody of the tune, or in relation to what the lead player or soloist was doing? Hope the question makes sense. . .
Session 1: Solo Piano Interpretation
Monday, June 9, 2025 – 12:00 PM EST