Aretha Franklin- "The Queen of Soul". Rest in peace. Here's a young 22 year old Aretha singing her heart out as she always did. God bless the queen. …
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IROCKU Student, Jagger Clark, Wins Prestigious Eastman School of Music Award- Congratulations Jagger!!!
Congratulations to high school junior, Jagger Clark, for winning the Prestigious Eastman School of Music Award for his musical talents and contributions to his school. Chuck and the team at IROCKU couldn't be prouder of your achievements!!!! "What'd I Say" piano lesson Jagger's earliest introduction to the piano was through his IROCKU lessons. In fact, at one of our early recording sessions with Chuck, Jagger was asked to participate since he was our youngest student at the time. Under the guidance of IROCKU musical director, Cary Brown, Jagger has worked his way through the 7-level IROCKU curriculum and now routinely performs the IROCKU material in his gigs. Thank you Eastman School of Music for validating that the classical approach to learning piano is not the only path …
Chuck Leavell – Chuck Gets Big w/ The Frankfurt Radio Big Band
Chuck Leavell, keyboardist and musical director for the Rolling Stones, has released a new album, "Chuck Gets Big". “In 2011, I had the pleasure of doing a concert with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, a 17-piece brass orchestra of some of the finest musicians in Germany. Three talented arrangers created charts for some twelve songs I had chosen from my works with the Allman Brothers Band; Sea Level and the Rolling Stones, as well as my own compositions. "Chuck Gets Big" is the result of this experience, and is my latest release on BMG records.” Backed by the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, Chuck takes us on a musical journey through his 40+ year career as one of rock’s top keyboard players. He covers his lifelong idol Ray Charles with “Losing Hand” and “Georgia on My Mind”. Chuck also reaches …
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A moment in rock history- how the Dixie Dregs were discovered
Here's an esoteric piece of music history we just stumbled upon. Rod Morgenstein of the Dixie Dregs talks about how in 1976 Chuck Leavell, who was keyboardist with the Allman Brothers at the time, saw them playing in a Nashville bar. Capricorn Records signed them right up! The Dixie Dregs are an instrumental band that fuses hard rock, southern rock, progressive metal, and even some classical. Could this have been the inspiration for Chuck's rock/jazz fusion band "Sea Level"? Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for The Rolling Stones, The Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and more. Join Now and SAVE!!! …
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Debunking the misconception that Improvisation is running up and down scales.
In "Chuck Leavell's Stride Blues" Rock Essentials series we debunk the misconception that Improvisation is running up and down scales and we show how playing "shapes" is an easier way to improvise. "Stride Blues" piano lesson We've received lots of positive feedback on this approach which leads us to the following questions: What are the best methods and techniques for learning to improvise? For those of us with limited time to practice what is the most efficient way to learn? What are the biggest mistakes and myths among people learning jazz & blues piano? What are the biggest wastes of time? What are the biggest mistakes novices make when they are playing/practicing? Even at a professional level, what mistakes are most common? Reply below to let us know …
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IROCKU Featured Piano Lesson-“Little Martha” by Duane Allman
This week's featured piano lesson is "Little Martha", the only Allman Brothers song written by legendary guitarist, Duane Allman. Here's a beautiful version of the IROCKU lesson performed by Holly Bowling. Holly is a concert pianist who performs jam band music as solo piano selections. She is known for her interpretive performances of Phish and The Grateful Dead songs so we are thrilled that she decided to take on our version of "Little Martha". "Little Martha" piano lesson The melody line of “Little Martha” is made of two-bar phrases played over a repeating 3-note cross rhythm. The first phrase lines up with the third note of the 3-note pattern, the second phrase lines up with the first note of the 3-note pattern, the third phrase lines up with the second note of the 3-note pattern, …
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IROCKU Receives US Patent for Novel Approach to Teaching Music
IROCKU receives a US Patent for its multi-dimensional approach to teaching music; providing a system for students to progress across multiple levels within the same song while holistically learning scales, techniques, groove, rhythm, theory, improvisation and melody all within the same lesson. The patent process amounted to a knock-down-drag-out battle with the hard working and well-intentioned folks at the patent office because the examiners assigned to the case were all classically trained and couldn't fathom that people could learn music without reading notes. Our Groove charts, which provide rhythm and chord progressions without the need to read notes on the musical staff was a foreign concept to them. We had to explain that many of the greatest musicians in rock history don't read …
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New IROCKU Essentials Series!!! – “Chuck Leavell’s Stride Blues”
"Chuck Leavell's Stride Blues" piano lesson This multi-part video series covers both right and left hand piano techniques that Chuck has used throughout his career. If you want to learn the fundamentals behind Chuck’s epic performances ranging from “Jessica” ( Allman Brothers) to “Honky Tonk Women” ( The Rolling Stones”) and everything in between, this series is the place to begin. The series covers left-hand stride and walking bass lines, and right-hand scales, chords and patterns based on blues, minor, major and pentatonic scales. All are fundamental elements of Chuck’s legendary style. The series begins with an overview of the 8- bar blues form used in the recording, “The Blues is All Wrong”. The first half of the series teaches left-hand stride techniques and introduces elements …
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The Rolling Stones won the Grammy for ‘Best Traditional Blues Album’, “Blue & Lonesome”
The Rolling Stones won the Grammy for ‘Best Traditional Blues Album’, for “Blue & Lonesome” at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. This is only the fourth Grammy for the Stones and is only their second Grammy for a piece of musical work. Their other three Grammys are for ‘Best Music Video’- “Love is Strong” 1995, 'Best Rock Album'-"Voodoo Lounge" 1994, and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ 1986. “Blue & Lonesome” is an awesome blues album but for the rock band that spent 50 years creating some of the most iconic rocks songs ever it’s hard to believe that this is their second real Grammy. It is fitting though, that the Stones received the Grammy for the album that brings them back to their roots as a blues band. If you were on the Grammy committee which Stones album or song would have …
Jools Holland & Doctor John as the “Boogie Woogie Twins”
During the 1930s and 40s pianists Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons would dress in identical clothing and play boogie woogie duets. In this video, circa 1988, Dr John and Jools Holland have recreated that long lost boogie woogie duet. Two pianos, twice the fun!! Who is your favorite rock piano player and what is your favorite keyboard song? Click here for the current list. Dr John is currently ranked 15th on our list of greatest rock piano players of all time with his signature keyboard songs "Such a Night" and "Right Place, Wrong Time". Jools Holland is ranked 48th on the list with his top songs "Pulling Mussels from the Shell" by Squeeze and "Uncertain Smile" by "The The". Learn how to play rock and blues piano from one of rock’s greatest. Chuck Leavell, legendary keyboardist for …
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