The Mint, a great upscale and popular night club and hangout in LA, will host The Charlie Hunter Trio for two nights. Touring in support of their current album Baboon Strength, the Charlie Hunter Trio will hit the Mint December 12th and 13. Hunter, an adventurous guitarist who plays bass, rhythm and solos simultaneously on custom 7- and 8-string guitars, studied with Joe Satriani in his teens and started his career as a member of The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He has collaborated with the likes of Stanton Moore, Bobby Previte and Christian McBride. The trio on Baboon Strength and on this tour includes Eric Deutsch on keys and Tony Mason on drums.

About The Club:

Every Monday, The Mint, together with 32 Bar Productions, delivers a speak-easy style Jazz experience, reminiscent of some of the old New York Jazz clubs back in the day. Our jazz night , hosted by Kevin Kanner and his quintet and featuring different DJ’s every week is called The Groove Pocket. The night combines uncompromised Jazz, Bebop and Hip Hop as well as artists painting and drawing throughout the night together with some of LA’s edgiest DJ’s spinning Breaks, Soul and Hip Hop between sets.

Kanner is changing the way Jazz is presented, appealing to new and younger ears without compromising anything musically. This rare treat has become a mainstay and a central event for the Los Angeles jazz scene. Some say that great jazz experiences in Los Angeles are somewhat hard to find. Many feel that one must go to New York, Chicago or New Orleans to capture a real jazz scene. Here at the Mint, we beg to differ. Right here in Los Angeles you will find a bona fide jazz band doing 2 sets each Monday night, the second set being an open jam session with experienced jazz musicians being invited up to the stage.

This all takes place every Monday at The Mint, an LA landmark dating back to 1937. 2 for 1 happy hour before 10 PM so we invite you to come down and wash away your Monday blues. NO COVER CHARGE! Full Bar, tap beers, wine list, and a fine food menu.

About The Group:

Charlie Hunter had his start back in the early 90s in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mixing traditional jazz with hip-hop, funk, and rock, Hunter was the first out of a bunch of groups in the area to be released on CD. His inventive use of a custom guitar earned him astute musicians as fans, and his talent for creating infectious hip-hop dance grooves made Hunter’s live shows guaranteed good times for college crowds.

Location:
The Mint
6010 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(323) 954-9400
http://www.themintla.com/jazzclublosangeles.html

Related posts:

1. The Mint: Great club for jazz in Los Angeles
2. Bennett Alliance Concert Series Presents Charlie Hunter Trio & The Daniel Bennett Group
3. Latin Jazz Giants Orchestra To Play The Mayan In Los Angeles

This post describes some of the best approaches to improving your jazz guitar skills, promoting it as enjoyable experience. Yes, in order to “get better” with jazz guitar, you do need to put in time and practice; this doesn’t, however, mean that it has to be a monotonous and mechanical process though. Here are some good tips for those of you who are looking to learn a little more than just chords and riffs.

Being In The Right Mind Set:

Just like any other instrument or style, mastery of the guitar or of jazz guitar playing should not be your end goal. It is great to be able to play the instrument and be familiar with the structures that are used in jazz; however you need to begin with an approach that is going to fuel you over the long run. What I am referring to is the motivation to enjoy the music. We all have bad days – sometimes bad weeks or months – but what is it that is going to allow you to overcome the speed bumps in the road?

Any great jazz guitarist – and any great musician for that matter – will tell you that their success is not built truly on the instrument or the style. Yes musicians have focused on certain instruments (and even fallen in love with them), but their motivation for playing derives from a passion for the music. It is was what drew them in to begin with, and it is also why they are still playing today.

Simple, Practical Goals Toward Playing For Enjoyment:

What you should do is set some goals for yourself. You can begin on a daily basis, and then work up to a weekly or even monthly level. But the key is to set some goals for yourself that are not simply based on technique and mastery of the instrument. Pick something that is going to motivate you, even on those day when you look down at the instrument and say, “I really don’t feel like playing today.” An example: “In the next two days, I will look at how chords sound when I play them and see how they work in real jazz charts.”

You have the chord book, but do you really understand the usage for them? Do you know what a 7th or 9th chord should sound like, and realize its role in the music? Take a listen to some music and try to pick out some of the “jazz” chords, like the 7ths and 9ths. Compare the sounds to the chords you are playing out of your chord books. You are learning the chords and the structures, but you are also getting to the root of jazz – listening to the sounds and developing the ability to apply them in real situations. YOU ARE BEGINNING TO FEEL JAZZ!

This can bring you to a whole other level of playing, where you realize that the sounds you hear and play are inside you – not in a book. I’ve looked at many guitar chord books. Most of ok, at least for what they promise you – guitar chords. But to move beyond the book and utilize these in songs, you’ll have to get to the bottom of the sound of jazz.

Learning To Play Jazz Is Not The End – It Is A Process, So Enjoy It!

Professional Jazz Guitarists are constantly in a state of progression and transition. Very rarely will you look at a guitarist and see that they are playing the same things over a 5 year period – or even month to month in some artists. The truth is they are still developing as musicians, and they are not concerned with how their efforts add up to their dreams – because they are in it for the moment. They are there for the enjoyment.

Jazz Guitarist Jody Fisher
continues to improve and
amaze audiences.

I have talked with many musicians, amateur and professional alike, and they all have one thing in common – they approach JAZZ AS A PROCESS. They like the music, and they are always attempting to better themselves through the music. Jazz guides them just as much as they guide the jazz that comes out of their voices or instruments. This motivation to play for yourself and for the enjoyment is important not only because of the benefits it can bring you after a powerful practice or session. More importantly, this state of mind will help on those “not-so-good” days.

Jazz is not a difficult thing – I know you think I’m crazy for saying that, but it’s true. The truth is jazz is what you make of it. I, myself will probably not be a great jazz musician, but I am ok with that. I play at my level and enjoy it. Basic chords, basic melodies. I am trying to improve, but only at my own pace and regarding what I would like to get out of it. That is why I am still playing. I thought about giving up a long time ago because I didn’t add up to the competition around me. Well, who says you have to prove yourself to anyone.

Think of jazz as a means of your own personal growth. Since your playing is an extension of who you are and what messages you are trying to convey, make it your own. Personalizing jazz, and your outlook on it, will help you progress in ways you wouldn’t imagine. You’ll probably end up making improvements on some of the things you are already trying to do today – but you will also be enjoying what you’re doing.

Quote compliments of http://www.tourdates.co.uk

Related posts:

1. Why Is The II-V-I So Important In Jazz? The Famous and Indispensible Progression Explained
2. A Closer Look At Two Great Musicians & Artists: An interview with jazz duo Tuck & Patti
3. Where Jazz Performance Meets The Classroom: Tips every jazz teacher should be aware of