Welcome to the Course
Lesson time: (2min 14sec)
Rob Luft introduces his jazz guitar course, a journey through Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass and one of his own compositions.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Play Authentic Jazz Guitar
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Welcome to the Jazz Guitar Course
Hey, everybody!
My name is Rob Luft, and thank you so much for taking this course with me. It's really great to be working with the team at Music Gurus on putting this voyage into jazz guitar together.
Course Overview
We're going to start with:
- The music of the great Django Reinhardt
- Moving forwards in time to the 60s and 70s with the great American jazz guitarist Joe Pass
- Finally, we'll have a brief look at one of my own compositions
I think taking the time to really dedicate yourself to each one of these great artists, as well as the more modern music that I'm going to show you at the end, will really allow you to get the most out of this course.
Open Mind, Open Ears
Come with an open mind, with open ears, and let's see where it takes us!
Backing Tracks and Practice
I'm really happy to say that we've got a series of backing tracks over which you can play.
Tips for Success
I encourage you to:
- Slow down some of these passages
- Break down everything I'm showing you into the minutiae
This will really allow you to internalize the material.
Additionally, listening as much as you can to these great jazz guitarists outside of this course will be beneficial.
Explore:
- Videos of them performing on YouTube
- Finding their classic albums on Spotify
These resources will help you immerse yourself in their sound and style, allowing you to get as close to them as possible.
Personal Reflection
When I was learning to play, I listened extensively to these guys. I was totally in love with the micro details of each of their performances.
So whatever it is that you find in this course that you're drawn to, just zone in on it.
Conclusion
I wish you all the best on this journey!
About the instructor
Rob Luft is an award-winning musician from London, widely described as one of the UK's most prominent and talented young contemporary jazz guitarists. Praised by The Times as set 'to achieve great things in the future', Rob won the 2016 Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize in association with Edition Records, and took 2nd Prize in the 2016 Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition. His debut album, 'Riser', was released in July 2017 to widespread critical acclaim across the European jazz media. John Fordham wrote in The Guardian that it's a 'very sophisticated debut, but given Luft's old-soul achievements since his early teens, we should have heard it coming'. 'So young and so talented!' - Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2 (UK) '...an extraordinary talent!' - Julian Joseph, BBC Radio 3 (UK) 'The virtuosity of the three [guitarists Al di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia] is reminiscent of the 23-year-old Londoner Rob Luft, who is celebrated as a new "Wunderkind"' - Spiegel Online (D) In Play Authentic Jazz Guitar, Rob opens up the harmonic language, phrasing and improvising instincts behind that 'old-soul' sound, showing you how he really thinks about the fretboard so you can start finding your own voice in jazz. read more