Introduction

Hey, how's it going? I'm James Beckwith and I'm a pianist, composer, keyboard player, and producer from England, currently living in London.

Background

I'm here today at Rock School to take you through jazz, funk, pop, and some reggae pieces. I suppose I was asked to do this because I'm a jazz pianist.

• I've been doing that professionally for over 10 years.
• I studied at Leeds College of Music in the north of England, where I was fortunate enough to write a big band piece that won the John Dankworth Prize for composition.
• I played in many different groups and bands during my time there.
• Later, I came to London to pursue a Masters at Trinity and got myself on the London scene.

Since then, I have traveled the world playing music with my own band and performing in many other ensembles, as well as participating in numerous sessions here. Back in London, I have my own trio, the James Beckwith Trio, which is recording its debut album, set to be released later this year. So if you're interested, check it out!

Today's Lesson

I'm going to guide you through various aspects based around jazz, pop, and funk.

Key Elements We'll Explore

• Swing: Essential to jazz, giving it a laid-back feel.
• Syncopation: A crucial element in funk that adds rhythm and groove.
• Off Beats in Reggae: Characteristic of this genre that creates unique rhythmic structures.
• Smooth Piano Lines with Pedal in Pop: Techniques that provide a polished sound.

Objectives

I'm going to show you a real mixture of things, along with tips and tricks to:

• Improve your technique.
• Approach the more difficult aspects of playing.
• Enhance your general musicianship.

This will help you play better as a musician, whether or not you're pursuing grades for Rock School.

Conclusion

I hope you can join me for this lesson. We can have a lot of fun breaking down these pieces, seeing how I play them, and learning how to become a better musician.