Introduction

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

I'm here today at Rock School to guide you through various genres, including jazz, funk, pop, and some reggae pieces.

Background

I suppose I was asked to do this because I've been a jazz pianist for over 10 years professionally. Here's a bit about my journey:

• I studied at Leeds College of Music in the north of England.
  • During my time there, I was fortunate enough to write a big band piece that won the John Dankworth Prize for composition.
  • I also played in many different groups and bands.

After my studies, I moved to London to pursue a Masters at Trinity and got involved in the vibrant London music scene.

Since then:

• I have traveled the world playing music with my own band.
• I've participated in many other different ensembles.
• I've also done lots of session work here.

Back in London, I lead my own trio, the James Beckwith Trio, which is currently recording its debut album to be released later this year. If you're interested, be sure to check it out!

Today's Focus

Today, I will take you through topics based around:

• Jazz
• Pop
• Funk

What Does That Mean?

We will explore elements such as:

• Swing from jazz
• Syncopation from funk
• Off beats in reggae
• Smooth piano lines with a pedal in pop

I'm going to show you a real mixture of these elements, along with tips and tricks to improve your technique.

Objectives

You will learn how to:

• Approach the more difficult aspects of playing.
• Demonstrate general musicianship to help you play better, whether or not you're doing the grades for Rock School.

I hope you can join me. We will have a lot of fun breaking down these pieces, seeing how I play them, and learning how to become better musicians!