“Dani Joy & Perry teach rhythm, music theory (scales, chords), blues, jazz, bass, tenor, stage presence and provide a connection to a whole community that spans the world.” - Sandy Ankenman- Oklahoma
— Student Comment
May Finger-style Uke - Vincent AKA Starry Starry Night Part 1 (Don McClean)
Mondays 11 AM & 5 PM Pacific Time
May 6 & 13
Description: Don McLean wrote this hauntingly beautiful song after reading a biography about Vincent Van Gogh. His lyrics show a deep respect and love for the artist and the melody is sweet and dreamy. This month we will learn the chord structure in its original key of G. We’ll work on memorizing the parts and work a little with the lyrics.
In June we will continue this song, building on our learned chord progression knowledge as we add melody notes to create our own Chord Melody Solo.
Areas of Focus:
Right hand repetitive arpeggio practice
Lyric memorization
Rhythm accompaniment to singing
Prepping for Chord Melody version in June
Prerequisites: Basic TAB reading is necessary. Basic understanding of Nashville Number System (jam cards) is recommended but not necessary to enjoy class.
May Blues - A Six Pack to Go
Tuesdays 11 AM & 5 PM Pacific Time
May 7 & 14
Description: Hank Thompson made this song famous in 1966. Since then, it’s been a favorite of the Honky-Tonk and Western Swing scene. It’s got great lyrics, a cool chord progression and is guaranteed to get your toe a-tappin’
Anyway, we’ll learn this song from start to finish in May. It’s gonna be a hoot!
Skills and Concepts:
Swing rhythm
The back-beat shuffle strum
Secondary Dominants
The I-VI7-II7-V7 turnaround
The Nashville Number System
Tablature
Prerequisites: There are no hard requirements, but we strongly recommend basic TAB reading and basic understanding of Nashville Number System.
May Jazz - Perry’s Grab Bag of Jazz and Blues Endings
Wednesdays 11 AM & 5 PM Pacific Time
May 8 & 15
Description: Song endings are absolutely critical to a great presentation of a song. And this month, We’re going to show you a few great endings, along with a lead-up riff and a formula for creating your own endings. We’ll also show you how to turn any ending into a great turnaround.
These endings are great for both blues and jazz, as well as vintage country and western swing.
Skills and Concepts:
Classic Swing Song Endings
Converting an Ending to a Turnaround
Ending set-up phrases
The Nashville Number System
Tablature
Prerequisites: There are no hard requirements, but we strongly recommend basic TAB reading and basic understanding of Nashville Number System.