A slow, improvised piece rooted in blues and gospel harmony, with a freeform ballad structure. This was an exploration — unplanned, unscripted — following a chord progression I created. The mood moves between reflection and release. The right-hand phrases are shaped like a vocal line, influenced by call-and-response and gospel lyricism, while the left hand keeps a quiet pulse that shifts in and out of time. I think of this as a kind of musical meditation — and a step toward letting my playing speak before I try to explain it. More to come.
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Here’s a short taster video — I’ll be posting longer blues improvisations in due course. This one features a classic 12-bar blues form, with a New Orleans-style groove (influenced by second-line rhythms and early R&B), gospel-inspired back-cycled triads in the right hand, and traditional blues-style call and response phrasing. I love how the syncopated rhythms in New Orleans piano styles echo Caribbean influences — there’s a real conversational flow to the feel. I'm finding real joy in exploring this style — and in recording, however imperfectly, as a way to share that process. More to come soon. This is an improvisation of mine — a departure from my usual 12-bar blues explorations (which I haven’t yet uploaded, but will eventually!). This piece leans more toward a simple jazz ballad style, with subtle blues and gospel influences. It’s part of an ongoing exploration in improvisation — and the simplicity and spaciousness of this particular composition are intended to create space to listen inward and trust what emerges. That, after all, is a central element of improvisation. |
AuthorRuth Pheasant, piano teacher for more than 25 years. Archives
June 2025
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