Can't Take My Eyes Off You – Part 2 · The "Everyone Loves This Song" Must-HaveSpecial day: Monday, December 28 (no class Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve). Part two on Can't Take My Eyes Off You. Paul completes the solo piano arrangement and finishes the study of how the progression moves by small changes.
Can't Take My Eyes Off You – Part 1 · The "Everyone Loves This Song" Must-HaveThe crowd-pleaser every pianist should have ready. Paul treats it as great solo piano repertoire and as a study in how a chord progression evolves by small changes, one note at a time.
This Christmas (Donny Hathaway) – Part 2 · The Ultimate R&B Christmas SongPart two on This Christmas. Paul finishes the arrangement, nailing the odd-meter passage, the R&B chords and the rhythm-section hits so you have it ready to play for the holidays.
This Christmas (Donny Hathaway) – Part 1 · The Ultimate R&B Christmas SongDonny Hathaway's holiday classic. Paul digs into the odd-meter intro, the electric piano sound, the R&B chord vocabulary and the rhythm-section hits that make this the definitive soul Christmas record.
Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) – Part 2Special day: Tuesday, November 24 (Thanksgiving week). Part two on Overjoyed. Paul completes the arrangement, connecting the chord structures, transitions and modulations into a full solo-piano performance of this stunning ballad.
Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) – Part 1One of the most beautiful piano-built ballads ever written. Paul explores Overjoyed's gorgeous chord structures, seamless transitions and modulations, and shows how Stevie makes such rich harmony sound effortless.
Knocks Me Off My Feet (Stevie Wonder) – Part 2 · Legendary Stevie Wonder R&BPart two on Knocks Me Off My Feet. Paul completes the tune, working through the modulation and tightening the 4-way close voicings so the harmony flows the way Stevie plays it.
Knocks Me Off My Feet (Stevie Wonder) – Part 1 · Legendary Stevie Wonder R&BOne of Stevie's most-loved ballads. Paul shows how simple jazz harmony, a well-placed modulation and 4-way close voicings combine to give this song its warmth, and builds the foundation for playing it at the piano.
The (Lost) Art of the Bridge – Part 2 · Greatest Bridges of All TimePart two on the art of the bridge. Paul continues through the greatest bridges of all time, including She's Always a Woman and One Hundred Ways, and turns the harmonic and melodic devices behind them into tools you can use in your own arrangements. (No class October 22.)
The (Lost) Art of the Bridge – Part 1 · Greatest Bridges of All TimeThe bridge is where great songwriters take a tune somewhere new, and it's a dying art. Paul studies some of the best ever written, starting with Billy Joel's She's Always a Woman and Quincy Jones' One Hundred Ways, and shows what makes them lift, turn and land back home.
Strasbourg/St. Denis (Roy Hargrove) – Part 2 · Groove JazzPart two on Strasbourg/St. Denis. Paul locks in the groove and the cyclical chords, then works on comping, feel and soloing over the vamp, drawing on Red Clay, Chameleon, Just the Two of Us and Kiss of Life for ideas.
Strasbourg/St. Denis (Roy Hargrove) – Part 1 · Groove JazzRoy Hargrove's modern groove-jazz anthem. Paul unpacks the cyclical chord progression and connects it to the same DNA in Red Clay, Chameleon, Just the Two of Us and Sade's Kiss of Life, so you learn one groove and unlock a whole family of tunes.
Sailing (Christopher Cross) – Part 2 · The Yacht Rock StandardPart two on Sailing. Paul completes the arrangement, refining the lush chords, slash chords and tension-and-release, and blending the piano, string and guitar voicings into one solo-piano version you can play start to finish.
Sailing (Christopher Cross) – Part 1 · The Yacht Rock StandardThe definitive yacht rock tune. Paul breaks down the lush chords, the built-in tension and the slash chords that give Sailing its floating sound, and shows how to translate the record's piano, string and guitar parts into voicings that work at the keyboard.
Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel) – Part 2 · Crooner Piano PopPart two on Billy Joel's classic. Paul finishes the tune and puts the pieces to work: borrowed chords, the minor iv, ii-V-I movement and Bill Evans-style voicings, so you can play the whole song with a real piano-pop feel.
Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel) – Part 1 · Crooner Piano PopPaul opens the fall season with Billy Joel's classic. We'll dig into what makes the harmony tick: borrowed chords, the minor iv, ii-V-I movement and Bill Evans-style voicings, with insight from Billy Joel's own interview on how the song came together.
Beginner Improv is the perfect starting point for new improvisers or those who want to build a solid foundation. Following my proven The Confident Improviser™ Level 1 program, you’ll learn step-by-step how to create great-sounding improvisations without feeling overwhelmed. We’ll cover simple basslines, 5-finger blues scales, essential rhythms, and easy accompaniment patterns—building your skills one layer at a time. By the end, you’ll have the confidence and tools to improvise freely and musically at the piano.