We will learn and play standard chord progressions including basic 12-bar blues progressions, 8-bar blues progressions and “rhythm” chord progressions (based on George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm). We will also learn and play a few standard swing tunes.
Instructor Bio
Bob Thompson is a native of Jamaica, New York. He began playing jazz piano while studying instrumental music at West Virginia State College, which led to a long career as a performer, composer, recording artist, and educator. He has toured all over this country and to Brazil, Canada, Europe and Africa. Over the years, Bob has worked with some of the finest talents in music, such as Kevin Eubanks, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Omar Hakim, and violinist John Blake. He has also written music for a variety of projects, including West Virginia “A Film History,” the most watched program in the history of West Virginia Public Television. Since 1991, Bob has been a featured performer on Mountain Stage, a musical variety show, heard internationally each week on P.R.I. He has received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from his alma mater, West Virginia State College, and an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree from the University of Charleston. In 1999 he was a recipient of the West Virginia Commission on the Arts Fellowship for jazz composition.