During the summer of 2018 I was perusing YouTube for interesting Jazz piano videos when I stumbled across Kent Hewitt’s channel. It’s overflowing with Jazz piano tutorials on theory and techniques, and I instantly knew I had found something special. I’m classically trained, but I’ve always had a desire to learn Jazz piano. I’m especially interested in Jazz standards from the 40’s and 50’s, and this is the majority of what Kent plays and teaches.
Kent often refers to his Jazz Piano Methods and Songbook which he sells for a very reasonable price. I purchased a copy and have been studying it. It contains numerous example songs and I’ve been having fun working though them. Kent also offers free PDF downloads of sheet music featuring his own arrangements of jazz standards. Included are some more modern pieces, such as the piece I’m playing for you today: Danny Boy.
This particular arrangement by Kent is based on Keith Jarrett’s popular rendition, and it’s one of my favorites. The rich chord progressions portray the song in a thoughtful, emotional manner. I’ve taken Kent’s arrangement and have attempted to add a bit of my own style. Thank you for listening! I hope you enjoy this as much as I’ve enjoyed exploring the rich harmonies of Danny Boy.
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Beautifully played. This song has sentimental meaning.
Thank you for the kind words!