Jeff Geist/Conn Jazz Trumpet Clinician

Jeff is a Conn Clinician and Trumpet Coach. He performs on the Vintage One.

He is a professional musician with his own jazz quartet and has been performing jazz and jazz improv clinics for young people for many years. Jazz Solo Performances include:
World's Fair-Knoxville, TN.
World's Fair- New Orleans, LA
Pensacola Jazz Festival-1987
Toronto World Air Show
Puerto Rico's El San Juan Hotel
Disney World-Orlando, Fl.
Opryland USA and Opryland Hotel-Nashville, TN.
Grand Ole Opry- Nashville, TN.
Royal Carribean Cruise Lines
The Biltmore- Miami, Fl.

Jeff has performed with Vanessa Williams, Billy Ekstine, Rosemary Clooney, Cleaveland Eaton ( of Count Basie fame), Teddy Mulet ( of Miami Sound Machine fame), Duffy Jackson, Neil Sedaka, Lionel Hampton, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Anita Bryant, Bob Hope, Al Martino, The United States Air University Big Band, Superjazz Big Band and many others.
Jeff has developed an easy, hands-on approach for beginning players that will have even the most introverted students wanting to “give it a try”!

Overcome Fear...The truth about what others think and why sounding bad is good!
Learn the crucial difference between those who improvise well and those who don’t...I call it the “Doodle Factor!”.
Learn the six basic scales used by the Masters!
Find out the single element that may well be even more important than a lot of jazz theory lessons.



Jeff's district for Clinic performances are the entire state of Florida. He has performed at High Schools, Middle Schools and Colleges giving both clinics and performances. He serves as a consultant for several Dade County band directors needing assistance with their jazz programs.

Jazz Playing; a beginning

Want to play jazz? You absolutely must know your Major Scales as a springboard for further study!!Take the time to run each of these scale types (as written) over and over again until you KNOW the sound of each one. Then begin to play each one without writing them out or reading them in a text book. Music is a hearing art form and you must develop your ears. This method may take a bit longer, but you will never forget these scales and will hear them when used.

SCALES FOR IMPROVISATION

MAJOR- C D E F G A B C CMaj., CMaj.7, CMaj.9
Know your Major scales and the rest is a snap!!

DOMINANT- (mixolydian) C D E F G A Bb C C7, C7/9, C13
Think of this scale as a major scale with the 7th scale note down a half step.

DORIAN (minor)- C D Eb F G A Bb C Cmin., Cmin.7, Cmin.9
Think of this VERY popular scale as a major scale with the 3rd and 7th note down one half step.

LOCRIAN (half-diminished- C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C (Major Scale built half
step from the root) Cmin.7b5
Think of this cool scale as a major scale starting one half step above the chord root. ex....You see a Bmin.7b5 You play a CMajor Scale, but start it on a B and end it on a B!! It's that easy!!

WHOLE TONE- C D E F# G# Bb C C+7, C7#11, C7#5
Think of this scale as a Dominant Scale with the 4th and 5th scale notes raised one half step.

DIMINISHED- C D Eb F Gb Ab A B C (8 tone scale) Cdim.
This scale is a bit harder to relate to your knowledge of Major Scales. However, play this scale over and over again until you actually hear the scale color.

Scales should be practiced in all 12 keys in this order: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb(F#), B (Cb), E, A, D, G, C

More Essential Stuff

Follow these rules and become a great player:
1.) If you are not having fun...quit!! Music is fun and is nothing more.
2.) Listen to great players on your instrument as to develop a concept of sound and musical ideas. Many young players today have never heard of Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Chet Baker or Dizzy Gillespie. Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and on and on. Do your homework...ask questions of your teacher, band director or professional musicians who know. If you don't listen you will NEVER get the idea while spinning your wheels trying to re-invent the wheel!
3.) Doodle on your horn every day whether you practice or not!This is the single most important thing you can do. You will discover your instrument and make connections that you otherwise would not make sticking only to the written page. Why can some musicians improvise while others can't? Because the ones that do took the time and had a natural curiosity to simply doodle (put air thru the horn and press down the keys!)
4.) Learn your scales and how they relate to chords. It's not hard and will go a long way. If you can learn chords on the piano, that will expedite your progress.
5.)Forget what others think of your attemps at improv. Whose life is it anyway? Yours or theirs? Get over your fears and just blow. In the end, nobody really cares what you sound like. People are too busy negotiating their own lives.
6.)And above all..KEEP IT SIMPLE!! Alot of notes are not necessary. Few notes are always preferable to the audience.


Fear is a big deal to many young players. Here are some things to think about:

Never attach your self-worth to your musical performance. You are much more than the sound that comes out of your instrument. You are a priceless, valuable Human Being!!

Never attach your self-worth to the performance of others. If someone seems to play better than you, it does not make you any less of a person. If You perform better than someone else, it does not make You more of a person. In the end we all have the same concerns...the same dreams...the same desires. NEVER FORGET THIS!!

When you don't try as hard to be good, you play better. By not caring, you play better!! This doesn't mean to never practice. This means that music should be fun and a joyful experience. Practice and play with a light -hearted attitude and you will enjoy your musical experience. You might even play for a lifetime!

No matter how good or serious you may become, music is only a PART of who you are.

Here are some good reasons to never be afraid to play:
(from Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner)

"Who cares if you ever play another note of music? NO ONE!! What global purpose are you fulfilling? What burning need? Do you think that there is a shortage of good musicians? My friends- FEAR NOT! ....Thousands come out of schools and universities every year. They multiply like coat hangers in your closet. Ever notice how you have more and more coat hangers in your closet without ever having bought one? That's how it is with newly graduating musicians. They can play fast! They can play jazz, classical...they can play anything. We get more of these people every year."

So...YOUR PARTICIPATION IS NOT IMPORTANT. We simply don't need one more player.

Above all, learn to play music for the simple joy of doing it. PERIOD!! There is no more.

Do you understand why fear in playing your instrument is a waste of time?

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