This was a hugely rewarding and fascinating experience. Distilling down huge knowledge and experience Gilad kept the whole thing simple, relevant and disarmingly honest. That honesty tended to focus on we instrumentalists who demonstrated some degree of disconnection between ears and instrument.
The answer?
Singing of course!
Now most jazz pedagogues (Jamie Aebersold and just about all others you might think of) recommend this, but Gilad demonstrated with amazing fluency and style, dividing scales and patterns between voice and alto sax. And in our impromptu instrumental groups his playing confirmed the benefits with astonishingly accurate replication of themes and patterns and answering phrases. He even got me singing - a belated apology to the other group members for my rendition of "Well you Needn't."
Above all else Gilad is an engaging personality with a highly positive direct teaching style and a wicked sense of humour. Even without the playing experience I would have turned up just to sit and hear him talk for and hour or two. Let's hope we can get him back here again soon - don't miss it if it happens. This is the sort of opportunity which really ought to be a part of the Sage Jazz Festival.
Dr JAS
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