John Stowell and Tim Lerch Jazz Guitar Conversations #1

John Stowell and Tim Lerch sit down for a wide-ranging conversation on jazz improvisation, harmony, and learning strategies — playing a little, talking a little, and comparing their approaches. The first in their Jazz Guitar Conversations series, this session captures what two jazz guitar masters talk about when they're simply enjoying each other's company.

What's covered

• Trading eight-bar phrases on "Autumn Leaves" (in G), conversation-style, so you can hear the differences and commonalities in their approaches
• How they each think through the tune's ii–V–I–IV form and the resolution to the relative minor
• Movable altered-dominant shapes — why voicings with flat or sharp nines move in minor thirds, and raised/lowered fifths move in whole steps
• The diminished scale connection: how an altered dominant is a diminished chord in disguise
• Getting mileage from a small set of good-sounding, playable shapes, and placing them in context with strong voice leading
• How each of them learned — including Tim's "street-wise" path of playing and asking questions

About Tim Lerch: world-renowned guitarist and educator, Tim is a member of the legendary Northwest gypsy jazz group Pearl Django and a popular duo with Jamie Findlay, and performs solo guitar as often as his schedule allows.