Charlie Banacos

**jsepguitar** · 07-31-2012, 06:11 PM

Just saw this posted on the "All About Jazz" forum and though people her would want to see it. It's a dissertation by Lefteris Kordis called "Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos' pedagogy of jazz improvisation. Lot's of good info. I've been wanting to learn more about Charlie.

"Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos's pedagogy of jazz improvisation / by Lefteris Kordis

**marcwhy** · 07-31-2012, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by jsepguitar

Just saw this posted on the "All About Jazz" forum and though people her would want to see it. It's a dissertation by Lefteris Kordis called "Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos' pedagogy of jazz improvisation. Lot's of good info. I've been wanting to learn more about Charlie.

"Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos's pedagogy of jazz improvisation / by Lefteris Kordis

Very cool, thanks!

**bako** · 07-31-2012, 07:46 PM

Thanks much for the link.

**jtizzle** · 07-31-2012, 09:53 PM

My teacher studied with Banacos, this must have been over 3 or 4 decades ago, but he always tell me how genius this guy was. Really interesting read, my teacher would love this.

I read the ear training section. That is just INSANE! recognizing the missing note out of an 11 note cluster is just fucked up haha.

**monkmiles** · 08-01-2012, 10:20 AM

Thanks for sharing.

I took lessons with someone who studied with Charlie and he spike very highly of him and how he pushed you the right way as a teacher too

**jsepguitar** · 08-01-2012, 10:47 AM

I also want to give thanks to the Scooby, the guy who posted this in the "All About Jazz" forum.

The paper mentions that Barbara Banacos and Garry Dial give online lessons. I wonder if anyone in this forum has tried it.

There is also mention of out-of-print books that he wrote. It's probably close to impossible to find one, but I bet they'd be interesting.

**paulkogut** · 08-01-2012, 11:38 AM

I had some classes with Garry when I did a Masters at MSM. He's one of the finest jazz educators I've known. I'm glad the online scene is making him available to a wider audience.

**djangoles** · 08-01-2012, 11:49 AM

Thanks for this.... I was on that 2 year wait list back in the Mid-Nineties but never hung around Boston long enough to study with him.

Interesting to see that he and Jerry Bergonzi were friends and that Jerry's method of teaching (from what I've seen) is similar in many ways.

**JPMike** · 08-01-2012, 05:14 PM

My teacher used to have lessons with him for quite a few years, by mail and email.

Banacos was Greek, from Mani. As posted from other members too, he was a true genius.

**djangoles** · 08-02-2012, 10:22 AM

A friend of mine did study with him, two things I remember he told me...

1) A single lesson he had consisted of being able to solo, comp, and chord melody in all twelve keys for "On Green Dolphin Street" ....

2) He wound up with a severe case of tendinitis after about 6 months which forced him to stop playing for a few years. He was in the wood shed for about 12 hours a day when he studied with him, which is scary considering he was already a really good player at the time.

**fireman12engine** · 11-23-2012, 08:34 PM

has anyone here signed up for the Garry Dial lessons online??

**Tony DeCaprio** · 11-24-2012, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by jsepguitar

Just saw this posted on the "All About Jazz" forum and though people her would want to see it. It's a dissertation by Lefteris Kordis called "Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos' pedagogy of jazz improvisation. Lot's of good info. I've been wanting to learn more about Charlie.

"Top speed and in all keys" : Charlie Banacos's pedagogy of jazz improvisation / by Lefteris Kordis

Excellent and wonderful. And not necessarily in that order.

TD

**Reg** · 11-26-2012, 12:20 PM

Yea... pretty straight ahead... right. Most don't have the motivation or time. I'm from that period and location... (and practice approach when I was a young lad).

Many would do well reading through... there are a few notation and general practice updates needed... but all the concepts still work.

Reg

**Tony DeCaprio** · 11-26-2012, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Reg

Yea... pretty straight ahead... right. Most don't have the motivation or time. I'm from that period and location... (and practice approach when I was a young lad).

Many would do well reading through... there are a few notation and general practice updates needed... but all the concepts still work.

Reg

The underpinning of all the advice is ear. Developing the ear is the real message, no matter what applications may be imbued. This involves a lifetime of working on oneself. Such work involves checking the ego and intellect ( what I refer to as 'intellectual supporting structures' ) at the door.

All the great teachers (Tristano, Banacos, Sandole, et al) taught this way.

It really involves getting humble. Once a student embarks (and travels through) on this journey, he/she will soon begin to realize who is really playing the music as opposed to who is merely flashing chops that are jammed packed with "empty calories" in an initial attempt to bedazzle the innocent hordes. Hordes can dwindle via accumulative awareness, so the choice is clearly there.

**Reg** · 11-26-2012, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Tony DeCaprio

The underpinning of all the advice is ear. Developing the ear is the real message, no matter what applications may be imbued. This involves a lifetime of working on oneself. Such work involves checking the ego and intellect ( what I refer to as 'intellectual supporting structures' ) at the door.

All the great teachers (Tristano, Banacos, Sandole, et al) taught this way.

It really involves getting humble. Once a student embarks (and travels through) on this journey, he/she will soon begin to realize who is really playing the music as opposed to who is merely flashing chops that are jammed packed with "empty calories" in an initial attempt to bedazzle the innocent hordes. Hordes can dwindle via accumulative awareness, so the choice is clearly there.

Hey Tony... I'm also from school of great ears... but isn't it pretty interesting how different ears interpret... There is always a reference, at least that's the way I hear. With out the reference... the relationship can be totally different, not that that's a bad thing.

Reg

**Tony DeCaprio** · 11-26-2012, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Reg

Hey Tony... I'm also from school of great ears... but isn't it pretty interesting how different ears interpret... There is always a reference, at least that's the way I hear. With out the reference... the relationship can be totally different, not that that's a bad thing.

Reg

The trick is in no limits.