5 reasons to read this blog

1. Firstly, my aim here is to provide resources for musicians of any level to play popular jazz standards in a new way. This could be either because they are looking for something fresh and new for a particular gig or recording, or that they would like to go deeper into the tunes they play regularly, and see what kinds of musical ideas are possible.
2. Several posts focus on the mechanics of arranging a standard. So far I have covered beginner to intermediate techniques but I plan in future to look at more advanced ideas.
3. I would like the blog to be a resource for other sites and content that focus on similar ideas. I have begun to post on this topic.
4. Eventually I would like other composers and arrangers to contribute their music so that we can have a forum to share this kind of work, and to discuss techniques and ideas. If you are already interested, don't hesitate to contact me.
5. Finally, I want to put across the idea that arrangement does not need to be a complex process in order to be effective, and create a unique and personal piece of music. Though there are many complex chords in some of these standards, many of the techniques used are very simple, and any one of them used in the right way can make a tune something completely individual. These days with real books and charts instantly available, we often forget to go the the effort of crafting the standards we play in a way that works for us.