I wrote a short article about it here.

I'd love to hear your story. What was a performance that taught you something important? Looking back, what did you learn?

Giant Steps is one of those tunes that many jazz musicians admire... and avoid. 😄

In September I will post a course about that tune and I'm considering running a small online intensive workshop (10 participants) over four Saturdays in September. The idea would be to work through a series of progressive exercises together so that, by the end, the harmony feels much more natural and improvising becomes far less intimidating.

Before I organize everything, I'd love to hear from you.

• Have you always wanted to learn Giant Steps?
• What's your biggest challenge with the tune?
• Would you be interested in joining a live intensive workshop?

If you haven't read the article yet, I encourage you to start there:
"The Enduring Legacy of Johnny Hodges and His Timeless Elegance." Read the article

Johnny Hodges had one of the most recognizable sounds ever produced on the saxophone. His beautiful tone, expressive vibrato, elegant phrasing, and incredible sense of dynamics influenced generations of musicians—from Charlie Parker to Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane.

I'd love to hear from you!

A few questions to get the discussion started:

• When did you first discover Johnny Hodges?
• Which recording of his would you recommend to every jazz musician?
• What aspect of his playing has influenced you the most—tone, vibrato, phrasing, dynamics, blues feeling, or something else?
• Have you ever transcribed one of his solos? If so, what surprised you?
• What do you think modern jazz musicians can still learn from Johnny Hodges?

If you're a saxophonist, I'd also be curious to know:

What is the hardest part of capturing the "Johnny Hodges sound"?

Feel free to share recordings, videos, transcriptions, or practice tips. Let's celebrate one of the true masters of jazz and learn from each other's experiences.

After reading Richie Beirach's story, what strikes you most about his music?

Have you played any of his compositions?