Abstract

The main purpose of the Masterclass held by jazz pianist Benny Lackner at Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa in October 24th, 2019, was to discuss and apply the concepts of composition, solo development, rhythmic clarity, polyrhythms, harmonic approaches, melodic lines, influences, interaction, and listening in the context of improvisation. 

The workshop focused on playing a selection of original songs and standards with emphasis on developing improvisational skills using polyrhythmic ideas, harmonic and melodic approaches that Lackner have worked on. Listening to other musicians and finding the balance between giving others enough room and having a strong presence without being overbearing was also one of the main topics of workshop. Benny Lackner also discussed his influences and showed a few examples of what has inspired him to write certain compositions.

Keywords: composition, solo development, rhythm, polyrhythm, harmony, melody, interaction, improvisation, jazz