CelloChat with Malcolm Parson - How to Practice Scales for Improvising

Topic: How to Practice Scales for Improvising
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MALCOLM PARSON is best known for his work as a member of both Turtle Island Quartet and Carolina Chocolate Drops. As a composer, he ​had his first break in 2019 by collaborating with Brian McOmber on the soundtrack to Little Woods (dir. Nia Dacosta). Since then, his film work has continued with projects such as Good Ol Girl, Ballet After Dark, Laying Flowers.:.Setting Fires, The Sentence of Michael Thompson, If I Go Will They Miss Me, Love Lizzo and currently The Secrets Of Hillsong. As a cellist, he has performed on several featured films including Palmer, A Man Named Scott, Kingdom of Silence, Mudbound, and Blow The Man Down. Recently he was the string arranger for Spencer Zahn and Dawn Richard's"Pigments"and "Pele" by Luedji Luna feat. Mereba. In concert, he has performed with Somi, Kelsey Lue, The Eagles, Dianna Agron, Terence Blanchard, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Yebba, PJ Morton, BJ The Chicago Kid, Victory Boyd, Paquito D’Rivera, and Cyrus Chestnut to name a few. He has appeared on The David Letterman Show with Rhiannon Giddens, 2018 MTV VMA’s with Shawn Mendes, and The Jimmy Fallon Show with Niall Horan, The Roots, and Salaam Remi. Recently, as a member of Turtle Island Quartet, Parson became Grammy nominated for 2021 Best Instrumental Jazz Album for their work on Terence Blanchard’s album, “Absence” featuring E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet. Born in New Orleans, he moved to Atlanta at the age of 11 and began studying cello privately through Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s “Talent Development Program. He later earned his B.M in Contemporary Writing and Production from Berklee College of Music.

[@sawnflower]

I love the way you broke it down to simple phrases- even the seconds going over the chord changes. Having more information to work with when improvising is how creativity is born. Thanks for all this information you generously put out there for us.

[@mcmcello]

Way to go, Malcolm!!!🙌🏾👏🏾🙌🏾👏🏾This is the BEST CelloChat I’ve heard on this channel as well as the most authentic conversation on jazz cello basics that I’ve encountered. Thank you!🙏🏾 Especially loved your Clifford Brown & Dolphin Street examples and ways to “listen” (and sing) the music. ❤ Thanks for encouraging us to get outside of reading, but really engaging & listening.

[@cellomalaysia]

Amazing presentation, I'd go as far as saying that this might be the most comprehensive video ever made on cello improvisation ever made. Everything is there. As someone who's been searching on this topic for a very long time, I understand everything you just shared came from a long journey of curiosity and experimenting. There's no set method for us cellists out there, but improv isn't limited to an instrument which is but a tool, the language is the same, a language of freedom which will not only help navigating any style of music but make classical playing a lot more inspiring. The ear to finger relationship will allow greater connections and appreciation for all great music. Thanks so much for this and you've gained a new fan!

[@DavidMarteinson]

Awesome!

[@jgc1358]

This sounds so cool.

[@kencarpenter2785]

What a great chat, full of inspiration!!! Thank you, Malcolm! As a long time fan of Turtle Island and the Chocolate Drops, this was a real treat!