Mullins - Jazz Piano Voicings

ROB MULLINS has been a jazz pianist and educator for 25 years. Starting out as a big band drummer in 6th grade, Rob toured Southern California with a pro big band and learned piano, sax, guitar, and bass during high school after a move to Colorado. He attended University of Colorado on a percussion scholarship and left college to study theory and composition with George Russell (Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and David Bakers theory teacher) in New York.

Rob received a Grammy Nomination for his Soulscape album in 1986 and has subsequently recorded 13 more solo albums in the straight ahead jazz, contemporary jazz, solo piano, and space rock genres. Rob began his teaching career at age 14 at Happy Logan Music in Denver Colorado and taught professionally throughout his career as a session musician and touring professional. Most recently in the educational arena he has been hired by the University of Utah to teach a workshop on piano voicings as part of the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival. He taught a workshop on Film and Television Composition at Fields Pianos in Los Angeles California and was hired by Dr. Greg Woll to coach his Downbeat Magazine Award winning Woll of Sound Big Band at Fullerton College in Fullerton, California. He has also taught private lessons over the years most recently at Pedrini Music and the Piano Factory in the Los Angeles area and offers a wide curriculum of study including jazz theory and composition, jazz piano, improvisational classes for all instruments, MIDI and computer composition, singer/songwriter coaching, music for television and film, and music business classes.

Robs unique approach to piano instruction from the drummers and composers perspective has led to this book which is the result of years of study, live performances, and constant honing of his student approach in learning situations. Robs live performances over the years with jazz artists such as Hubert Laws, The Crusaders, Dianne Reeves, Dianne Schuur, Eric Marienthal, Harvey Mason, Gerald Albright and Ndugu Chancler have been complemented by his rock and blues gigs with Edgar Winter, Billy Preston, Bruce Willis, Eddie Money, Buddy Emmons, Hoyt Axton and The China Club All Stars.

His work as a MIDI and keyboard specialist has been heard on The King Of Queens (CBS television), Sister Sister (WB), Moesha (UPN), and The Proud Family (Disney). On these shows Robs piano performances were featured and his drum, bass, and synthesizer programming were also in evidence in the jazz, orchestral, rap, hip hop, drama, suspense, and sports categories of broadcast music.

Robs keyboard voicings and compositions can be heard on his Yamaha Disklavier CD, Welcome to Planetmullins! which is distributed worldwide by Hal Leonard Corp.

Additionally, Rob was honored in November 2003 with the prestigious Jazz Artist of the Year Award at the LA Music Awards at its 13th annual awards ceremony celebrating indepent artists.

Now after many years of preparation, Rob offers the best of his study of jazz keyboard voicing in an easy to understand yet comprehensive collection of the most popular voicings for the most used chords in jazz. Included in this book is an invaluable chart of voicings for the producer, studio engineer, rap or hip hop artist who doesnt read music, but wants to add a jazzy flavor to his or her productions. Also, Robs pioneering style and hands on approach to the bass line and rhythm makes these voicings and exercises an integral part of the rhythm section and big band jazz pianist.

For more information about Rob, visit his website at http://planetmullins.com.