Recently, I discovered this great blog series on jazz improvisation, which has been excellent food for thought. If you’re a jazz musician trying to improve your game, it’s worth a read.

And, similarly, I’d highly recommend this ear training app, developed by the author of the series.  Unlike most ear training programs, which depend on tapping answers on screen, this one uses pitch recognition to let you play in call-and-response format on your actual instrument.  It’s a challenge, but one that seems to translate much more immediately to real improvising.