Vibraphonist Charlie Shoemake has instructed hundreds of aspiring jazz musicians in the techniques and mysteries of improvisation. Among his early students was Ted Nash (pictured), who as a young man left Los Angeles, became a stalwart of New York’s jazz community, and wins Grammys. Nash has long been a featured soloist in the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra. Mr. Shoemake sent the following message today:
A former student of mine sent me this video of Ted Nash performing at Lincoln Center a week or so ago. I was floored by the beauty of his performance. To know that I got him started from scratch when he was 14 and to hear him now is a huge thrill and high for me.
Shoemake, Nash’s early teacher, ” has taken his teaching digital. For details, see this page of the Shoemake website.” There is more about Shoemake’s teaching in this Rifftides post from last year.