Best non-use of a metronome
"Unassuming pianist Doug Strock of Encinitas even dismisses his own jazz piano noodling as “background music.” His debut Piano Dreams has a halting, thoughtful style that is more than a little reminiscent of a rhythm-deprived 7-year-old floundering through a recital. The sounds Strock strings together, however, are achingly heartfelt and sincere, unfailingly perfect in their gentle dissonance. Strock starts the slow burn with his first track, the original “Melantha,” and follows it up with what is possibly the least-swinging version of “Summertime” ever recorded. Never in a rush to get to the next bar, or even the next beat, the style can be maddening at first, but liberating in the end, as Piano Dreams proves that we are more than just slaves to the beat. Stop and smell the chords."
-Steve Mayberry
Doug Strock teaches the chord system- that’s jazz harmony and improvisation- to all ages and levels. With his relaxed manner, his system of teaching allows students to work smart instead of hard- while having fun!
Doug’s objective is to create a lifelong bond with the piano versus an "A" at a recital. For those who studied classically and haven't played for years, Strock says, "This group has a musical escrow account just waiting to be activated. They can learn at turbo speed."
Doug Strock was raised in Boston where his classical study of piano began. After several years he stopped playing, feeling too constrained by the precision required. During a 3 year hiatus, Doug learned about the chord system with its liberating aspects and he began studying jazz harmony with local teachers. This foundation led to acceptance as a private student of John Mehegan, the first teacher of improvisation at Juilliard. Promisingly, during this period, Strock received encouragement from Leonard Bernstein.
Strock's non-music life involved advanced study of Russian at Columbia and Yale. His language ability led to a position with the US-USSR Trade and Economic Council where he was a liaison for Fortune 200 CEO's and corresponding Russian ministers.
Following this period, Strock devoted himself (full-time) to piano, realizing the personal importance of his music. His new existence involved separation from friends that stimulated the birth of a special piano sound. Doug’s piano sound crosses over from "free jazz" to "mood music". Strock's regular high rankings on the internet music sites, next to pioneers like Coltrane and Sun Ra in "free jazz"- and Chris Botti, Sinatra and Diana Krall in "mood music", are indicative of his special musical presence. Doug Strock's solo piano can be heard on iTunes.
* Popular Songs
http://www.rhapsody.com/dougstrock
* Piano Dreams Album
http://www.rhapsody.com/dougstrock/pianodreams
* Bio Background/ Review
http://payplay.fm/dougstrock
* Interview
"Doug Strock was raised in Boston and Martha's Vineyard. He holds degrees from Columbia and Yale where he majored in Russian and teaching. Somewhere along the line he found jazz piano and built a San Diego teaching practice. Doug has recently released his first CD, Piano Dreams. I spoke with Doug by phone in late December. Here is my informal conversation with…"
http://www.onlypiano.com/doug_stock_interview.html
* MeetUp Groups
http://piano.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/san_diego/
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