Big Phat Band Presents... Big Phat Jam
Do you have what it takes to Jam with the Big Phat Band?
Big Phat Prizes
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To find out more on how to be on the next
Big Phat Band Album click HERE

The Final Winner From Each Category
Will Be Featured On
The Next Big Phat Band Record!
Hello Big Phat Jam Participants!

I want to thank all of you for participating in our first Big Phat Jam. The response to this contest exceeded our expectations, and we hope you guys enjoyed the process of recording your own solos, and checking out all the other submissions from throughout the country. For me, it was fun to check out all the talent out there, and it’s great to know I have some future Phat Band members out there after I fire those bums currently in the band. (Kidding. Or was I?)

Wayne Bergeron, Eric Marienthal, Sal Lozano, Grant Geissman and I have carefully scrutinized the finalists in each category. I have to tell you, these decisions were hard! The talented musicians and singers we have selected will be featured in a special section of our upcoming DVD. Congratulations to the winners and thanks again to all of you for participating and for helping to advance the art of big band jazz.

And now, scroll down to see the winners of the Big Phat Jam!

Gordon Goodwin

P.S. Please check back in a couple weeks to see photos and bios of all the Big Phat Jam winners, plus information on upcoming Big Phat Band events, contests, and albums!
Saxophone, Trumpet/Trombone, Guitar/Bass, Piano, Vocals
category_image (41K)
Smoke This Winners
Finalist
Brandon Wright
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581 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Brandon is another excellent player with great time who really digs into those changes. He combines interesting ideas with more “down-home” licks that really make for a burning solo. His solo has great shape to it with nice dynamics and contrast. He drives this sucker right to the end.
Eric Marienthal:Nice solo! You're time is great and so is your sound. You're all over the horn and really groovin'. Nice recorded sounded, too. Burning man! Great Spirit. What a great player!
Top Contestants
Week 1 Finalist
Bill Caldwell
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  • 1
1500 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This guy is one serious player! A very sophisticated harmonic concept going on here, and he plays with great time and feel. I dig how the solo combines interesting content with more emotional blues-like passages. Great job!
Eric Marienthal:Really great solo! You get such a nice sound on your tenor and you locked in the changes beautifully. I like the way you mixed up the rhythm of your ideas, too. It would be cool to hear even more of that to keep the listener wondering what's next. Great playing, man!
Week 2 Finalist
Al Homicz
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  • 1
444 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Al played a very nice solo here, with nice melodic hooks that flowed together nicely, and he shows a good understanding of the style here. But, I was distracted by his sound, which, on this recording was edgy and strident, and often very sharp in pitch. Al –spend some time getting your sound and pitch together, and you’re on your way.
Eric Marienthal:Nice job. I liked your time feel and the way you used motifs in your solo. If you listen to the way David Sanborn played this solo on the record, you can really hear how he's moving his air through the horn to get his amazing sound. I know that when I play, I really try to imagine that I'm singing. By "singing" your solos in your head while you're playing, it really helps to connect with what the band is doing. Careful of your mic choice. It didn't really compliment your sound like it should have.
Week 3 Finalist
Saxmike.com - USE THIS ONE
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  • 1
275 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Wow! Another very mature player! A nice cool sound on alto and I dig the Lennie Tristano-like influences. Nice long lines, with very little clichés going on. My only criticism is regarding the pacing of the solo –I would like to hear it evolve a bit from the first chorus to the 2nd, but it’s a small matter. Very good!
Eric Marienthal:I really like your solo on this tune. You're getting a rich dark tone and you're playing some cool ideas. My opinion is that the vibe of a solo should match the vibe of the band. That's the challenge with overdubbing solos instead of playing live with everybody else. The band is burning behind you so be careful to match their intensity.
Week 4 Finalist
Trevor Kellum
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  • Current rating
  • 1
363 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Trevor’s solo is right in the pocket stylistically, but I would like to hear a firmer sense of time -although it did seem to lock in better as it went along. My personal taste is for solos that have a little more content harmonically, rather than sticking to pentatonic land the whole time. Nice job, Trevor.
Eric Marienthal:Good solo. You've got some serious high notes goin' on! The thing that I'm hearing is that the more we sax players can use the support of our diaphragm, the more even and in tune we can play. I just finished a tour in Japan and I learned from a breathing expert that if you push down on your diaphragm while you play it improves every aspect of you tone and control and lets you maintain your pitch center, especially on long notes.
Week 5 Finalist
Randal Clark
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  • 1
689 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Randall has a very nice sound and approach to this solo, although once in a week he was rushing the time a bit. Nice “money note” when he cracked the high F#. The solo built nicely as it went along, with great emotion, which is important in this style. This guy is a happening player
Eric Marienthal:Great solo, man. Your sound is really nice and well recorded. Nice way to mix up your ideas and keep it interesting. One thing that I struggle with is using my muted tonging too much. Sometimes I mute more notes than I play open and it tends to get in the way of the phrases that I'm trying to play. I hear that in your solo a little bit, too. I also try to dig into the time as much as possible on a groove like this. You're solo is really in there, time wise, but digging in even more would make it totally awesome!
Week 6 Finalist
Melodist
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  • 1
566 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:A very intriguing and interesting solo! This guy has really come up with his own thing, his sound and ideas are very original. I dug his sense of time where he floats over the time. And he is very good at using motivic fragments to build his solo. There was only a single moment, near the end where he started to slightly lose it, but I applaud his adventuresome spirit! Great!
Eric Marienthal:Cool unique approach to this solo, man. It was a lot of fun to listen to. I really dug how you experimented with different colors and ideas. My only thought is not to leave the band in the dust. The band is groovin' behind you and it's hard to connect with that if the solo gets too experimental. That's totally just my opinion. It's all very subjective and there's no "right way" when it comes to music.
Week 7 Finalist
Brandon Wright
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  • 1
581 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Brandon is another excellent player with great time who really digs into those changes. He combines interesting ideas with more “down-home” licks that really make for a burning solo. His solo has great shape to it with nice dynamics and contrast. He drives this sucker right to the end.
Eric Marienthal:Nice solo! You're time is great and so is your sound. You're all over the horn and really groovin'. Nice recorded sounded, too. Burning man! Great Spirit. What a great player!
Week 7 Finalist
Mark R. Russo-Bari
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  • 1
351 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Mark has a great sound on the bari –really poppin! His time and technique are very good, but I got the feeling his was slightly guessing on the changes once in a while. Those changes can leave you hanging if you’re not careful! But, a nice job.
Eric Marienthal:Great sound on your bari. Really nice solo. Dynamics are hard to get happening on a bari solo but you did a nice job mixing it up. Be a little bit careful of the amount of reverb you use when you mix your recordings. If the band sounds a lot dryer that the soloist it creates a little bit of a disconnect. But the sound that you got, both from your horn and the recording is really great.
Week 8 Finalist
Thieme Schipper
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  • 1
722 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This solo confused me a little, because it was very interesting, but I think something got screwed up along the way –like it was recorded at the wrong sample rate or something. The alto tone sounded pitch shifted. But, aside from that, the content was cool and his technique impressive. I remember quoted that “na-na-na –na-nya-nya” lick in a chart very early in my career – I came to regret it…
Eric Marienthal:Nice solo! Your time is great and you've really got some nice control over your instrument. A player's sound is a very subjective thing. What one person loves another may not. My own opinion, as a sax player, is that I'd dig it if your sound was a little more open. It sounds to me like your mouthpiece is a little small and the reed is a little soft. If it was a little more full and round it would be awesome. But again, that's just my opinion.
Smoke This Winners
Finalist
Adam Rapa
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  • 1
1271 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Adam starts off with confidence, and before too long shows his impressive range and technique. I wish the solo was mixed a little louder, and maybe miced a little closer because I think it would have had a greater impact, because it’s a pretty burning solo! It’s a good combination of licks and emotion, and my only other quibble is that is sounds a bit polite (maybe due to the mix) and it peaks a bit early. But great job, nonetheless.
Wayne Bergeron: This is a strong well-constructed solo showing off Adam’s abilities on the horn. His great style and sense of rhythm are strong throughout. Unfortunately the recording quality does not do your sound justice. It could be hotter in the mix and more full bodied. I’ve heard you live so I know what a great sound you have. I like this solo because it has a lot of peaks and valleys and dynamic contrast. This keeps the listener interested in what’s coming next. The solo does peak a bit early (IMO) but how the heck do you follow a double D like that. Fantastic playing!
Top Contestants
Week 1 Finalist
Vitaly Vladimirov
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  • 1
649 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Vitaly plays a sprightly trombone solo with very good technique, and he actually gets better and better as the solo progresses. It seems like his ideas and his time improve as the solo moves along, and he hits a nice high F at the end of the solo. He shows a good ability to play the changes too. Nice job!
Wayne Bergeron:Vitaly has good command of the horn and pretty strong harmonic concept. This solo builds nicely seems to get into the groove of the time as it progresses. The high F at the end shows he has some chops as well.
Week 2 Finalist
BarryD
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444 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Barry’s trombone solo has some interesting angles and he makes his way through the changes nicely. He does fall into a pattern of playing the same rhythms a bit too much, (those offbeat patterns he does here) and I would suggest that he take his time a little more, and bring a little more emotion when soloing over this kind of music.
Wayne Bergeron:Barry has a nice tone and works his way through the changes with confidence. This solo is good but doesn’t move me musically. It’s OK to leave some space between riffs and vary your dynamic contrast to keep the listener interested.
Week 3 Finalist
Bugsprayer
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  • 1
486 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This trumpet player has very good technique – you can hear him play fast run over the groove, something you hear Arturo Sandoval do. He also displays an impressive range, which definitely comes in handy on a tune like this? But I would like to hear him dig in and play better time, in contrast to all those fast licks. Also, there is way too much reverb on his solo, which keeps it from fitting into the track as well as it could.
Wayne Bergeron:Bugsprayer displays good technique nice command of the horn. (I wish I had your fingers) There are some impressive moments in this solo but I feel it starts with too much to soon. I would have liked to hear fewer notes and more digging in on the style and groove of the tune. There is also way too much reverb that distracts from your already nice sound.
Week 4 Finalist
Ed Sherry3/27
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  • 1
532 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Ed starts his trumpet solo with lots of attitude, a good thing. He shows a fairly advanced harmonic concept, and digs in for some exciting high notes as well. I had an issue with the pacing of the solo, which seems to lose some steam during the bridge. On tunes like this, you gotta be able to smoke on both the vamp and also where the chords get more involved. Good job.
Wayne Bergeron:I like the way Ed starts the solo, not to busy and with a lot of sass. That gets the listeners attention without saying “hey, look what I can do.” I do feel your time feel wanders a bit. It’s always nice to hear soloist dig in on the time. You lost some juice on the bridge where it really needs to start building energy. However your last 8 bars are fantastic.
Week 5 Finalist
Jim_L Flugel
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  • 1
447 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This is a kind of curious choice, to play a flugelhorn solo on this track, where the energy is so high. Jim has a good basic sound and technique, and I can hear that he is going for using melodic fragments to construct his solo, which is great. Never play anything you can’t sing! But he struggles to match the energy of this groove, which is why you don’t hear flugelhorn solos on a tune like this too often.
Wayne Bergeron: You have a nice dark flugel sound but I don’t think flugel is the right choice for a high energy Latin groove. Jim plays some nice licks but I feel a tune like this needs a more energetic approach with some Latin flair. The solo has nice moments but doesn’t get the listeners attention.
Week 6 Finalist
Jeff_Zias_Flugel
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  • Current rating
  • 1
407 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Another flugel solo! Maybe we’re setting a new trend. Jeff has some good beboppish licks that he uses to good effect, and he does a nice job getting through the bridge and managing those changes. But folks, this instrument just doesn’t quite cut enough to fit over this track, in my opinion.
Wayne Bergeron: Even though I don’t think flugelhorn is the right call for this tune your solo is well constructed. Your melodic concept is strong but I feel the time is not in the pocket (at times) Overall a well-paced ride.
Week 7 Finalist
Augie Haas
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  • 1
1262 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Augie has a nice clear sound, good pitch and a nice range. His sense of time is pretty good, with a few exceptions where he rushes a bit. He gets cranking pretty good on the bridge (except for the 8th bar where his note choice clashes with the chord) and he works nicely into the last vamp, where he gets some very exciting high stuff going –but I would have played that last high D only one time, not repeat it like he did. Less is more sometimes. Nice job here.
Wayne Bergeron: Obviously Augue is a solid player with a nice sizzling sound and good facility. Your opening statements fall a bit short rhythmically but the first “A” section of the tune is great. You lose some steam as the bridge progresses. It really needs to start building at that point. The lick you play on the bar 8 of the bridge should be up a step to work with the changes. The double Ds at the end are great but a little to soon IMO. Could I borrow that note from you sometime :)?
Week 7 Finalist
B.Lebowski
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  • 1
4157 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This trumpet solo shows good technique, sound, range and pitch. And his time seems to lock in more as the solo progresses. But a couple of times I felt that he was missing the real “money notes” on these chord changes, and the whole thing feels a little…safe. Also, I can hear the punch ins during the bridge –once again, I don’t have an objection to punching in on a solo, but we should never be aware of it as a listener. It should appear as if you played the solo live with the band, that’s the goal.
Wayne Bergeron: This solo starts with fire but takes a while to lock into the time. Nice blowing on the bridge but it sounds very pieced together. When constructing an overdub solo try to play off your previous lick so it doesn’t sound disjointed. Your last 8 bars are great!
Week 8 Finalist
Adam Rapa
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  • Current rating
  • 1
1271 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Adam starts off with confidence, and before too long shows his impressive range and technique. I wish the solo was mixed a little louder, and maybe miced a little closer because I think it would have had a greater impact, because it’s a pretty burning solo! It’s a good combination of licks and emotion, and my only other quibble is that is sounds a bit polite (maybe due to the mix) and it peaks a bit early. But great job, nonetheless.
Wayne Bergeron: This is a strong well-constructed solo showing off Adam’s abilities on the horn. His great style and sense of rhythm are strong throughout. Unfortunately the recording quality does not do your sound justice. It could be hotter in the mix and more full bodied. I’ve heard you live so I know what a great sound you have. I like this solo because it has a lot of peaks and valleys and dynamic contrast. This keeps the listener interested in what’s coming next. The solo does peak a bit early (IMO) but how the heck do you follow a double D like that. Fantastic playing!
Smoke This Winners
Finalist
Denson Angulo BASS
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  • Current rating
  • 1
668 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Denson clearly has game, that’s obvious from the very beginning. I dig how he plays interesting melodic stuff in the first chorus, showing a deep understanding of the changes, and in the 2nd chorus, it’s funkalicous, baby! The pocket is there, always, which is of paramount importance on this track. This dude is bad. You know, what I mean, when bad means good!
Grant Geissman: This guy is funky! A very cool bass solo, playing on ALL of the changes! Great single note lines, great slapping, a great pocket. You worked it out, Dawg!
Top Contestants
Week 1 Finalist
Nathan
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  • Current rating
  • 1
310 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Nathan has a good sound, and plays with good time, but dude, don’t try to fake it though those changes on the bridge! I heard several major 7ths over those dominat 7th chords. I love the way the solo ended though! Thanks, Nathan.
Grant Geissman: A nice little bite on the guitar sound that works well for this track! It sounds like you are faking it through the harder changes, especially in the bridge. Also Nathan, you are not really swinging as hard as the band is here; a little too "sing-songy" and not jazzy enough in feel.
Week 2 Finalist
Mark Galliher
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  • Current rating
  • 1
338 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:This guy gets down and slaps it! Very impressive technique and funkiness going on here. His pocket was happening! Great job!
Grant Geissman: Very funky! Be careful not to rush, though; you are a little ahead of the time sometimes!
Week 3 Finalist
Chris Montgomery
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  • Current rating
  • 1
424 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Chris’ solo has some great stuff in it, but I have to say, I wish it was mixed a little louder. And if I had to venture a guess, I’m betting he likes it a little understated –his touch and feel is light and subtle. Which is cool, but for this instance, it doesn’t quite match the energy of the track. Once again, check out how he ends the solo –very cool!
Grant Geissman: Chris, I agree with Gordon here: you have a very nice sound, but with a very light touch that isn't quite agressive enough on top of the band.
Week 3 Finalist
Bugsprayer
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  • Current rating
  • 1
419 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:That’s a cool idea to use a Methany –Lyle kind of patch on this tune. I’m not 100% sure it completely fits the vibe of the track, especially with all the verb on the sound, but I enjoyed hearing it nonetheless. His ideas are interesting, especially during the bridge of the song, and his time is very good too. Nice that he book-ended the solo with the figure that the band plays.
Grant Geissman: An interesting concept to use the guitar synth, but (like Gordon) I'm not quite sure it works in a big band setting. Nice ideas, though!
Week 4 Finalist
Jeff Castanon
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  • Current rating
  • 1
278 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Dig that first chord! As the solo progressed I felt that Jeff’s time was slightly ahead of the groove, but I totally dig that he played along with the band background for a minute. It did seem that he was guessing a little on some of the changes, but his instincts got his through okay. Nice job
Grant Geissman: Some nice licks here, especially at the end of the bridge into the end of the solo!
Week 5 Finalist
Chris W
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  • Current rating
  • 1
972 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Chris plays a nice, if rather understated solo here. Guitar in a big band can be tough, because while a Joe Pass-like sound works great in a trio, it has some difficulty cutting through over a big band. I wish Chris would have built his solo more, especially as we propell to the end of the chorus. But he is a solid player and is on his way.
Grant Geissman: A beautiful, round sound. Very nice lines with some cool little bursts of ideas, but for me the solo doesn't really have a build from start to finish.
Week 6 Finalist
Guitarlancer
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  • Current rating
  • 1
279 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Some interesting stuff here, but I had some problems with the intonation and with the feel, which pushed ahead of the time fairly often. Plus I could hear the punch in near the beginning –which is a bozo-no-no! I don’t really mind punching in on your solo, but we should never be aware of it. In other news, he does show an understanding of the changes here and constructs his solo motivically, which I dig.
Grant Geissman: I hate to say it, Dawg, but you don't seem to be sure about the chord structure you are improvising over, so some of the notes aren't quite making it. Not enough real swing to your feel either. If I had to guess, I would say that you are more of a blues—not jazz—player.
Week 7 Finalist
Dave King
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  • Current rating
  • 1
4000 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Dave starts his solo nice and slow, with good use of space, which is always a good idea. But I am hearing some guessing about some of the changes. Not a lot, but…once in a while there’s a note or two that don’t… quite… fit. And I would like to hear the solo build more gradually as it goes, so that by the end we are digging in a little more. I did like your “Pink Panther” quote at the end –it made me laugh!
Grant Geissman: Nice guitar sound and nice use of space. Your choice of notes don't always work with the chord changes you are playing over, though.
Week 7 Finalist
John Monllos
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  • Current rating
  • 1
448 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:John gets off some cool licks in this solo –especially those fast ones that kind of float over the groove, But when he plays 8th notes he tends to rush the time a little. John’s sound is nice and cool, and fits the vibe pretty well, but when the time rushes… not cool.
Grant Geissman: There's some very nice fast licks in this solo, but the slower ideas don't feel totally locked with the time. Also, there seems to be a kind of doubling effect that I find to be a bit distracting.
Week 8 Finalist
Denson Angulo BASS
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
668 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Denson clearly has game, that’s obvious from the very beginning. I dig how he plays interesting melodic stuff in the first chorus, showing a deep understanding of the changes, and in the 2nd chorus, it’s funkalicous, baby! The pocket is there, always, which is of paramount importance on this track. This dude is bad. You know, what I mean, when bad means good!
Grant Geissman: This guy is funky! A very cool bass solo, playing on ALL of the changes! Great single note lines, great slapping, a great pocket. You worked it out, Dawg!
Smoke This Winners
Finalist
Matt Weisberg
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
289 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Matt plays his solo on Rhodes, and has some very interesting stuff going on. Cool polyrhythms, and I love how he played off the opening triplets in the band. Matt has some great harmonic concepts happening, and his left hand is no slouch, as you can hear on the last 8 bars of his solo. I would love to hear this guy on acoustic piano! A burning player!
Top Contestants
Week 1 Finalist
Eileen Guppy
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
284 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Eileen plays a very nice solo here, showing a good knowledge of these chords and a good technique. She is clearly playing a piano sample of some kind, so it’s hard to judge her touch as if she were on a real piano, but a real piano could give her more dynamics and accents within the phrase. Some piano samples, like this one, can sound kind of bland. Also, she tends to rush a little once in a while, and has a slight tendency to fall into predictable rhythmic patterns –but overall, a good job.
Week 2 Finalist
Jacob Koller
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
273 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin: Jacob is clearly a very advanced player. He nails every chord change and plays intriguing phrases that are perfectly in time. Even though he is playing a sampled piano of some kind, he is able to extract accents and dynamics from it. A solid performance, from beginning to end. Nice!
Week 4 Finalist
Rachel on Rhodes
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  • Current rating
  • 1
200 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Well, Rachel is another advanced piano player, without a doubt! Unfortunately, she needs some help with her engineering skills, since this track had her solo only, with no backing track. This makes it a little hard to completely evaluate the solo, but I have to say, from the evidence at hand, she is nailing it! Nice funky licks, and she is playing all the changes with solid time and a great feel. Someday, maybe I can hear the solo with the whole band! Great job! I have phone numbers of some good engineers if you want…
Week 5 Finalist
Kelli Cox
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  • Current rating
  • 1
356 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin: Is this a sample? It’s a good one if it is. Kelli is a very strong player, with good technique and a strong rhythmic concept. Great feel! The only thing that grabbed my ears with her left hand voicing, which got a little static, where she used the same one every time she played that Gm chord. Well, maybe not every time, but you know what I’m saying. It can be tough for a piano solo to ride over a big band, and I kind of wish Kelli would have dug in a little more as the solo reached it’s climax. But, overall, very strong.
Week 7 Finalist
bob
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  • Current rating
  • 1
283 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Bob plays his solo on a Rhodes sound, which has a nice touch and feel to it. His time is very good, with only a few little stumbles. But his solo is very well paced with nice melodic construction, and some interesting harmonic adventures over the basic pedal point. I’m digging it, big time.
Week 7 Finalist
Bobby V
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  • Current rating
  • 1
425 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Bobby has some chops going on, no doubt. But the sound of the piano, (and of the band here, too) is a little harsh. Bobby’s time is a little on the top of the beat, and, frankly, all those notes start to sound alike, however flashy they are executed. I would consider pacing the solo more, started off sparser and building to the end, Then, your great chops will seem even more impressive. Also, I would also be careful regarding the use of the sustain pedal in a groove like this.
Week 8 Finalist
Matt Weisberg
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  • Current rating
  • 1
289 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Matt plays his solo on Rhodes, and has some very interesting stuff going on. Cool polyrhythms, and I love how he played off the opening triplets in the band. Matt has some great harmonic concepts happening, and his left hand is no slouch, as you can hear on the last 8 bars of his solo. I would love to hear this guy on acoustic piano! A burning player!
Smoke This Winners
Finalist
Angie O
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
1315 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Right off the bat Angie shows she knows how to swing, as she sings those lines with the band perfectly. She is confident, has a great range, and her pitch and style is right on the money. Even though she is singing some of Dianne Reeves licks here, she makes them her own. Awesome!
Top Contestants
Week 1 Finalist
Patti H
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  • Current rating
  • 1
385 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Patti does a nice job, with a rather sweet vocal sound, but I’m not sure it quite serves this song, which wants a little more attitude and sass. I bet she sounds better on material of a softer nature, and on this track, she is not helped by the reverb choice on her vocal track, which adds an unpleasant sizzle to her voice, accentuating her “s’s.”
Week 2 Finalist
Angie O
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  • Current rating
  • 1
1315 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Right off the bat Angie shows she knows how to swing, as she sings those lines with the band perfectly. She is confident, has a great range, and her pitch and style is right on the money. Even though she is singing some of Dianne Reeves licks here, she makes them her own. Awesome!
Week 3 Finalist
Becca
Click to Vote: 
  • Current rating
  • 1
1200 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Becca takes a different approach to the first verse –nice and smooth and I dig how she builds her vocal performance along with the chart. She has very nice pitch and note accuracy. But I would like to hear her develop a little stronger sense of swing –her phrasing gets a little stilted, especially on 8th note licks. But her performance showed a lot of range and dynamics –nice job!
Week 4 Finalist
Liz Johnson
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559 votes
Judges Comments:
Gordon Goodwin:Liz has a nice sound and good pitch, and has a good feel for this song and arrangement. She did miss a few notes here and there, and gets slightly ahead of the track in a few spots, like on the scat lick with the band in the middle. But she does a good job up injecting her personality into her performance.
Week 4 Finalist
LWeatherly