Don’t all Claude Gordon students just play high, loud and fast with a jazz sound?
This was a common misconception spread by non-students or short-term students. If the student understood the big picture of all the Seven Items this didn’t happen. Claude’s emphasis to go beyond others caused students to stretch their limits. No style of playing was ever emphasized over another. The practice routines in total were very balanced, but to a listener hearing only one part it might seem to be only focused on that one item. Control is developed over time after strength and the students that didn’t study long or didn’t pay attention would sometimes not understand that. Not everyone that takes lessons is really a student of their teacher.
