Book Description
The basic principles of blues piano explained for the intermediate-level pianist in an easy-to-grasp fashion.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding, musical, and playable method.......2007-07-23
There realy are not many great methods for the blues out there, but Tim Richards is thorough and goes into the required detail to show you how each blues style works.
The examples are very playable, suiting more or less an intermediate level pianist. Richards is one of the few take-away instruction teachers to be concerned about fingerings, and takes the trouble to suggest good ones. His playing instructions work very well and add a dimension that you don't often get in these method books - he has a great insight into the chords, and the notes and the way they fit the music. The breakdown of theory is very well explained, if sometimes overdone. But he never floods you with scales without showing you how to apply them - that in itself is a good thing!
Richards' choice of music is impeccable, and calssic blues standards of af all styles are presented from boogie, to funk, slow blues, and some jazzy numbers. And he shows you music in a number of keys so you aren't stuck to one or two and get a work out in the other keys. I found the music very playable, and well sounding, although I didn't always find the improvising instructions that intuitive.
The historical background he gives is accurate and informative and the pictures of blues and jazz legends really make this book interesting.
My criticism of the book is that it should have stretched up to the more advanced techniques of the blues - where the top players are, like Oscar Peterson, for example. That is its dissapointment - a teacher as good as this who dedicated the time to work a out a progressive and different course in blues shouldn't have stopped at the middle level. He surely should have stretched us, his interested audience up to the highest level.
But this should not stop you from using this very useful and inspiring book - I Thank you sincerely Tim.
Buy this book if you want to learn blues piano!.......2007-02-07
This is, by far, the best blues piano book out there. Mark Harrison's book is also good, but more as a quick guide for those who already have some chops and some understanding of theory.
Richards' book is a full course in Blues theory and practice and as such, you have to work through it. I've been at it for 14 months now and have just finished the second chapter. The material is perfectly paced for a pianist of my level (about Gr. 2-3, RCM, 30+ years ago). The pieces are fun to play and jam packed with important ideas and blues cliches. I'm really starting to see the beginnings of true hand independence that works , not only when I play memorized pieces, but that I can invoke when trying improvisations!
If you want to play professional-level blues piano in a month, then this is not the book for you. If, however, you live in the real world and are prepared to work at it, this book will do more than show a few riffs or tricks. It will give you a deep and firm foundation in popular piano improvisation in general, and blues in particular. I estimate I'll be another couple of years with this book and I can't wait to get back to it!
This book is a work of genius. Thank you, Tim Tichards!
Just what I was looking for ...........2007-02-01
This is a great book! I'm a beginning/intermediate piano player, I went through the first two Alfred's All-in-One Adult piano books and really enjoyed them (and recommend them!). But I found myself at a fork in the road: I was happy to continue memorizing "pieces", and practicing "technique", but I found myself wanting to know more about improvising. I play drums in a blues band, and I've had some music theory for keyboard percussion, so I'm not a total musical-novice. I tried out some other books (Mark Harrison's "Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series", but it's still a little over my head, perhaps in a year or so it'll be good for me. Also "David Bennett Cohen Teaches Blues Piano: A Hands-On Course in Traditional Blues Piano", but it really didn't light my fire either, and if I recall correctly, didn't have finger markings which I still find helpful.) This book pulls it all together for me: some blues music theory, some blues history, clearly-marked "assignments", a CD included, (a spiral binding that lays flat on the stand!) ... I'm hooked!
The Best self-learning blues piano book.......2007-01-22
I've flipped and browsed thru many blues piano books but this one takes first prize. Lots of graduated examples, a CD, and cool historic photos and notes. Big thumbs up. Get it if you want to learn dem blues!
A must have.......2005-06-21
I'm not a good pianist but I'm playing blues bass since more than 20 years.
I did purchased a lot of books, but this one is really the best. When my teacher saw it, he immediately ask where he could purchased it.
A lot of songs, exercises and explanation
The book is not only about improvising, it's also about all kind of left-hand pattern and I know what I'm talking about. The example on the CD are also great
If at first looks it seems expensive you will see that it is worth every penny
Customer Reviews:
An Overview of General Concepts.......2004-10-18
I purchased my first copy of "Improvising Jazz" in 1980. I had been practicing and performing jazz at high school for about a year and this book said all the things I needed to hear at that time in my music career.
What's interesting is that the content isn't really meant to be practiced or developed or anything like that. It's more of a general overview of the basic concepts and ideals of jazz improvisation. "Improvising Jazz" explains things like Swing, Melodic Development, the Role of the Rhythm Section, the Diminished scale and Functional Harmony. Thanks to this book, I had a firm understanding of "functional harmony" before I even entered college and this was partly responsible for my success in all of my theory classes.
A Classic.......2003-07-12
I had the first edition of this book when I was learning to play jazz piano in the early 1960s. It's a classic that every jazz musician should own, even if it has been superseded by more comprehensive works. It's a little short on piano voicings, and the language is definitely aimed at beginners. But it's a fun read for musicians at any level.
And in the back of the book ...
To avoid paying royalties, Coker prints scores of standard tunes with only the chord changes -- no titles or melodies. It's great fun figuring out what the tunes are. Some of them still have me stumped ...
Good for depth and perspective, not for practical learning.......2002-05-29
If you're starting to learn playing jazz, this is *not* the book. There are plenty of others like Amadie's and Ferrara's that are more immediately helpful in this regard.
With that out of the way: "Improvising Jazz" is an excellent source of unique perspective, advice, and experience from a noted jazz educator, Jerry Coker. Coker focuses not only on how to play but, on another level, how to learn and how to develop further. You will want this book in your collection to gain further depth and pespective on the subject.
There is advice on how to approach your first jam session, developing the ear, combining intellect with spontaneity. The later chapters on analysis of melody and functional harmony, first written in 1964, were probably the one of the first systematic attempts to "organize" jazz theory. You definitely get the sense that this is a major source material for reference books such as "Modern Jazz Piano" by Brian Waite.
The Strunk & White of jazz improvisation.......2000-11-28
I started improvising Jazz back in the early 70's. Back then every serious player I knew owned a copy of Jerry Coker's "Patterns for Jazz". Somehow, I missed owning a copy of "Improvising Jazz" until just a week ago. This book, published in 1964, is awesome. It's packed with insight and applicable techniques regarding improvisation that are as fresh today as they were nearly 40 years ago.
If you already own Pattern's for Jazz, this book is totally different. "Patterns" is a 99% music whereas "Improvising" is 90% discussion and application with the music used to illustrate the discussion.
My favorite passage is an excerpt the author takes from Richmond Browne on what makes a solo interesting to various listeners. Find this on page 15!
It's a small book to be sure. However, this just means that it can be read over and over and physically kept in your case. Think of it as a "Strunk & White" for jazz.
Excellent "ideas" book for Improvisors.......1999-05-27
I have to admit, when I first got this book I thought, well, it's sort of small, so it must not have very much in it. Boy, was I wrong. What I found was a pretty comprehensive summary of jazz theory and how it can be applied to various situations, from the solo performer to the band. Coker is very concerned with the "education" of jazz and strives to make the reader put together pieces of the musician (thought, intellect, practice, etc.) to make a coherent whole. What I found partically helpful were the chapters on motifs, superimposition, and altered extenstions. Although this can be found in almost any good jazz book, Coker's book uses understandable charts and clear idea presentation. He helps develop ideas for motifs and how they can be modified in improv, gives good information on how polychords work and some possible superimpositions, and a great summary of what good tone extensions are for various chord types. Also, there are chapters on rhythm, partically in band settings, basic theory such as chords and scales, and ideas for transcription off records. Each chapter has practice ideas (which of course I'm way too lazy to do), and there is a big appendix at the end of all types of chord progressions to practice, or at least in my case, look at. Definitely a book to check out if other theory books don't seem to "sum it up" well.
Book Description
In this "private lesson," MI instructor Jean Marc Belkadi reveals the secrets to creating interesting, over-the-top, red-hot licks and lead phrases! He covers: modal and tonal usage, triad substitution and superimposition techniques, and much more. The book is in standard notation and tab, and the CD features 50 full-band tracks.
Book Description
This book presents 1,001 melodic gems played over dozens of the most important chord progressions heard in jazz. This is the ideal book for beginners seeking a well-organized, easy-to-follow encyclopedia of jazz vocabulary, as well as professionals who want to take their knowledge of the jazz language to new heights.
Customer Reviews:
Single line Sight reading.......2006-08-12
Yes there are actually 1001 'licks' in this book and they are all numbered and loosley categorized in the index. Most of these musical phrases are 4 measures in length. Since they are grouped together by similarity, you get a slightly different idea with every 4 measure passage. The harmony chords are given. The phrases that I've learned are very melodic and centered around the aeolian mode and harmonic minor scales which are often used in tandem in jazz. It would be a lot of effort to memorize everyone of these phrases and the author does not recommend it. He says to pick out your favorites and make them your own. To say Jack went the extra mile on this book would be an understatement. I especially love the licks inder Cmaj7#11 because they're challenging and translate so well.
Book Description
Jazz Pentatonics… is for intermediate to advanced players wishing to expand their melodic and harmonic vocabulary. The music is in standard notation as well as tablature and a CD is included in which the more difficult exercises are played at a slower as well as faster tempo. The CD was recorded with live drums, acoustic bass and guitar. All the exercises are included on the CD as well as play-along tracks that enable the student to play with a rhythm section. The book covers the minor 7, dominant 7, minor 7(b5) and major (b6) pentatonics and gives the student many etudes and exercises from which to draw improvisational ideas
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book from a Master Improviser and Teacher.......2006-03-10
This book gives the student (we're all students aren't we?)a very balanced approach to broadening his or her mastery of pentatonics in a jazz context. Bruce Saunders explains the many applications of familiar pentatonic scales in a really concise way and lays out very musical illustrations in notation and tab with recorded examples. I like the recorded tracks because they are played in a swinging relaxed style by some really happening players who make a living playing jazz in New York. Bruce has been a teacher at Berklee College since the 1980's and a working musician for a long time. I've found that good focused work on this material has opened my ears and fingerboard awareness. While the book begins with the familiar minor seventh pentatonics, Bruce shows how to use them in new ways and then gives us other less familiar but really important pentatonic scales with applications and recorded examples. There's lots to work on here but I believe it's just the right amount of material - not overwhelming and that's important.
Jazz improvisation is a life long pursuit and no one teacher or book will make a student a great improviser over night. This book is one of the really useful ones due to its balanced content, the quiet competence of the author, solid musicality and straight ahead playing by the musicians on the included CD.
Book Description
Expand your playing and your imagination with these revolutionary intervallic lines by jazz great Joe Diorio! Topics include: designs of tonality, designs of diatonic harmonies, designs for the diminished scales, designs for dominant and altered dominant chords, designs for the chromatic scales, designs of varied harmonic applications, designs of the perfect fifth interval, designs for freestyle improvisation, and more. Includes tab.
Customer Reviews:
Definitely worth working through, but not all that "ultramodern".......2006-09-17
First off, Joe Diorio is a major, major talent and this book, like all his others, has loads to transmit. I was at a place in my playing where I knew I needed a new approach to soloing; I intuitively felt it'd be a help to start thinking more "intervallically," so when I found this book I thought Perfect! It definitely opened new approaches for me and certainly broadened my understanding of what it means to think in intervals rather than scales, scales, scales. I do think, though, that the sound of these lines aren't at all "ultramodern"; many of them, if used in a jamming situation actually come across sounding like exercises. The idea with this book is to absorb the core concepts and then apply the approach to what you're already using in your soloing. It broadens horizons, but shouldn't be looked upon as a book of soloing ideas as such.
Free Jazz.......2006-07-23
The thing about this book that got to me is there's no stinkin metronome, and no stinkin chords, just 99 or so awesome licks. If you've ever wondered how guys like Eric Johnson got as good as they did, you don't have to look too much further than this book. If you can get these lines into your hands, you will improve your lead playing ability regardless of musical bent. It's a visceral book from a guy who's grown beyond convention. Suggested harmonies for the designs are given but the lines are powerful unto themselves. At the end Joe does two takes on a free form blues improvisation in B flat. This dude can play !
GET THIS ONE !.......2005-12-12
This one of the most unique guitar books EVER ...
Whatever style you play this book will teach you something ! it starts with very simple pentatonic intervalic designs and then gradually stretches to the outer limits ! it has a cool section which explains (via examples) how outside sounds are obtained over common chords, rather that just play the licks you'll finally understand how the "outside" sound is produced, with this book you'll also see where frank gambale, scott henderson, jennifer batten and even paul gilbert got a lot of their stuff :) I don't even play jazz but this book has REALLY helped me in many ways, Joe Diorio is a master player and the lines here will also help your technique, they're HARD !
Very, very good.......2005-03-07
This book tries to break the average guitar player out of just playing scales and more towards playing intervals. It shows you how to take something like a minor pentatonic and play it intervallically, which really helps open up your ears to ideas you would never get from just practicing scales up and down. Very good to widen your vocabulary of lines. A++.
Book Description
Endorsed by Michael Brecker, Jamey Aebersold, and others, this is the only book that shows how blues scales can be used to create meaningful jazz solos, even if you are a total beginner. The accompanying CD of Dan with his working New York rhythm section demonstrates how each exercise should sound, as well as giving the student an hour of swinging play-along accompaniment to practice with. Also features many transcribed phrases of blues scale playing by the masters of jazz.
Book Description
Jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell takes an unflinching look at his life and career, recounting his musical journey from his scuffling early days in New York City and his pioneering role in the jazz fusion movement to his current status as a world ambassador of jazz. Coryell reveals his own involvement in and eventual victory over the drug scene, and he gives his take on the musical giants he has known and performed with. Along the way, he details the development of his own style and provides inspirational words for fellow musicians. A special section presents a selection of Coryell's beloved Guitar Player magazine columns. Includes CD with audio lessons and original compositions recorded specifically for this book.
Customer Reviews:
Guitar Monster.......2007-09-06
I had the great pleasure of seeing Larry Coryell perform 3 times in the mid-70's,twice with Eleventh House and once in a duo with Steve Kahn. All of the performances were at a small club in Denver called Ebbetts Field. I also had the good fortune to meet and talk with Mr.Coryell. I found him to be down-to-earth and very nice. I've followed his career ever since, so when this book came out, I was quick to grab it. Larry has written a very interesting book. If you're a a fan of Jazz/Fusion or just interested in the life of a prominent musician, you'll probably enjoy this book. Much like the man himself, Larry writes in a down-to-earth fashion, both funny and frank, especially when relating his substance abuse struggles. I definitely recommend the book, and if Larry comes to your town, go see him! The man can shake those strings.
Larry Coryell.......2007-07-19
As I am a fan of Larry Coryell, who is one of the most outstanding and innovative Guitarplayers of our time,
I was happy to read about his way in music and life. In this book Larry speaks about the turning points of his career
and for fans who know his first records like Spaces, Offering, Coryell, records with Eleventh House or Philippe Catherine
there are many fine anecdots, intersperse with humour.
Larry gives us insight in his private life and troubles with drugs and is always honest about the true in his actions, bad or good.
So, thank you Larry for your openhearted letter from your world of music.
(I also bought the DVD 'A Retrospective' and this concert of Larry
with pieces from the years of discovery is infectious.)
Average customer rating:
- Great Improv Book for Jazz Saxophone
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Improvising Jazz Sax: (MFM 75) (Saxophone)
Charley Gerard
Manufacturer: Amsco Publications
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Binding: Paperback
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Improvising Jazz (A Fireside Book)
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The Jazz Theory Book
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Building a Jazz Vocabulary
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Art of Saxophone Playing
ASIN: 082564075X
Release Date: 1983-12-31 |
Book Description
Teaches improvisation from the point of view of the sax player, utilizing theory as insight into playing. Chapters on modal playing and special effects (multiphonics, microtones, etc.). Includes a complete chord chart.
Customer Reviews:
Great Improv Book for Jazz Saxophone.......2007-02-24
This is really a good book on jazz improvisation for saxophone. The book starts out with a brief introduction of chords and their chord symbols. All of the scales and patterns described in the book are written out in all of the keys except for the enharmonically spelled keys. A big plus for this book is that there is a section that describes how to play the special effects sound on the saxophone, like microtonics, growls, harmonics, etc. It gives specific fingerings for them. Now, there may be additional fingerings. It's just that I've seen no other sax book describe these. This book clearly illustrates the styles of some of our most famous saxophone players including Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Jr. Walker to name a few. I think this helps in understanding what we are hearing when we hear their music. The author also describes how to perform the chordal and scalar passages and sound musical by using different types of articulations. He also talks about the challenges of practicing and learning improvisation of which I think is important to talk about. Because sometimes as a musicians we need motivation as to why we are practicing everyday when we don't see immediate results. It's reality to understand that it takes months of practicing before one can get a real handle on certain musical expressions.
Each chapter has a new style of improvisation with music pattern. This book is not an end all to improvisation but is certainly a good start for any sax player who wants to improve his or her improvisational skills.
Average customer rating:
|
101 Jazz Guitar Licks, Riffs, & Turnarounds (With CD)
Larry McCabe
Manufacturer: Santorella Publications LTD
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1585606375 |
Product Description
This is an ideal book for any guitarist who wants to venture into jazz. Each lick is written in TABLATURE and standard notation, and recorded on the companion CD. Chord symbols are included.
If you currently play blues, country, folk, rock or classical, and desire to venture into jazz, this book is for you. This jam-packed book/CD set teaches 101 swing guitar licks and phrases, played over chords and progressions that are basic in the harmonic language of jazz.
Because each lick is played over a real chord progression, it is easy to relate the examples to real music. You will experience noticeable improvement in your knowledge of the fingerboard, your technical facility, your harmonic vocabulary, and your abiliy to conceive and express modern musical ideas.
These great licks will take your fingers, ears, and mind to new places.
Book includes Major Patterns, Dorian Patterns, Mixolydian Patterns, 2-5-1 Patterns,Substitute Patterns, and more.
A comprehensive music theory essay adds value for the advancing student.
This invaluable book and CD sells for less than the cost of one private lesson, and provides many, many weeks and months of stimulating material for the early intermediate, intermediate, and new jazz guitarist.
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