Jazz-Rock Fusion: The People, the Music [Paperback] Review

Written by the wife of one of jazz fusions legends (Larry Coryell), Julie Coryell has put together a veritable "who's who" of jazz fusion.It's full of great information - being part of that crowd gave her great access and personal insight that would be missing from a book written by an outsider.Any fan of jazz fusion will love this book, and it will probably introduce you to some great artists that you haven't heard of yet!

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Product Description:
This collection of interviews and photos celebrates some of the most outstanding artists in these genres. The book is divided by instrument, and for each artist there is a biography, an interview by Julie Coryell, an outstanding photo by Laura Friedman, and a selected, cross-referenced discography. Legendary players covered here include: Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Ayers, Ron Carter, Chick Corea, George Benson, Flora Purim and many others. Also features a stunning section of full-color photos, and a preface by Ramsey Lewis. 368 pages.

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Popular Performer Christmas- Advanced Piano [Paperback] Review

I own twochristmas songbooks arranged by Jan Sanborn and both are FABULOUS! Wonderfully, artistic and creative arrangements of some of the best christmas songs of all time.

This book is perfect for the Professinal or Advanced pianist. I particularly love Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (HYMLC), Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland.

HYMLC: beautiful arpeggios with the melody thrown in the top give it that wonderful forward motion sensation building up to the high points, wonderful use of varying harmonies and non-chordal tones.

Sleigh Ride: nearly perfect for piano solo, very tangible and well written. My only complaint is not having the "jazzy" section, like in the real thing. Basicall Jan just flatted a couple notes but you don't really get the syncopated rhythm that makes that part of the real deal so fun and enjoyable. I do like what Jan did with the "there's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Grey" part.

Winter Wonderland: lovely! very fun and not "over-written"!

Overall, another must have for the professional or advanced pianist.

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Product Description:
Arranged For Advanced Piano. Rich textures, sophisticated harmonies and inventive rhythms make these arrangements ideal for hobbyists, advancing students, professional musicians or any Popular Performer. Titles include: The Christmas Waltz * Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas * I ll Be Home for Christmas * It s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year * Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! * Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town * Sleigh Ride * Winter Wonderland

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Celebrated Jazzy Solos, Bk 1: 10 Solos in Jazz Styles for Late Elementary Pianists [Paperback] Review

Strengths:
requires less coordination than JR&B by Mier

Weaknesses:
writing lacking; predictable, repetitive; intended style doesn't seem actualized at this elementary level; not Vandall's best

Pedagogical Value:
Sequence, Ostinato, position changes often, syncopated rhythms; more educational than fun

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Product Description:
Boogie, blues, ragtime, swing and other jazz styles are irresistible to most pianists, but not always accessible to student pianists. Composer Robert Vandall has removed all barriers to successful student performances, by making sure that each ""jazzy solo"" in this Celebrated series cleverly introduces students to a specific jazz scale, harmony, rhythm or form. Book 1 contains favorite Vandall jazz solos, as well as some newly composed pieces. Titles: Blues Jaunt
* Bruces Boogie
* Hammock Blues
* Harmony Rag
* Hurry Up!
* Sidewalk Strut
* Slide Easy
* Stepping Stones
* Stomping Five
* Two Hands Boogie.

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Different Drummers: Jazz in the Culture of Nazi Germany [Paperback] Review

A distinguished, prolific historian and accomplished jazz musician, Michael H. Kater teaches history at York University in Toronto. He has written several well-received books; prior to Different Drummers, I knew him primarily from his excellent, 1975 study of the role of right-wing student fraternities at German universities during the rise of Nazism, Studentschaft und Rechtsradikalismus in Deutschland 1918-1933 (Hamburg: Hoffmann und Campe).
Different Drummers chronicles the futile but vicious attempts of the Nazis to stamp out an art form identified with Negroes and Jews, the exquisite form of political resistance jazz represented, and its vague anticipation of the oppositional youth and student culture of 1960s West Germany.

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Product Description:
When the African-American dancer Josephine Baker visited Berlin in 1925, she found it dazzling.""The city had a jewel-like sparkle,"" she said, ""the vast cafes reminded me of ocean liners powered by the rhythms of their orchestras. There was music everywhere.""Eager to look ahead after the crushing defeat of World War I, Weimar Germany embraced the modernism that swept through Europe and was crazy over jazz. But with the rise of National Socialism came censorship and proscription: an art form born on foreign soil and presided over by Negroes and Jews could have no place in the culture of a ""master race."" In Different Drummers, Michael Kater--a distinguished historian and himself a jazz musician--explores the underground history of jazz in Hitler's Germany. He offers a frightening and fascinating look at life and popular culture during the Third Reich, showing that for the Nazis, jazz was an especially threatening form of expression.Not only were its creators at the very bottom of the Nazi racial hierarchy, but the very essence of jazz--spontaneity, improvisation, and, above all, individuality--represented a direct challenge to the repetitive, simple, uniform pulse of German march music and indeed everyday life.The fact that many of the most talented European jazz artists were Jewish only made the music more objectionable.In tracing the growth of what would become a bold and eloquent form of social protest, Kater mines a trove of previously untapped archival records and assembles interviews with surviving witnesses as he brings to life a little-known aspect of wartime Germany. He introduces us to groups such as the Weintraub Syncopators, Germany's best indigenous jazz band; the Harlem Club of Frankfurt, whose male members wore their hair long in defiance of Nazi conventions; and the Hamburg Swings--the most daring radicals of all--who openly challenged the Gestapo with a series of mass dance rallies. More than once these demonstrations turned violent, with the Swings and the Hitler Youth fighting it out in the streets. In the end we come to realize that jazz not only survived persecution, but became a powerful symbol of political disobedience--and even resistance--in wartime Germany.And as we witness the vacillations of the Nazi regime (while they worked toward its ultimate extinction, they used jazz for their own propaganda purposes), we see that the myth of Nazi social control was, to a large degree, just that--Hitler's dictatorship never became as pure and effective a form of totalitarianism as we are sometimes led to believe. With its vivid portraits of all the key figures, Different Drummers provides a unique glimpse of a counter-culture virtually unexamined until now. It is a provocative account that reminds us that, even in the face of the most unspeakable oppression, the human spirit endures.

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Fakebook: Improvisations on a Journey Back to Jazz (Limelight) [Paperback] Review

I am a amateur Tenor Sax player in Brooklyn NY, and I cannot believe how much this book has helped me with the saxophone. He described my state of mind exactly. I had played saxophone in High School and had not played since my first year of collegein 1984. About 5 years ago, I was watching a documentary on CharlieParker heard him play and decided to take it up again at a time in my life when I was single and had no obligations. I thought I would be able to pickit up again and in a small time become good enough to make a career. However the realities of playing the saxophone soon set in and I realized I would never be good enough able to make a living at it without devoting my whole life and energies toit. Then I got married and the challenges of being married and making a living made it very difficult to keep up with jazz and the saxophone however I persevered.Reading this book let me know that it was ok not to make a career out of music, and be able to enjoy it without the pressures of making a living from it. And to see someone else who is married and still finds the time to practice and play and keep a marriage together,(which I know is not easy) helped me tremendously. He also helpedme to understand that the frustrations I felt (and still feel!)in learning to play the saxophone were not a result of some innate inability toplay the saxophone but are normal and part of the process!! Should be required reading for all who are interested in playing the saxophone.

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Product Description:
A "fakebook" is a collection of melodies with the chord changes that allows jazz musicians to read the tunes instead of playing solely by ear and memory. It is, then, a place to start, a structure upon which jazz improvisation, "faking," builds. As a young man, the author, a jazz saxophone player, tried to make a living at what he loved most. He failed, gave up jazz and became a college English professor. Today he is playing his saxophone again, at weekend gigs, rediscovering the unending challenge and the fulfillment that jazz brings him. This journey of self-discovery demonstrates the power of both jazz and superbly crafted writing.

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Black Bottom Stomp: Eight Masters of Ragtime and Early Jazz (Media and Popular Culture) [Hardcover] Review

Eight major figures in jazz and ragtime American music from Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton to James P. Johnson are selected for feature in David Jasen and Gene Jones' Black Bottom Stomp. In using their lives and music as a starting point, the authors reveal how they shaped the direction of jazz music and the social and musical issues which challenged their successes. An inviting, revealing account jazz fans will appreciate.

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Pittsburgh Jazz (PA) (Images of America) [Paperback] Review

Pittsburgh has long been recognised as one of the birth places of modern jazz and thus, I looked forward to the publication of Mr. Brewer's book.

As I hoped, there were many pictures of Pittsburgh musicians and club scenes, but no attempt to differentiate between those photos and stock photos of jazz stars unrelated to Pittsburgh.

The book was poorly written with many mispelled words and thoughts that were just not accurate. (Monk was not a bop musician!He was one of the originators of the genre!)

The text omitted one of Pitteburgh's Hall of Fame players, Dodo Marmarosa and didn't include others like Danny Conn, Johnny Costa, Joe Pass, Reid Jaynes, Danny Mastri, Sammy Sestico, et. all.Frankly, as I type these names, it seems very few anglo musicians were even mentioned.

Not much of a history of Pittsburgh jazz in this effort...a few pictures of interest and filler stock shots.One can only hope future efforts will someday describe the great Pittsburgh jazz history.

Jim Linduff

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Product Description:
Pittsburgh Jazz documents the almost forgotten magic created in the city of Pittsburgh by a host of artists, uptown inner city streets, and jazz joints that served patrons from a menu packed full of delightful music. The magical improvised songs, compositions, and unique styles of hundreds of those who were born, raised, or influenced by what occurred in the smoke filled clubs, bars, restaurants, and theaters is difficult to comprehend. And yet, every jazz artist in the world was attracted here to “stand the test” waiting in the Steel City. This book is committed to connecting Pittsburghstyle jazz as the synthesis that resulted in the art form called bebop. This photographic presentation was captured by Pittsburgh Courier photographers between the 1930s and 1980s.

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Classic Jazz: A Personal View of the Music and the Musicians [Paperback] Review

Floyd Levin has always been a stalwart jazz enthusiast.Living in the Los Angeles area, he has had opportunity to know many of the jazz musicians personally and to share their stories with the readers.As the title implies, this is a personal recollection for Levin.
Floyd's book fleshes out some of the jazz history and clarifies some points.One is the story about the plaque in Touro Infirmary in New Orleans.Trumpeter Muggsy Spanier had a perforated ulcer which was operated by the famous Dr. Alton Ochsner, Tulane Professor and founder of famed Ochsner Clinic. During convalescence, Spanier composed and later recorded a tune called "Relaxin' at the Touro."Previous jazz writings had told about a plaque in Touro commemorating this event.Floyd tracked down the plaque which administration couldn't exactly locate. Because there had been renovation, the plaque was in a somewhat obscure location.Levin interviewed Muggsy about the event and they became fast friends. ( This is frequently a jazz quiz question: In the famous Muggsy Spanier tune, "Relaxin' at the Touro," what is the Touro?Now you know the answer.)
Levin writes about musicians he has known including Benny Carter, who wrote the foreword, James P. Johnson, Milt Hinton, Wild Bill Davison, Artie Shaw, Barney Bigard and many others. He also includes many West Coast musicians with whom he came in contact.There is a chapter on musicians, lesser known, who deserved greater recognition.Two of those included reedmen Pud Brown and Rick Fay.
Levin's concluding chapter covers the struggle to get an appropriate memorial for Louis Armstrong.Funds were being raised by various jazz societies and individuals for a statue of Armstrong to be erected in Armstrong's native New Orleans. He recounts how Bing Crosby donated the proceeds of a concert in San Francisco which put the fund over the top.That twice-lifesize statue of Armstrong stands in Armstrong Park in New Orleans and was unveiledon the nation's bicentennial in Jackson Square in New Orleans.Levin made the presentation, on behalf of the Louis Armstrong Statue Fund,to the city of New Orleans.Four years later, the statue was permanently erected and dedicated in Armstrong Park.
This book is not a definitive jazz history but an interesting view into the lives and careers of musicians who have been influential in shaping jazz--America's Music.
My review of this book is not without personal bias.I have known and worked with Levin on the Board of American Federation of Jazz Societies and have visited with him at various jazz festivals and in his home. Two of my photographs have been included in the book. I am pleased to have known him and congratulate him on completion of this book, his labor of love.

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Blue Note Records: The Biography [Paperback] Review

Richard Cook apologizes in his introduction for the limitations of his text, and well he should, for a reading of the book reveals a paucity of research, both in the available text materials and in the Blue Note Records catalog, both in print and out of print. There are numerous errors and omissions in the history, especially on interesting and revealing items such as how Frank Wolff got to the USA, what he did when he got here, how Alfred Lion met Sidney Bechet, Ike Quebec and Art Blakey and what their various relationships were, what Quebeec did for the label and when, Lion's and Blue Note's relationship with Miles Davis, Monk, Bud Powell, Duke Pearson, ... For a long time jazz enthusiast like myself, these omissions were maddening.
What's worse, it's obvious Cook has not listened to all the Blue Note Records! This is especially true of the out-of-print stuff, such as much of the swingtet material, the 10" stuff that hasn't been released on 12"/CD, etc. His critical judgements are therefore completly flawed-he really does not understand what Blue Note was about and what they produced. He seems to use minimal understanding of Lion's interests in jazz and trends in music (such as the craze arising from Olatunji/Drums of Passion) that explain Blue Note records like the early Dixieland stuff, Art Blakey and Sabu drum fests, Bossa Nova Baccanal (never mentioned), etc.
The great book on Blue Note Records has still to be written.

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Product Description:
Blue Note Records is the first full history of the most noted label in jazz. Cook lingers with record-collector zeal in analyzing everything from Sidney Bechet's 78s to Norah Jones' recent chart-topper. Insightful scenes abound.

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Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton [Paperback] Review

When Billy Tipton died in 1989, the world rushed in and gave him, briefly, the larger fame he had once nibbled at as a jazz musician and entertainer.But in June of 1958, after 20 years of chasing the brass ring, when the door to the big time world of popular music opened and beckoned Billy in, he backed away from the spotlight, settling for playing the hotel ballrooms and clubs of greater Spokane, Washington. In Suits Me, Stanford University English professor Diane Wood Middlebrook explores both the geography of jazz and swing in the heartland of America, and the geography of gender in the middle of the 20th century.Because underneath his dapper suits and corny comedy routines, Mr. Billy Tipton concealed the body of a woman, and when he died, his sex revealed by paramedics and the coroner's report, he left hundreds of people who knew him, and millions more who heard the news, astounded by his "deception..."
Professor Middlebrook's research has been thorough, and she has spoken with most of Tipton's living relatives, former wives, business partners and many other musicians of the era.What she reveals to her readers is a fully textured portrait of an era and a man who worked hard and earned every privilege he received.She lets us almost hear the music, taste the dust from the roads Billy and his bandmates and partners traveled.She lets the people who knew him comment on whether they thought he was a man or a woman.She lays out the mystery of how others perceived and ignored or challenged Billy's gender presentation, and the l! engths to which Billy went to protect his secret, which sometimes wasn't all that hidden.
Suits Me is an amazing story filled with strange reversals: Billy had a male cousin named Bonnie, his mother's nickname was Reggie, his first "wife" had left her husband, Earl, for a life on the road and was known as Non Earl.And there were enough female musicians on the circuit in those days that cross-dressing to the extent that Billy did should not have been necessary to maintain a career, as many people have conjectured to justify Billy's behavior.
Billy's death and the revelation of his "true sex" led various groups to claim his memory as a symbol of their own cause: lesbians said he lived as a man to safely love women; feminists said he lived as a man in order to have a career; transsexuals said he lived as a man because he was a man-he just didn't avail himself of the medical technology to make himself legal.Because Billy never declared himself any of these things (although he did declare himself a man), it seems presumptuous for any group to claim such an independent spirit as their own.But Billy also acknowledged to some family members that he remained a woman in body; to one female cousin he intimated he would one day go back to living as a woman once the kids he had adopted with his last wife, Kitty, were grown and out on their own, and to another female cousin he declared that he had made a conscious choice to live as a man and that he was a normal person.It is only respectful to refer to Billy with masculine pronouns, using the male gender he so completely inhabited.Middlebrook skillfully interweaves masculine and feminine pronouns to reflect the understanding of the people Billy interacts with, and to acknowledge the reality of Billy's body.In this way, she creates a striking sense of the incongruity of gender and body that Billy lived with, and others like him still live with every day.
There is only one point of contention where I take exception to Middlebrook's analysis of Tipton'! s motivations. She assumes that the absence of breast bindings or genital prosthetics (pants stuffers) from Billy's body at his death, and from his personal effects, was an indication that he was anticipating discovery.I contend this can't be known.He may have simply grown weary of the apparatus, seeing no need for it since he had retired from public life. Perhaps he felt he had earned the right to be a man in his own skin, regardless of its shape.Perhaps it was with relief that he discarded those accoutrements years earlier.And I suspect that, unless diagnosed with a terminal illness, most of us don't realize the finality of our own death even when the moment is upon us.It is dramatic and appealing to conjecture that he staged the conditions of his discovery as consciously as he had staged the presentation of his gender identity, but I contend that the simple reality of Billy's life is more appealing: he was socially a man and physically a woman.That dichotomy fascinates us, and we struggle to rationalize it, to explain it, to defend it or to tear it apart. Depending on our allegiances, we rush to invalidate either the body or the soul that informed it.But I think both are real and valid, and that Billy Tipton's life simply illustrates one person's adaptation to his situation.Without a definitive statement from Tipton, which he never gave, his life is open to any interpretation, whether insensitive or informed.In spite of this one logical flaw in her analysis, I think Middlebrook has composed a fine portrait of an artist, one that will ultimately give readers some insight to the reality of what we now call the transgendered experience as it was lived before the modern transgender movement had established itself.
This is an important book, both for the history in it, and for its vivid depiction of the brave determination of Billy Tipton that his talent, energy and love sustained.Some transpeople may be put off by the pronoun inconsistency, feeling that the only way to treat Billy i! s as the man he wanted to be and was-the way others perceived him, for the most part, in his vibrant life.Some transpeople may find the reflection of the very real challenges Billy struggled with in his female body to be a welcome reality check for their own experience with incongruous gender and bodies.Non-trans people should find this study a stimulating, evocative read, one that pulls back the curtain just enough to expose the tantalizing mystery of a very American life.

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Stomp and Swerve: American Music Gets Hot, 1843-1924 [Paperback] Review

This book was a real disappointment, particularly because it covers some important ground and has, occasionally, some flashes of insight. But it is plagued by such major flaws that I cannot recommend it. The basic premise is outrageously reductive and simplistic, and the author uses this flawed approach as a means to pass judgment sweepingly on all sorts of music and musicians. Underlying his entire argument is the notion that black music and musicians properly belong to the "Underworld," and that anytime they display associations with "Topworld" white mainstream America, it is some kind of artistic and cultural travesty. Like so many of the late 19th and early 20th century figures he derides, this author wants his black musicians to be musically "black," and denigrates anybody and anything else that stands in the way of his offensive viewpoint.

The book is also plagued by flat-out misinformation (William Shakespeare Hays was black, really??), faulty reasoning, shoddy research, cheap shots left and right, and the most annoying, smart-alecky, and off-putting writing style I think I've ever encountered in a non-fiction book. The author uses profanity as if he earns points for slipping it in at every opportunity. Clearly he thinks by doing so he connects himself to the "underworld" characters he so romanticizes. The result, though, is simply obnoxious. His desire to be smugly hip becomes downright offensive at times. After pointing out Irene Castle's frustration at having to work with the "Topworld" music direction of John Philip Sousa instead of her previous bandleader James Reese Europe, the author concludes that "once you've had black, you never go back."

If you want to read a freewheeling and irreverent dissertation on similar subject matter, check out Nick Tosches's "Where Dead Voices Gather," an infinitely better and more rewarding book. For a level-headed, scholarly, and brilliant account of this material, read Tim Brooks's excellent "Lost Sounds."

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Jamie Cullum - Twentysomething (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook) [Paperback] Review

If you are looking for a faithful transcription of Jamie's album, this is not it. If you are looking for a slightly challenging book of fun tunes to play, this might be for you. Jamie's vocals are written in as the primary portion of the right hand part. This is a good start, however, for those that are looking to play his wonderful album. It will take a little work on your part to be able to play exactly what Jamie does, but more work to improve is what I need. That's why this gets 3.5 stars.

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Product Description:
Matching folio to the album from the British piano-playing vocalist sensation who mixes jazz and modern pop into his own unique blend. 14 songs, including: Blame It on My Youth * But for Now * I Could Have Danced All Night * I Get a Kick Out of You * Lover, You Should've Come Over * These Are the Days * Twentysomething * What a Diff'rence a Day Made * The Wind Cries Mary * and more.

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Composing for the Jazz Orchestra [Paperback] Review

I liked this little book. I used it out of necessity when I found myself writing a couple of jazz tunes for an 8 peice band (first time I had to write & orchestrate like that).There are alot of quick and useful theory tips.Russo mostly deals with orchestration & voicing for a group with a sizeable horn section which, by the way, I did not have.I did, however, manage to glean enough information from the text to assemble some great music.The section on upright bass was wonderful.A lot of information for a little money!Abel Zimmerman- Big Swingset Jazz Band

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"Although it will be of primary interest to those who are engaged in composition themselves, [this] book is also recommended for readers who may wish to gain further insight into just what makes jazz composition so different from traditional approaches."--Malcolm Bessom, The Music Magazine

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Rhythm-a-ning: Jazz Tradition and Innovation [Paperback] Review

DaCapo does it again, bringing back into print the best jazz criticism.I read this collection of Giddins' Village Voice essays a couple of years after it was first published by Oxford in 1985.The picture of jazz it captures from the early '80s is, for better or worse, not so different from the picture today.No revolutions, just an ongoing period of recombinations and the uneasy coexistence of various styles.

Giddins is catholic in his enthusiasms, but I was and continue to be more interested in the avant-garde.In addition to swing and bop players (including Monk, from whom he took his title), here are some of the players he writes about, mainly their recordings, but also some concerts -- Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Ronald Shannon Jackson, James Blood Ulmer, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Muhal Richard Abrams, James DeJohnette, Andrew Cyrille, James Newton, Anthony Davis, Arthur Blythe, David Murray, Steve Lacy and Roswell Rudd, the William Breuker Kollektief, and Alexander von Schlippenbach's Global Unity Orchestra.

He concludes a review of the "Young Lions" performance, including the 21-year-old Wynton Marsalis, at the 1982 Kool Jazz Festival in NYC with these prophetic lines:"My intuition tells me that innovation isn't this generation's fate...the neoclassicists have a task no less valuable than innovation:sustenance. [M]usicians such as Marsalis are needed to restore order, replenish melody, revitalize the beat, loot the tradition for whatever works, and expand the audience.That way we'll be all the hungrier for the next incursion of genuine avant-gardists..." (161)Of course "this generation" cannot be reduced to the neoclassicalrevivalists, but to the extent that they have dominated the jazz world since the mid-'80s, Giddins had it right "on the money," in every sense of the word.

That tendency has now persisted long past the time it was (arguably) making a needed contribution.Contrary to Marsalis, the living soul of jazz is creative improvisation, not ossified composition!As of 2005, jazz is still in need of rejuvenation.Having a jazz museum at the Lincoln Center is fine, but jazz can only be kept alive outside of museums through constant innovation.

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Product Description:
In a companion to his collections Riding on a Blue Note and Faces in the Crowd, Gary Giddins has assembled a mosaic of pieces that provide an essential guide to the jazz world. Moving with ease from sweeping surveys of jazz history to precise, vivid assessments of individual performers including Thelonius Monk, the Marsalis brothers, Ornette Coleman, and David Murray, Giddins demonstrates once again why he is lauded as "the best jazz critic now at work" (Newsweek).

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Hard Bop Piano: Jazz Compositions of the 50s and 60s [Paperback] Review

Hard Bop Piano is a unique and extremely valuable collection of rarely played and largely under-appreciated tunes by some of the finest jazz pianists of the 50s and 60s.The authors present a number of pieces by thelikes of Randy Weston, Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill, each of whom carvedout an utterly distinctive and instantly recognizable style for himselfduring the heyday of hard bop.Weston and Nichols, in particular, wereextremely fine composers, each with a flair for off-kilter rhythms andunexpected, charming melodies; and the inclusion of their work alone wouldmake this an essential addition to any jazz lover's library.Thetranscriptions are unusually good, and often include not only the basicmelody and harmony of each tune, but also elements of their originalrecorded arrangements.This book would make a wonderful gift for any jazzpianist, regardless of their level of expertise.

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Product Description:
A collection of compositions by leading pianists of the period, virtually all of which receive their first printing here. This collection sheds light on the hard bop style and makes the innovative work of eight jazz composers accessible for study and performance.

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Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy: Gennett Studios and the Birth of Recorded Jazz [Hardcover] Review

Any collector of old 78s knows about the Gennett label. Gennett was the first independent label to have a serious impact on the recording industry, and in part helped to launch the careers of many early jazz legends. King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, Hoagy Carmichael, Earl Hines, and others made their first records in Gennett's hot, cramped studio by the side of railroad tracks in Richmond, Indiana. Today, those original 78s are highly-prized collectors items, fetching hundreds or thousands of dollars at auction.

In years of collecting 78s, I have come across dozens of Gennett records, but until I read this book, I knew little about them or the company that made them (outside of tidbits here and there from reissue liner notes or chats with other collectors). Rick Kennedy has written a book that is filled not only with entertaining anecdotes, but a wealth of information. Reading about Bix's sessions with the Wolverines is almost like being there, and listening to the records afterwards gives the recordings a whole new meaning. Kennedy introduces us to the people who made Gennett records happen--the musicians, the sound engineers, the businessmen, and the distributors. The book traces Gennett Records from its beginning in the Starr Piano Company, through its legal struggle to continue (ultimately defeating Victor's patent for the right to make lateral recordings), to its glory days in the 1920s, and its demise with the onset of the Great Depression. Along the way, the book answers questions about how the records were made, how they were distributed, and what happened to the recorded masters (which is an interesting story in itself!). Gennett's relationship with the infamous KKK records is explained (basically, they were "custom" records that Gennett made solely for the extra profit, turning a blind eye to the content).

Gennett recorded some of the most creative and lasting jazz, blues, and "old-time" music in the 1920s and the label's story is a fascinating one. Lovers of jazz, old records, or American history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in general will enjoy reading this book. It is well-written and very "readable" (I went through it in about three sessions). It also serves as a handy reference to answer questions that may arise among 78 or jazz collectors. Highly recommended!

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The Jazz Age: Popular Music in the 1920s [Paperback] Review

This goody describes American popular and show music during the period; Jazz was one of these forms and interacted in a number of ways with the other music. It's essential to show the proper place of jazz in the American music scene, but is more a basic introduction for anyone interested in the period.

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Myself Among Others: A Life In Music [Paperback] Review

I'm only up to page 128 in this wonderful book but am already completely enthralled.As Nat Hentoff said, "He has known more musicians-some very well indeed-than any writer on jazz, and he certainly knows the business end."To read personal accounts of his relationships and experiences with almost every jazz legend I've ever heard of (and some from before my time as well) is mesmerizing.And George Wein's personal life outside of jazz is not exactly "chopped liver" either!!The book is written with a wealth of knowledge, intelligence, insight, warmth, humor and humility.The only criticism I have is that the book is only a little over 500 pages!!

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Salsa Piano - The Complete Guide with CD!: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] Review

I really like this series on Keyboard Styles by Hal Leonard which gives an interesting survey of the various types of music a keyboardist might need to play (or fake). I find that this series works the best when the music has a pretty set formula in which to work in.So for instance, the Blues Piano book is my favorite because you really can fake your way through the style after working through it, but the Jazz books are too cursory for really working your way through the vast landscape of Jazz.

The Salsa piano book is really interesting because it is so different from the others.It gives a great overview of the style, and does a really good job of explaining the function of the clave, the unique beat that is the characteristic rhytym of the style, and how to play in and around it.It covers typical chord progressions and how to build accompaniments in the style.This style is so different from all of the other styles in the series which all have the Blues as their jumping off point (e.g. rock, blues, jazz, jazz-blues, r&b) and that makes for a pretty interesting read.The problem is that outside the context of a band (and in particular a percussion section), it is really hard to apply the work in this book as solo piano Salsa isn't really the style.

I'm guessing that the average piano player buying this book doesn't have access to a Salsa band to play in like me which limits the applications of the book if you just play for your own enjoyment.That said, it is very interesting and the CD does have some patterns to play along with.

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Product Description:
Learn how to play authentic salsa! From traditional Cuban music to the more modern Puerto Rican and New York styles, you'll learn the all-important rhythmic patterns of salsa and how to apply them to the piano. The book provides historical, geographical and cultural background info, and the 50+-track CD includes piano examples and a full salsa band percussion section.

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Jazz State of Indiana [Paperback] Review

Duncan Schiedt's pioneering effort to chronicle Indiana's contribution to jazz is now in it's second printing.He more than complements the meagre information about Indiana and jazz which was previously relegated to briefreferences to the Wolverines at the Casino Gardens and that Bix Beiderbeckeand Frank Trumbauer joined Whiteman there.Jazz great Eddie Condon fromGoodland, Indiana is only one of many musicians, Hoosier and otherwise whoplayed in Indianapolis and/or recorded at the famous Gennett studios inRichmond, Indiana. The list of names are a veritable "Who's Who"in jazz.Sheidt knows his subject matter well.The book is loaded withphotographs, many of which are Duncan's. After all he made a living foryears as a photographer."The Jazz State of Indiana" is a gemand a must-buy for any devotee of jazz.

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Product Description:
The Jazz State of Indiana, in its play on words, is truly a story of one state's experience in the development of jazz and dance music. It is, as it turned out, a book that readers across the world have read and accepted as history that might have occurred in the greater midwestern United States. - Taken from the Preface

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Jazz Harp (Book & CD) [Paperback] Review

Richard Hunter is an excellent harmonica player and his contributions to the harmonica community are well received. Jazz Harp was published in 1980, it comes complete 6 cuts which are used with practical examples through out the book - BUT, the cuts are on Vinal, so be warned. This book is written for BOTH chromatic & diatonic harmonica.
Richard starts with a light practical primer on Jazz theory, enough to get going, followed by chapters using a number of popular pieces of music over a wide range of 11 Jazz artists & their style - ordered by difficulty, and discusses how to approach them on the harmonica.Each music example is transcribed in music notation and harmonica tab.Each example finishes with additional discographys, so Richard has done his homework.Its a good practical approach to getting up and running with Jazz styles on the harmonica. The last part of the book covers a number of points regardingplaying techniques on the harmonica including a quick description of how to "overbend" the diatonic harmonica to get some missing notes. There is an Exercises chapter which can also be used in part as a reference to chords & scales.Its music notation with tab for diatonic harmonica. And at the ending is an interview of Toots Theilsman, arguably the best Chromatic Harp Jazz player to date.Its a nice touch.
I'd recommend purchasing additional good music theory book &jazz theory book for seriously indepth music theory studies.Richard also recommends finding teachers, and asks that you find the tracks given in each chapter so that you can follow his explicit references.
This is a good book, well written and presented. If you are starting to learn Jazz on the harmonica: this is the one.

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Product Description:
Music, exercises, theory, and technique in the jazz and pop styles of Stevie Wonder, Toots Thielmans, and others. Note-for-note solos for chromatic and Marine Band harmonica.

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The Classical Method: Piano Classical Improvisation & Compositional Theory And Harmony [Paperback] Review

This is absolutely the worst book I ever read - clipped sentences, inaccurate and just wrong information. I have a Ph.D. in Music Theory, and this book is a joke. I would learn more from the old basic program "Eliza", that echoes back your own questions. This is not just a poorly written book, it is also wrong. This is music theory at it's worst, and I have seen some pretty sorry teachers, especially at my own college. I am surprised that Amazon.com will agree to sell this book.
John Francis

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Product Description:
After 20 years of playing professionally in many musical genres, Robert Kaye presents a compilation of his notes in his new book, The Classical Method: Piano Classical Improvisation & Compositional Theory and Harmony, revealing the secrets of the great composers throughout history. Kaye's instrument of choice is the piano. The Classical Method is attuned to myriad styles and instruments which determine his method, but his basis and the foundation of his method rests in the piano. His method focuses on target and sight, revolutionizing the way that musicians play and composers create music. Developed from years of experience as a career pianist, Kaye takes the reader behind the closed doors of the creative process and unveils the methodology behind great, profound music: " How coincidental the peak of the Classical era was 1776. It became clear that my deprivation, frustration and lack of education not only was overwhelmed with too much information. But it was only going to become real and rewarding by sheer experience of playing the piano and with quick results. . . . Using your mind in conjunction with Math and the very Freedom that the founding fathers intended for us to have. I think I found the many secrets to it, especially by targeting. And it has given me an enormous relief. I am now enriched with more music than one lifetime can accomplish. I live in contentedness by the proof of the freedom of the mind. Can understand and accept it spiritually as well as scientifically and have an array of pages accumulating everyday in composition. Never frustrated what to play, improvise, Compose, display or demonstrate "The Classical Method". The Classical Method: is user-friendly and helps to unlock the mysteries behind musical genius, giving advanced musicians the keys to a promising methodology for improvisation and original composition.

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Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll [Paperback] Review

I have been fortunate enough to read an advance of this great book.As a fairly knowledgeable and well read music fan this book was a real eye opener on the importance of Mr. Domino in the history of rock n' roll.Mr. Coleman does a tremendous job of not only revealing the stature of Fat's own work but also places it in rich gumbo that is the of history of New Orleans rhythm and blues and rock n' roll.
Colman's deep devotion, love and knowledge of New Orleans indigenous music infuse this magnificent book.It is critical to note that Fats' as both a man and a musician is so deeply embedded in his beloved city of New Orleans that there would have been no way to properly write his story without giving it this context.Consequently we not only have the story of Fat's, we learn about the important contributions of arranger Dave Bartholomew, band leader Herbert Hardesty, the great New Orleans engineer and studio master Cosimo Matassa and dozens of other colorful folk that had a hand in the story.
Extensive personal interviews with the principles and over 20 years of local research have gone into writing this fine story, i.e. this is NOT one of those "hit and run" professional, biographies.
Overriding the narrative at hand is Mr. Coleman's premise (as implied in the title) that New Orleans is truly the birthplace of rock n' roll, and it is a point he makes with intelligence, force and wit.All this makes "Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll" required reading for not only fans of the GREAT Fats Domino but of students of rhythm and blues, rock n' roll and New Orleans music in general and will become, along with the works of John Broven, Jeff Hannusch and others required reading for all fans New Orleans rhythm and blues, rock n' roll and indeed of anyone interested in American roots or popular music.

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Jazzy Piano Standards: Stylish Arrangements of 15 Classic Songs (Piano Solo Songbook) [Paperback] Review

There is really not much to say than that: all songs sound exactly the same - boring - absolutely nothing original. Level-intermediate.
I am struggling here to say something positive, ok, good choice of songs.
I donated the book to the library after the first try.

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Product Description:
Fresh spins on 15 familiar favorites, including: Blue Skies * Cabaret * I Left My Heart in San Francisco * Mood Indigo * September Song * Skylark * Tenderly * What'll I Do? * and more. All the songs are performed on CD by the arranger, and they match the printed music exactly.

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Simply Brubeck - The Music Of Dave Brubeck - 26 Of His Top Jazz Classics [Large Print] [Paperback] Review

I grew up listening to my father deciphering and playing the music of Dave Brubeck--not so easy when the time signatures are odd, the scales are chromatic, and the melody, bass, and rhythm are spread across three instruments.

Now my daughter is learning piano, and given the level advertised by this book (beginner to intermediate), I thought it would be a great way to expand her horizons beyond 4/4, 3/4, and the occasional 2/4 meter.

The arrangements are very well done--definitely on the intermediate side, but not terribly so.A student who has been playing for 1-2 years should be able to reward themselves with at least the main theme after a few hours of work.And for this reason, I'd give to book a solid 4 stars.

But the binding...it's the opposite of "lay flat", and woe unto anybody who tries to play from it without serious mechanical help.We have a page-spreading device, and it is barely a match for the binding, even though I have broken that binding in three places--near the beginning, in the middle, and near the end.The book binders were obviously oblivious to the considerations of how the book would be used.

So...wonderful content, but not wonderfully executed as a book meant to rest open on a piano.

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Product Description:
Arranged For Easy To Intermediate Piano By Bruce Nelson. A collection of the most engaging compositions by jazz pianist, Dave Brubeck. Phrase markings, articulations, fingering and dynamics have been included to aid with interpretation, and a large print size makes the notation easy to read. Titles include: Audrey, Autumn On Our Town , Blue Lake Tahoe, Blue Rondo A La Turk, Blue Shadows In The Street , Bossa Nova U.S.A., Broadway Bossa Nova, The Duke, Everybody's Jumpin', Far More Blue, (I Still Am in Love with) A Girl Named Oli, In Your Own Sweet Way, It's A Raggy Waltz, King For A Day, Maori Blues,Mr. Fats,Newport Waltz, Softly, William, Softly, Strange Meadowlark, Summer Song, Sweet Cleo Brown, Take Five ,Three To Get Ready, Unisphere, Unsquare Dance

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Joey DeFrancesco's Concepts for Improvisation (Piano) [Paperback] Review

I just wanted to write this review since I had to buy this book without being able to find any sort of review on the net or here on Amazon and I wanted to help others figure out what this book is about.

When I first received this book, I flipped through it and was initially disappointed. There was very little text or explanation and what was written wasn't written by Joey D. However after listening to the CD and working through it, I really dig it. The part that Joey contributes is the only part that really matters.

Here is the deal, this book is basically a baby step on the way to transcribing solos and analyzing them. What you get is a CD with containing two versions of each track. The first is Joey playing both the bass line and solo/lead with a light sounding drum machine and the second features just the drum track and Joey's left hand bass line, like a play along track. The book features a transcription of Joey's playing for each full track.

You get four two-chorus solos for the blues (plus three versions of each solo in different keys so you end up with recordings and transcriptions for the blues in all 12 keys). You get 10 tracks of bebop style licks over II-V, II-V-I, III-VI-II-V-I progressions (each track moves through all twelve keys). And finally you get two full songs recorded and transcribed, one blues and one bebop style tune.

Now here is the good Baby Step part. For the blues, Joey gives you a two chorus blues solo built on Dorian Scales. The next version Joey adds in use ofthe whole tone scale. The next he uses the Half diminished and the last one he uses the blues scale. Each one is progressive and incorporates material from the prior solos. Culminating in the full blues tune which contains extensive use of all of the stuff, Dorian, Whole-Tone, Half diminished and Blues... On the tracks it is real easy to hear what Joey is doing on the organ since there is only a light cymbal track mixed in and the tempos are nice and easy at around 1/4 note = 120 so you can hear everything Joey is doing without having to slow it down or anything. Note that for each solo Dorian, Whole-Tone, etc. there are three versions recorded in different keys. They are basically the same solo transposed. In the book they are the same but Joey recorded three different versions for each solo because there is a note or two different that the book doesn't pick up. The book says that Joey wants you to be proficient in all keys which is why they recorded and wrote out all of the solos in different a different key. They say most books just publish one and tell you to transpose it on your own but most people won't do it unless it is already transposed.

Now for the real baby step... Having the solos written out takes the work out of transcribing, but it means that you can go right in and easily learn the solo, getting it under your fingers and also you can go right in and start analyzing the solo. What makes it even easier is that you have an idea of what he is doing. For example the first solo is all Dorian, the second is Dorian plus WholeTone, the third all that plus half diminished, etc. So you have a great hint at what he is doing and the solos are simple but good, making it easy to analyze especially compared to transcribing a solo on your own where you have no idea what the guy is trying to do and you have to figure it all out.

This book will help you get started by making it easy and helping you because of the straight forward solo style and after getting these solos under your fingers and doing the analysis you'll see how rewarding and great transcribing can be and how much faster you learn stuff, plus you'll have a good foundation to either transcribing on your own or getting a book of transcriptions, say like the Charlie Parker Omnibook, and analyzing on your own.

With the bebop section, Joey starts out with a two bar II-V lick and each track expands a bit going to II-V-I, III-VI-II-V etc... There aren't a lot of licks here but working though all twelve keys will take some time and really get you feeling it in your fingers.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for something on how to improvise. The text consists of only a paragraph or two for each section and doesn't really describe how to do much, the real meat of this book is the CD and the transcriptions. The solos sound good and are rhythmically good too. Once you start learning the short solos in different keys you'll start to assimilate the phrasing. Also one obvious thing not really mentioned anywhere in the book, but not only is Joey's solo transcribed but also his bassline. So you can also learn some stuff about left hand walking bass and constructing bass lines from the CD and transcriptions. The book doesn't mention anything about it but it is all written out and plus you have bassline only tracks to listen to where you can hear what Joey's doing loud and clear. Don't be discouraged by the text which is really basic and you can find better detailed info for free on the web. The easy to follow solos on the CD and transcriptions are where it is really at. Highly Recommended.

One last thing just an FYI,this book really only covers soloing and doesn't have any info on chord voicing or anything. They show you how to make basic root position chords in the Bebop section to describe II-V's and stuff but no real info on voicing. Also this book is great for pianists to not just organ lovers...

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Product Description:
This book by renowned young Hammond B-3 organist Joey DeFrancesco encompasses blues and bebop lines and progressions. It includes: music examples for practice and study; examples and lines in all 12 keys; transcriptions and improvisations with harmonic analysis for two tunes; and Joey playing the examples in different tempos on the CD, with and without the right hand.

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The Jazz Vibraphone Book: Etudes in the Style of the Masters [Paperback] Review

i'm studying a bachelor on jazz vibraphone. this is a really crappy book. don't buy it.there is only one solo transcription of each guy, two the most. you are not gonna get the essence of the master out of this book, you are just gonna waste your money as i did.if you wanna use the cd for playing along is better for you to buy whatever aebersold book

HORRIBLE BOOK

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Product Description:
Learn from the language of the masters of jazz vibraphone by using this one-of-a-kind book with CD. It includes biographies, etudes, analyses and discographies exploring the life and music of jazz vibes legends Gary Burton, Mike Mainieri, Bobby Hutcherson, Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Red Norvo. The play-along CD features Dick Sisto's expressive playing with a groovin' rhythm section, making this an exciting and complete course for vibes.

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10 for 10 Sheet Music Classic Rock: Easy Piano Solos [Sheet music] Review

This is the perfect book for a total beginner.I started piano lessons only 2 months ago with no previous piano or reading music knowledge.I'm not at a point yet where I can just open the book and start playing but I am able to clearly understand the notes and with time and patience and lots of failed attempts I'm actually able to play the songs now.

At the same time as purchasing this book I also bought a few other piano sheet music books for "beginners" but none of them are as basic as this one.

Bottom line - if you are a beginner then this is the book for you.And as a bonus, the music included in this book is great.

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Product Description:
10 for 10 Sheet Music editions are the smartest, most economical choices for building your music library. 10 for 10 Classic Rock contains the top rock hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Titles: After Midnight
* Cat's in the Cradle
* Desperado
* Go Your Own Way
* Layla
* Maggie May
* Open Arms
* Peaceful Easy Feeling
* Sister Golden Hair
* What a Fool Believes. 44 pages.

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Blues Riffs for Piano (Educational Piano) [Paperback] Review

This book is a hidden gem. There are only 39 examples presented, but each one is solid and written down with the complete fingering. The examples are organized by function: Turnarounds, walk ups, fills, etc. The author bases the right hand licks on the pentatonic scale with the b3rd and b5th passing tones. So the b7th is ignored. Each lick comes with an appropriate left hand part. The licks vary in length from a few bars to complete 12 bar stylings. The sound quality of the CD is excellent. The piano part is in a separate stereo channel from the backing part. If you don't have time for Andrew Gordon's 100 Blues Licks, this book should do nicely. If you already have a few blues piano books in your library, this book is useful as a second source.

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Product Description:
Great Riffs Series The definitive source for blues riffs and licks! Features performance notes for and accompanying audio examples of fills and embellishments, turnarounds, tags and licks in the style of Ray Charles, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, and Johnny Johnson.

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Jazz Classics: 50 Favorites from the Bebop Era and Beyond (Piano Solo Songbook) [Paperback] Review

I've used this book and the many tunes in it for years now, and I must say the song selection, melodic notations and voicings are extremely good. Really great solo piano arrangements of true classics, IMHO the best book out there for the money. My only complaints are that the arranger(s) are never given credit, and some of these same arrangements show up in other Hal Leonard piano books, but really this book is worth every penny.

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Product Description:
This piano solo collection gathers 50 influential jazz favorites, including: Airegin * All Blues * Au Privave * Blue Bossa * Blue in Green * Confirmation * Dat Dere * Doxy * Epistrophy * Footprints * Freddie Freeloader * Giant Steps * In Walked Bud * Israel * Killer Joe * Manteca * Nardis * Ornithology * 'Round Midnight * St. Thomas * Scrapple from the Apple * Sidewinder * Song for My Father * Take Five * Waltz for Debby * Well You Needn't * Woodyn' You * and more.

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Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn [Hardcover] Review

There are not enough stars that can adequately rate this book. Van de Leur has given us the first truly thorough analysis of a composer of jazz (although Strayhorn was much more than a jazz composer). You do need some musical knowledge to understand what he is talking about, but his discussion and analyses of Strayhorn's music are clear, concise and well-reasoned. The appendices alone are worth the price of the book, where he lists every scrap of music currently known of Strayhorn's, where it is, when it was recorded, and what was played (in many cases, Ellington only used parts of Strayhorn's arrangements of pop tunes). The sheer amount of work it took to complete this project is startling and awe-inspriring.
For years we wondered what Strayhorn's real role was in the Ellington organization. Now we know without any doubt. Bravo Walter!!!!

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Jazz and Death: Medical Profiles of Jazz Greats (American Made Music Series) [Hardcover] Review

This is an excellent reference work which should be on the shelf of most serious jazz collectors and anyone who writes about jazz or does discographical work in this field. Dr. Spencer very clearly explains numerous medical conditions and provides death certificates and other pertinent illustrations. He also clears up a number of mistakes/misunderstandings which have appeared in the literature. The references are annoying (the superscripts are tiny for my ancient eyes) and you must look in the back of the book to find the reference. The illustrations could have been sharper. Lastly, I understand that Dr. Spencer submitted a 660 page manuscript and only then was told that 300 pages was the goal. Thus, a great deal has been cut. He did a remarkable job but no doubt a lot of information got left on the cutting room floor!

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Producing and Mixing Contemporary Jazz (Book & DVD) [Paperback] Review

The theory is great, and i was all for the concepts explained in this book.In practice though, I thought the final mixes that I listened too on the dvd were a bit harsh, when compared to the likes of Michel Camillo.By any means not bad, just a little more "rock" than I would've liked.A great production none-the-less.

I found the book to be rather short and would've liked to get a more in-depth view at mixing each song separately, instead of simply the instruments as they appeared one by one.Relatively short and to the point, yet not exactly step-by-step as advertised...

Great to get you started on different mixing techniques on Jazz, though not nearly enough input for the more advanced...

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Product Description:
Expert producer/engineer Dan Moretti leads you step by step through the producing and mixing processes. Learn how different techniques - from mic placement to EQ - help you create authentic-sounding and inspiring jazz mixes. The accompanying DVD-ROM provides practice tracks and reference recordings so that you can practice matching finished mixes, in a variety of jazz styles.

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World of Gene Krupa: That Legendary Drummin' Man [Paperback] Review

Many people who have enjoyed Klauber's beautifully researched and illustrated visual history of Gene Krupa's contributions. They may have missed his earlier and more practical work that focuses on Krupa's drumming technique and its development over his career. Every jazz enthusiast should have the picture book, but every jazz musician should have this one.

Ofthe earlier book, I said: "Klauber's illustrated book/CD combination not only captures the sound and visual feel of Krupa and his era, it corrects the misinformation about him. As a matter of social history, it's good to be reminded of the hysteria that once surrounded recreational drugs in America.
But it is as a cultural and historical collection that this combo really shines. Any lover of jazz, drums and drumming has got to have this book and the CD represents a collection of incredible performances that are available nowhere else."This is a more basic and history-loving volume that concentrates on the development of a single artist over a period of time-a topic that has engaged other writers and is worth attention again in a musical context.

Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine and the forthcoming novel 'bang-BANG' from Kunati Press

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Product Description:
The story of the career, music, and life of the man who made drums a solo instrument, symbolized the swing era, and is still internationally recognized as "the world's greatest drummer."


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Improvisation At The Piano ( A Systematic Approach For The Classically Trained Pianist) [Paperback] Review

This is probably the most effective (best) book I've read for any acquired skill.

I'm a pianist (currently working on my Masters at a conservatory) and was searching for a book on improvisation within the classical medium.I was frustrated because I couldn't find any book with the exception of this.

Thank God that I could only find this book.Yesterday, I read through most of it.The exercises are brilliantly isolated to help acquire rhythmic, harmonic, dynamic competence, etc.It demonstrates how to recognize the modes within a passage of a few to several chords, recognize how closely related they are, etc...

You definitely have to have a good backround in theory to understand this whole text, but even if you do not, the first 20 pages or so will stretch your mind and greatly improve your compitence (in terms of improvisation).

The balance between demonstration and exercise is just about perfect.Because they include multiple demonstrations before each exercise (and there are PLENTY of exercises), the exercises are never confusing or misunderstood.Within the demonstrations, great (basic to more advanced) improvisation is shown over the bassline or whatever backing your going to play in your left or right hand before you must do it yourself.They make sure to include certain key ideas within these improv demonstrations, such as outlining a certain chord with embellishment, emphasizing a certain tone, etc.

I plan on dedicated some of my time every day to this book because I believe that we are living in a time where musicians are not well-rounded like they were in the 20's-60's.... we cannot transpose at sight, improvise, understand theory like we used to.

Books like this are truly a savior to this art.

The authors Brian Chung and Dennis Thurmond demonstrate ways of improvising over classics such as the bass lines to Fur Elise and Mozart's C Major sonata, and then changing them to the relative modes etc.I agree with the person who wrote the review above me; this book will help you understand the theory behind music, which in turn helps memorize and understand the composer's compositional style/intentions.Moreso than this, it will do wonders for the ear and the ability to recover from mistakes in performance.I believe that it has potential to cut a performer's memory slips at least in half if not much less during any given performance.With proper improvisation ability comes proper ear training comes a more thorough learning of the music and less of a chance to rely on muscle memory etc....

Great stuff!I rarely write a review on Amazon but this book is truly deserving.I plan on teaching this text to my more advanced students as well.

I applaud the authors of this book.Mastery of an instrument should not just entail a replication of repertoire, but the ability to sightread, transpose, improvise, and know your way around the instrument backwards and forwards.

If I am able to conquer this text, I will finally be able to say that I have true mastery of the instrument.

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Product Description:
This unique text uses a step-by-step approach to guide the reader from fundamental concepts to advanced topics in improvisation. Each subject is broken into easy to understand segments, gradually becoming more complex as improvisational tools are acquired. Designed for the classically trained pianist with little or no experience in improvisation, it uses the reader s previous knowledge of basic theory and technique to help accelerate the learning process. Included are over 450 music examples and illustrations to reinforce the concepts discussed. These concepts are useful in all improvisational settings and can be applied to any musical style. For pianists interested in jazz, there are three chapters dedicated to introducing jazz improvisation, which can be used as the basis for further study in this idiom.

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The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music: From Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop to Classical, Country, Folk, World and More [Hardcover] Review

This book attempts to cover the whole musical spectrum, which sections devoted to pop, rock, jazz, blues, country, folk, classical, world, dance, hip hop, reggae, soul / R+B, gospel, electronic and soundtracks / theatre, each of which is divided into sub-styles. There's a final section headed popular and novelty, which coverscontemporary Christian music, novelty songs, music hall, children's songs, Christmas songs, easy listening, lounge music and nostalgia. I guess that covers everything, however briefly, remembering that each main chapter covers a wide range. At the end of each section is an index of artists for that section, but there's also an overall index at the end of the book. The overall index is the essential one, because artists may not always be classified the way you expect them to be.

The perennial problem of classification is never far way. How do you define the boundaries of each musical style? Where does one musical style begin and other end? It is, of course, an impossible task, but in a book such as this, the editor had to make some kind of decision. You may not agree with his classification, but since the book is divided up according to styles, you'll have to get used to it if you buy the book. Each section contains an introduction giving a general history of the music, before exploring each sub-style in turn. As far as the editor is concerned, pop music began in the fifties, which is a fair enough decision, though not everybody will agree with it. Older music can be found scattered among other sections including jazz (Glenn Miller), easy listening (Bing Crosby) and nostalgia (Vera Lynn), although I consider those artists to be among the pop stars of their time. It's even more telling to see that Bing and Vera are classified differently. Both of them continued recording well into the seventies and each of them could be classed as nostalgia or easy listening, as could Glenn Miller.

The first section is about pop music. Accepting (however grudgingly) the editor's assumption that it started in the fifties, this 64-page section does a good job in tracing the changing face of pop music from then until the start of the new millennium. Next is the 44-page section on rock music. The editor suggests that rock music began as pop music with attitude, and that while pop music often tells us that everything is OK, rock music tells us that it's not OK, but we can change it. That's an interesting definition, but hardly a clear one and not always accurate, although it's never been easy to define the dividing line between pop and rock. A look at the sub-styles in the two categories make the division look easier than it really is.

Subsequent sections provide great overviews of jazz (36 pages), blues (28 pages), country (30 pages) and folk (28 pages). The 26-page classical section mainly sticks to the traditional music, but acknowledges that the music is being challenged as never before to retain a distinctive identity. (Jazz, folk and country all face this problem, as pop and rock influences encroach into all of them, but I suspect that classical music faces the biggest challenge of them all.) The remaining chapters are all excellent, though I wish there could have been more than one page about Christmas songs. Actually, I wouldn't have expected there to be more, but I'm wondering (since this book was published in 2003) whether Bing Crosby's White Christmas was still the biggest-selling single of all time even then. I thought Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana had surpassed it, but I must check that. I'd also dispute the list of leading exponents of Christmas music, some of whom only recorded one Christmas song.

Because this book covers so much ground, it can't cover anything in depth, but I knew that a book such as this one could barely scratch the surface (many big names don`t even get mentioned, or only do so briefly), especially as the same publisher released a similarly-sized volume devoted exclusively to country music, which is restricted to thirty pages here. You'll want to buy specialist books about your favorite styles, but this book is particularly useful at providing the basic information about those musical styles that you aren`t sufficiently interested in to buy a specialist book (well, not yet anyway) but which you`d like to read a little about.

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Product Description:
Music touches us all, from the dancing and rebellion of youth to the quiet contemplation of the older listener. Music provides the beat to the rhythm of our lives, introducing TV programs, selling advertisements, blasting out from market stalls or along the aisles of superstores.
The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music is the ultimate guide for anyone with a passing or a passionate interest in music. Authoritative, informative, accessible, and entertaining, the book conveys the spirit and substance of practically every type of music one might listen to, from rock, pop, jazz, folk, blues, hip-hop, reggae, and dance, to classical music, country, gospel, R&B, soul, soundtracks, musical theater, and world music.
Organized by genre, the book presents a concise introduction to each music form, listing its major exponents, offering a four-bar sample of its style, and provides information on major musicians, performers, composers, and songwriters - over 12,000 names in all - highlighting their main period of activity and cross-references to the relevant music style section.
Also included are three useful appendices. A short "Instruments" glossary covers all key instruments mentioned in the narrative, showing the reader which type of music each instrument is normally used in, with examples of its best or most rewarding use. "How to Read Music, the Basics" instructs the reader on how to read music, providing a simply understanding of the four bar examples of music offered with each major genre. The appendices contain a comprehensive bibliography as well.
Bringing the world of music to life are 800 colorful illustrations of musicians, instruments, album covers, music engravings, and more.
Whether passionate or casual listener, anyone interested in music will find The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music a must-have for both enjoyable reading as well as for reference.
Foreword provided by the legendary Beatles producer, Sir George Martin.

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