A Whole Approach To Jazz [Plastic Comb] Review

Marc Sabatella's book is a brief but easy to understand overview of jazz theory and how to apply it.The typeset music examples are very helpful too, and do not require more than "hunt-and-peck" piano playing ability. The discussions of structure, forms, chords, and scales were clear and covered quite a lot of ground for a book of this length.Important applied topics included a brief canvass of improvisational techniques (even including techniques like enclosure and side-stepping), how to comp on an instrument-by-instrument basis, and practical aspects of playing with others, including getting organized and simple mechanics of starting, developing, and ending tunes.

A music oriented book like this can not be truly understood by just reading it, and its conciseness means there will be unanswered questions.You have to play through the provided examples and listen to other examples (on CD, mp3, etc) to really digest what is being discussed.Some of the topics - which were not so important to me - like the history of jazz for example - beg for a separate and fuller treatment to be really meaningful.

Still, if you are about to start jamming with other jazz musicians and desire a "fast read" that discusses theory, form, techniques, and basic jam mechanics, this book is an excellent choice.It will not substitute for "chops" - no book will - but it will guide you in how to use them.

Click Here to see more reviews about: A Whole Approach To Jazz [Plastic Comb]

Product Description:
A Whole Approach To Jazz Improvisation by Marc Sabatella is intended primarily for all musicians who wish to learn jazz improvisation as well as listeners who wish to increase their understanding of the music. The main goals of the book are: to teach the language of jazz, to increase your understanding of jazz as performed by others and for performers who need information on how to improve their improvisational techniques.
This book is organized as a series of steps toward becoming a jazz musician, either as a performer or as a more informed listener. Most of the steps are geared for the performer, but the non-performing listener is encouraged to try out as many of the playing examples as possible. This should help broaden your ear and help you appreciate aspects of the music you might not have recognized otherwise.
The steps outlined in this book are: Listen to many different styles of jazz. Understanding jazz fundamentals. Learning chord/scale relationships. Learning how to apply the theory to jazz improvisation. Learning how to accompany other soloists. Playing with others. Listening analytically. Breaking the rules. Find out the techniques used by the great jazz musicians including : Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter. After reading this book you will have the necessary background to get the most out of anything else you may wish to read and learn about jazz.

Buy cheap A Whole Approach To Jazz [Plastic Comb] now