Jazz, Blues, Boogie & Swing for Piano [Paperback] Review

I'm a self taught amateur who can just about crash through a hymn at about 1/4 speed third or fourth time around sight-reading-wise, but, these arrangements I can play (apart from the left hand tenths)given about two months per tune, (doing two or three at once) because they don't seem to get boring even after the 100th attempt. There is enough "guts" in the arrangements to hold my attention long enough for me to learn them.
They are particularly "easy" to memorise, that's the trick and also they are short.
If you don't want too simple or grindingly chromatically brainy but do want the "open" clean sounds of happier times from honest nostalgia to gutsy-slow-blues to brain-twisting-makes-ya-grin-boogie then this is for you!

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Product Description:
Various A collection of the original sheet music for 48 songs from the era, featuring the arrangements of 'Fats' Waller, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Count Basie, Clarence Williams, Jay McShann, Billy Kyle, Zez Confrey.

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Bebop Jazz Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series [Paperback] Review

I have a few of the other books in this series and find them all great! John Valerio is a wonderful composer and teacher and has a very similar style to Mark Harrison (another composer in this series). This book includes important information about chords, voicings, harmony, chord progressions, scales, tonality, melodic figures and patters, comping, characteristic tunes, styles of Bud Powell and Theolonious Monk...anything that is used in any type of bebop jazz. It goes through the history and evolution of Bebop. The book moves quickly but provides the information that is important. It comes with a very handy CD which allows to hear what it's supposed to sound like. I highly recommend this book and have found that using it with some of the other books in the series is beyond helpful!

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Product Description:
In this book in the Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series, author John Valerio provides essential, detailed information for bebop and jazz pianists on the following topics: chords and voicings, harmony and chord progressions, scales and tonality, common melodic figures and patterns, comping, characteristic tunes, the styles of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, and much more. The accompanying CD features many of the examples in the book performed either solo or with a full band. Also included are combo performances of five of the tunes featured at the end of the book.

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Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series (Keyboard Instruction) [Paperback] Review

I got this book along with a number of other blues books, and this one has been my favorite.It doesn't contain as much material as the multivolume Alfred series, but I find the organization, presentation, and *especially* the examples to be superior in Mark's work.The way the examples build section by section and chapter by chapter is exquisite.They are musically interesting yet very focused on the point at hand--I always enjoyed playing through the examples, but was never confused by unnecessary complications.

The companion CD is the best I've seen in any music instruction book, ever.Most examples have the left and right hand parts on the left and right channels, so you can mute one speaker or the other for "hands seperate" practicing.I personally don't use this much, as I prefer to work it out with the metronome, but I'm glad it's there and you may appreciate it.On tracks that have a backing band, the band is on one side and the keyboard on the other so you can play along to just the band.Finally, the "complete" examples at the end of the book feature a "slow" and "fast" version on the CD.One nitpick: I wish he'd included (in the text) the metronome settings he used, making it easier to practice/jam without the CD.

I've got several of the Hal Leonard books in this series, and they're not all by Mark Harrison.His books are definitely a cut above.All in all, if you have any interest in the subject whatsoever, you can't go wrong with this book.

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Product Description:
Ever wanted to play the blues, but weren't sure where to start? Blues Piano will teach you the basic skills you need. From comping to soloing, you'll learn the theory, the tools, and even the tricks that the pros use. And, you get seven complete tunes to jam on. Listen to the CD, then start playing along! Covers: scales and chords; left-hand patterns; walking bass; endings and turnarounds; right-hand techniques; how to solo with blues scales; crossover licks; and more.

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