Customer Reviews

A Classical Approach to Jazz Piano: Exploring Harmony

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first part deals with voice leading and is very informative. It provides useful and practical concepts.I suppose it's intended for the intermediate level student.
The second part give us more advanced concepts like block chords, upper-structure triads and quartal harmony. I've never seen before the relationship between quartal harmony and the pentatonic scale - and it's well done here.

I can't emphasize enough how great this book is, just go through the table of content with the understanding that each section and each chapter gives an exact, clear, and limpid explanation matching its title. I don't read it as a method but rather as a reference book, and while each chapter builds progressively on the preceding one, Alldis manages to keep the information self-contained and clear at all times, I really appreciate the compactness of the information presented, it's true pedagogical mastery!

I think that this book is for all-level piano players, but mainly beginner to intermediate, as long as you don't expect a 'method' format, the examples and exercices are to the point and kept short.

Went through this book a few years ago. Very thorough explanation of chord structure. Provides solid jazz theory and harmonization understanding. Some of the lessons skip details information, can be frustrating at times.