Improvising Jazz (A Fireside Book) [Paperback]

Jerry Coker (Author), Stan Kenton (Foreword), Gunther Schuller (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1986 | Series: A Fireside Book

This work offers useful information on how jazz music can be improvised.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (September 15, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671628291
• ISBN-13: 978-0671628291
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent "ideas" book for Improvisors, May 27, 1999

By 

Herbert (Midwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Improvising Jazz (A Fireside Book) (Paperback)

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.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Strunk & White of jazz improvisation, November 27, 2000

By 

Pete Froeberg (Cupertino, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Improvising Jazz (A Fireside Book) (Paperback)

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.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for depth and perspective, not for practical learning, May 28, 2002

By 

"christopher_nguyen" (Redwood Shores, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Improvising Jazz (A Fireside Book) (Paperback)

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.