Customer Reviews

Improvising Jazz Piano: A Brilliant and Instructive Treatise on Jazz Piano

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

 

 

This book is quite interesting and informative, yet there are pretty blantant problems with the layout and information that make it tough to understand. As for good stuff, there is some summary information on intervals and building chords and scales, with pretty nice sections on modal jazz and different playing styles throughout the 1900's. There are plenty of examples and "dictionaries" of different progressions and chords. There is some information on voicings, but the book is seriously lacking in this department. The voicings (and improv for that matter) focus is limited and does not really ever stray away from II-V-I progressions. (What if I DON'T want to play a II-V-I??) The entire book is mostly sight reading (yuck), songs and notation, and not enough explanation of theory, which can seriously bog down any beginner. I don't understand the point behind showing every chord in every key and every single mode, because you can just build these from rules. I would recommend this book maybe in conjunction with Waite's Modern Jazz Piano book and Mark Levine's Jazz Piano Book.

(just a short review) The book itself is decent and has its merits, but IT WILL NOT TEACH YOU TO IMPROVISE JAZZ on the piano. It has some useful exercises, but the reader should have some music knowledge prior to reading the book and should not expect too much from it. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to further their improv efficiency with practical exercises.

I bought this book 4 years ago, trying to get into piano jazz. I do a lot of improvisation on keyboards. Somehow, I am having trouble with this book, nothing is happening! Maybe another book would help?