Customer Reviews

Jazz Essentials: Nuts and Bolts Instruction for the Jazz and Pop Musician

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
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I have recommended this book to many and can't remember the last person I let see it. That's why I'm ordering another copy today. I knew little about reading notes of music, let alone understanding jazz arrangements. This book is an excellent starting place to understanding music in general, let alone jazz. I highly recommend it to everyone. And it's very reasonable.

IN TODAYS MODERN WORLD OF 5 MINUTE MUSICAL BLISS METHODS MANY OF US LOOSE SIGHT OF THE BASIS OF WHAT ALL THIS INCREDIBLE NOISE WE CALL MUSIC IS ABOUT. THEN .... LOW AND BEHOLD A BOOK APPEARS THATS NOT TRYING TO TEACH YOU THE NEW LICKS OR HOW TO STILL MAINTAIN YOUR COOL WHEN YOUR ON STAGE WITH HEAVY PYROTECHNICS AND 40,000 SCREAMING FANS IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT THE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF MUSIC THAT EVERY PRACTICING, NOT TO MENTION GIGGING MUSICIAN SHOULD KNOW.(I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOUR EAR IS OR IF YOU CAN PLAY THIRTY-SECOND NOTES AT 220 YOUR GONNA REALLY BE IN TROUBLE WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU TO PLAY IN THE KEY OF F AND YOU THINK THEIR SPEAKING LATIN) EITHER IN THE ORDER WRITTEN OR IN SECTIONS OF INTEREST THIS BOOK IS A STEP BY STEP PRIMER WHICH ALL MUSCIANS SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR GIG BAG(OR HEAD FOR THAT MATTER)

This book is basically music theory for the beginner, written in a hip and readable fashion. The title however is misleading. Obviously, you need to know chord structures to do jazz improvisation, and the book does contain a laundry list of jazz CDs to pursue. But that's about it. There is absolutely nothing about jazz instrumentation, arranging, rhythms, or scoring. If you're an absolute beginner, you may find this book useful. If you're a working musician, forget it.

As a musician whose training has been haphazard up until now with different teachers different methods and self study, etc... this book really puts everything into focus in a logical concise overview of the basics of music theory. In our sound bite age, the book's length is appealing. You get a quick overview in one sitting and can go back to the specific chapter for futher study of areas in which you are weak. The charts, worksheets, and answersheets make sure you learn the information correctly. The informal humorous point of view makes you feel like the author is right there having a conversation with you over a cup of coffee. The information follows a logical progression and encourages the reader at every chapter to evaluate what he has learned so far in a unique and enjoyable way. For those musicians (including me) who play by ear and don't know the chord or key names because they never took the time to learn, this is the book for you.