Customer Reviews

Jazz Guitar Micky Baker (Guitar Books)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Back in the 1950s- and well into the 60s- there wasn't much in the way of Jazz guitar literature for the beginner. You listened and copied, or you found a good teacher. Back then, Baker's book was a godsend to beginner. He actually had the hip chords they'd been hearing diagrammed out, and dozens of hip riffs and lines written out, too. It was a great place to start from, and many guitarists will tell you that this is the book that got them going. Even Pete Townsend says this is where he learned his chords from. A lot of guitarists looking for a good jazz self-study course have looked at this book, and wondered if there was really much to be learned from few simple chord exercises and a few dozen riffs. Sure, there were a lot of good chords to be learned from it, but beyond that...?

Actually, there is a tremendous amount of information to be found in this book, but only if you follow Mickey's directions. He doesn't give you a lot of why- just "do this until you have it down." But if you do that, you'll find yourself internalizing a lot of important rules and skills that other teachers spell out. Those hokey sounding chord progressions that Mickey wants you to memorize and transpose to other keys are actually teaching you all the standard jazz substitutions. Mickey does spell out some of these rules in the second half of the book, but if you've done your homework you'll find that it's much easier to apply these rules to soloing if you've actually internalized them than if he had just told you that you could use a Lydian or Aeolian sub for a dominant chord in a 12 bar blues.

The second half of this book is all about learning to solo, and a lot of non-readers have looked at it, and been put off by the lack of tab. But you don't need reading skills beyond that absolute minimum to use this book. Mickey has provided all the fingerings below the staff for each exercise. It may be a little unfamiliar at first, but by the time you finish this book- and it'll take a year to really do it right- you'll find that you have some pretty good reading skills, too.

Even though it was written back in the 1950s, the riffs and chords Mickey teaches sound just as hip today. Some guitarists will quibble with some of Mickey's choices, or his chord names, but it's more a matter of opinion than a fault in the book. For example, a lot of contemporary guitarists would play something like Bm7-Bb7-Am7... rather than Mickey's straight descending m7ths (Bm7-Bbm7-Am7..) today, but that's something the student will learn just by listening to guitarists today.

In short, if you know a few dozen chords, you can strum along, and have very basic music reading skills, and you're confused by all the different jazz guitar books out there- this is the one you should start with. If you follow Mickey's directions, practice every exercise until you've memorized it, and written out and practiced all the transpositions, too, by the time you finish the book you'll be able to comp and solo over most any jazz tune.

[n.b.- this edition was edited and re-typeset from the original 1950s edition, and when they reset it they introduced a number of errors. I'd suggest you buy instead the original edition in the yellow and black cover.]

This book explains jazz guitar and is a great starting point for any guitarist wanting to learn jazz. This is the first book I've seen which breaks jazz down to simple lessons. It has 52 lessons each a week long and all in one book, a must for all upcoming jazz guitarists. It could save your gig!!!

I bought this book in 1966. I've used it to get many of my students stared in jazz guitar. There ARE many better books, with more theory and interesting substitutions. But this one will have you playing good sounding stuff from the beginning. This book was written for people who wanted to know how to play the music they were listening to. If you like 50's and 60's jazz and standards, this book will jump start into how to get those sounds. Once you can play them, you'll need Arnie Berle, Andrew Green, Mark Levine, etc. to fill you in on where this stuff came from, and how to go on from here. Like another reviewer said, the book's been around for quite awhile. There's a reason for that...it's quick, to the point, and great sounds.

Ted Greenes superb books sort of took off from where Mickey B. stopped. Like many of you out there i recall playing many a pub gig back in the very early 70s whilst relying solely on the chords from this book.
My music teacher at school, bless him, directed me straight to Bakers books way back in 1969.Was i glad he did. Where else would you find a D13b5b9th chord shown in all it's glory? The book taught me quite abit about chord tones and substitution. But the jazz guitarist today is spoilt for choice.There's far too much info. As one reviewer so sincerely points out this book was written when musicians PRACTICED to get their technique..these days they might get their computer to do the practice for them whilst they play video games.
The chord progressions are audibly predictable at least for 2007. They stick to the basic major-to-minor resolutions but then back in 1950 that's all it took to back Frank Sinatra.This was the fabric of the pop tune back then Inspite of this though if these progressions are utilised with a nice tone they still sound impressive today and one can use them as a platform from which to expand .
But if you are a basic rock player who wants to get into jazz, like i was, then this still is a superb book. If you are willing to use your imagination (yeah, a tough project for some today because there are so many distractions) you can really go places with the material.

This Blue version is a slightly up dated and cleaned up version of the original black and yellow covered version. You don't need both.

This book was just about the only one generally available 40 years ago. I got mine from a guitar shop when I asked how I could start to play some jazz instead of R&B. It was this or "learn it yourself mate!".

I have had my copy since 1965. I haven't noticed the mistakes another reviewer speaks about - but it does need you to read music to get into the second section on lead playing. The chord section (first 26 lessons) are brilliant for the basics of progressions and substitution. It pulls no punches - Mickey Baker talks of practising for two hours a day, every day....those were the days when players thought they had to practise to get good - I struggle to get students to do 20 minutes a day now. If you're serious about playing jazz, you need this classic in your library. Any book that has been in print, all the time, for 50 years has...well you guess...how good must a book be to keep going like that?

This is an updated version of Mickey's original Book 1 Jazz Guitar Course. If you bought book one already, you do not need this one. If you have not already bought Book One, then this is the one you want. Once you complete this book, go onto Book Two. This is really a great self study course.. and will work even better if used with a teacher. The CordeenMan

The original Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar was two books; book one first published in 1955, and book 2, a sequel published in 1959. After reviewing the contents page of this edition, I found that this is a revision of book one only. However, book one alone is complete; book 2 is additional material for the more advanced guitarist. Regarding the content, I echo all of the other reviewers, but I still would not hesitate to pass it on to a student.

10 years ago I was a bass player that got a job at a guitar shop, didn't much know how to play guitar. all of the old guys that would hang around the shop taught me the basics, so I got where I could play basic rhythm guitar for a basic band. Then one of the guys gave me this book. I learned more from the first three pages than from two years in a guitar shop. I've had this book for ten years and have still not learned everything it has to offer. I have given this book away to every guitar player I have met that I thought deserved it. I don't know anyone that it has not made a better player out of. for real on the third page it shows you 27 movable chords that you can play in any key, the next page shows you how to work them together. if you want to learn how to play guitar better than the guy at the guitar shop giving you lessons and you want to sound original and not like Stevie Ray Vaughn (no disrespect he was awesome)but this book makes you form your own sound. take it and go. I've worked in bars and played in bands all over the south and I've taught old timers chords and licks I have learned from this book. I have bought this book 11 times and have always passed it on and it has made a better guitar player out of everyone I have given it to. I am keeping this copy so even if you plan on meeting me soon I am not giving it up. buy it. It is the best guitar book you will ever buy.
oh yeah don't buy the chord book or the solo book because they are both in this book. unless you don't care about chords or solos
just sayin.
sam

As a guitarist from the pop/rock/blues/country world, jazz is too often presented as an "all or nothing" endeavor, which is a shame. Early in my career I found myself fascinated by the jazzy sounds used in rockabilly and country recordings, but did not wish to become the next Wes Montgomery. How to proceed?

The Mickey Baker books fill that need quite well, giving experienced pop players plenty of grist for the mill with great examples that immediately ring true to anyone who has listened to some of the many great recordings of the '40s, '50s and '60s. The exercises are plentiful and get you doing useful things right away. I found myself trying out new ideas on stage in no time flat, and still come back to this material for jazz-pop ideas.

Perhaps it isn't the right thing for dyed-in-the-wool jazzers, but it is great for many of the rest of us.

This new printing of Baker's 1955 work has been edited to eliminate the little errors in the original. As others have said, it's not for beginners. For one thing, you have to know how to read music coming in. What's great about the book is how it gets you playing real nice rhythm and lead licks (chords and solos) very quickly, the "what to play," which makes Mickey's course fun and easy to stick with. But it's very short on the "why we play it." That theory you have to learn from other sources if you want to really master the instrument.

But heck, books are cheap, and if I can learn one useful thing from a book, I consider it worth what I paid for it. So I buy everything I can find that looks like it contains useful information. Yes, buy this book, but I'd suggest also buying Ted Greene's books (he explains EVERYTHING) as well as books by Barrett Tagliarino, Jody Fisher, Joe Pass, and anyone you can learn from. Each teacher will have a different focus and show you other ways of looking at the same things, broadening your understanding.