Larry Coryell: Jazz Guitar (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I think it's important to be able to play accompaniment (or "comp") with chords and bass-line phrases before you try your hand at soloing..." (more)
Key Phrases: jazz minor scale, more scales, tonal center, Elements of Improv, Jazz Basics, Arubian Nights (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An easy-to-understand text from one of the 20th century's greatest improvisers." -- Vic Juris, guitarist

"As a professional musician, scholar and jazz educator, I consider Larry Coryell's jazz guitar book one of the most comprehensive text books available to the young jazz musician. This book is not only great for guitar players, but it helps saxophone players and other instrumentalists understand the role of the guitar in comping, soloing, and improvising." -- Nathan Davis, Ph.D., Director of Jazz Studies, University of Pittsburgh

"Larry's vast knowledge of guitar playing is awesome. His harmonic concepts and improvisational genius have always established Larry as a true master. This book should open the door to a better understanding in our quest for advanced guitar playing." -- Al DiMeola, guitarist

"Provides exercises and sheet music tunes livelier than most." -- The Bookwatch, February 1999

Product Description

This practical book with CD helps guitarists improve their ability to play over changes, better understand jazz harmony, and expand their jazz vocabulary. Using examples from his own experiences playing with many well-known musicians, top fusion guitarist Larry Coryell provides dozens of musical exercises - plus original compositions - that challenge guitarists to increase flexibility in their thinking and playing. Topics include: new approaches to playing accompaniment ("comping"); integrating chords and scales in jazz solos; interpreting chord changes; and improvising - the art of creating music spontaneously with other players.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat Books (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879305509
• ISBN-13: 978-0879305505
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #868,969 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, November 11, 2002

By A Customer

Like many guitarists I have always admired Larry's work, so when I saw this book in a store I looked through it and bought it on the spot. I had always been into his fusion music and frankly didn't realize his jazz stuff was so strong. The first three tunes are walking bass jazz/blues tunes - the first is pure walking bass with chords, the second is based on the first but interspersed with some extended single note solo phrases. The third is based on the same chord progression as the first two but uses chord solo phrases in "traditional big band styling". This is fun stuff!!!! I have been working on these first three tunes for the last several months and have them almost completely memorized - not a simple task - and I haven't had this much fun playing guitar in a long time. After listening to the CD a number of times I also skipped ahead to learn a great bossa tune from Larry's Live in Bahia album. This book has definitely challenged and inspired me to pick up the guitar and get some practice in almost every day. The more you play these tunes the more you get out of them from an analysis standpoint. Also, I didn't know he has a signature jazz guitar out made by Cort but after listening to the CD I would certainly like to try one out.

When I saw a couple negative reviews here I felt that I had to put my proverbial two cents in and let people know that there is some great stuff in this book. This book is not for beginners or the meek and is not a collection of ii V I riffs. As Larry states in the intro, "You should have a working knowledge of theory, at least some theory (that's all I have), and I'll assume you know some jazz chords and the fundamental major, minor, augmented (whole tone) and diminished scales and arpeggios... The material covered here is sometimes easy, but some of it gets involved and there are some examples/exercises I hope will challenge you and open you up to play things maybe you didn't think you could play. That's how I felt when I first heard jazz players make this amazing music on their guitars - I had no idea how it was done, but I had to try to learn it."

There is some fun and pretty intense stuff in this book and it will keep me challenged for quite a while. I have paid more than the price of this book for a one hour lesson and gotten so much out of this book already that it's incredible. Be ready to put some time in but if you like Larry's playing and you've got the right attitude you can have a lot of fun and learn a lot with this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More pearls from an accomplished master, December 29, 2001

By	Ronald S Thompson (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews

Larry Coryell is one of the most gifted guitarists alive. Throughout his career he has shared his thoughts and ideas on his playing and his approach to solving problems or issues particular to jazz interpretation and improvising that he was dealing with. I don't think his contributions to the educational world are for beginners. This book is for an intermediate to advanced player. Providing you have some experience and knowledge under your belt, Larry's tips are fantastic and above all useable right away in your playing. I've admired his work for 25 years and this offering is another great piece of work, added to many others, that Larry has produced. His acoustic albums Standing Ovation and European Impressions (which I think is partially available on the Tributaries CD) are seminal works for me and even after twenty years bear repeated listening for more amazing things created by this master.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but not for beginners, March 8, 2000

By	GB Guitars "gbroulet" (Colfax, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This is a great book about many aspects of jazz guitar comping and soloing. This isn't "Jazz guitar for dummies" though. It assumes that you've been playing a while and know the basics of modal playing and harmony. But then again, those of us who've been playing jazz for years could use something a bit more "hard core".

If you're looking for a challenge you might enjoy it.