Jazz Piano Basics - Book 1: A Logical Method for Enhancing Your Jazzabilities Kindle Edition

This book stands out to me for a number of reasons.First, it's accessible even to a relatively advanced beginner pianist like me. I don't need to have strong classical technique to start playing a little jazz. Other jazz piano methods I've seen tend to demand a higher level of fundamental knowledge than this book does.Second, the website has accompanying backing tracks. That helps with motivation and rhythm. Practicing is more fun with the backing tracks, and I can adjust the tempo as needed, which is helpful as well. As others mentioned, this book focuses a lot on rhythm and feel, and playing with a virtual ensemble is the second best thing to playing in a real jazz band to develop those skills.Third, it introduces ear training, theory, and improvisation in a logical way. Each chapter consists of a number of licks you learn, some call-and-response (transcription) for ear training, some improv, and a performance piece in the style introduced.Overall, it's an excellent book. I look forward to book 2 and hopefully a lifetime of jazz to come.

There isn't much Jazz theory here. Barely anything I hadn't learned from Mark Harrison's brief introductory Blues e-book. You're not going to learn Jazz chords, and the basic scales (Blues, Pentatonic) only show up in chapters 7-10. Instead, the focus is all rhythm, ear-training and improvisation.It does a great job of making you attuned to subtle differences in rhythm. The improvisation section begins with ear training, where you have to spit back exactly what you hear. I was absolutely terrible at this at first. For improv, the author begins by giving you just three notes to work with. What can you do with that, other than play with rhythm and phrasing? He also doesn't give you much advice, instead letting you develop you own sense of what sounds good. What would be less Jazz than someone telling you how to improvise?As far as difficulty, I tackled the book after going through the first two Alfred's Adult books, although I maybe could have started after only the first. It isn't for piano newbies. Also, I think this book has value even for people who don't want to play Jazz. Last, the book is enjoyable to go through, more so than if it had been all scales and chords.

I have "played" the piano for over 60 years, and yet had never learned how to count music and therefore never appreciated rhythm. Eric Baumgartner has mastered the art of teaching how to count music to me, an older learner! His approach to helping the reader understand how the various notes are counted, along with his careful approach to when one should practice is clear and easy. Included with his very reasonably priced book is an online app to hear what you are practicing is supposed to sound like (with and without accompaniment). Clearly brilliant.Eric has clearly provided more evidence to me that we are never too old to learn!

Great book!

This is a fantastic resource for learning jazz piano. I’ve played jazz bass for many years and recently have been studying to improve my jazz piano and also I am teaching my sons to play piano. I’ve found jazz and it’s creative process to be under appreciated in early music programs and I wished, myself, that the creative, improvisational, and ear training aspects of music had been introduced to me earlier in my life by my teachers. This book is truly unique and incredible. Mr. Baumgartner’s use of “bite-sized” jazz progressions and the methodical approach through jazz genres is so effective. Each progressive series and chapter ends with a similar styled play along piece. The ear training, improv sections, and ability to slow down and speed up the accompaniments as needed are truly effective. My son’s and my abilities on the piano have substantially improved within the first five chapters already. My son says it’s his favorite book and he loves the feeling of accomplishment after working up to full speed on the small practice lessons. I love it too. It’s VERY teacher and student friendly and the best musical purchase I’ve made in some time. I’m definitely purchasing Book 2 when it’s out in January. Joel C., Texas

A great teaching method for jazz piano in the piano studio. Really addresses the foundamental concepts and at the same time easy to grasp.

Audio tracks do not work on Kindle edition. Speaker icons are grayed out.

So simple and clear. I can learn jazz!