The Jazz Piano Book

Clear, concise explanations, many examples and practice tips. Voicings and stylistic idioms explained, etc. need I go on?

How much is a private lesson with one of the world’s top jazz players-tutors? What would it cost for twenty lessons, as this book has over twenty chapters and each one is a gold mine for nuggets of jazz-playing wisdom.Although this book teaches piano, I also use it to play other instruments. For example, instead of only playing piano chords, I also play arpeggios (broken chords) on the Caribbean steel pan drum. This book is simply invaluable for helping me to play and explore jazz on that instrument as well.When I saw the price of this book, I thought it was expensive. However, what does a school or university text book cost? This Jazz Piano Book is so much easier to read than other dry books on music theory. It’s a real pleasure to read and work through, as one discovers so much.One of the best investments a budding jazz musician or aficionado can make. It is without doubt my best book purchase on the subject and one that I refer to again and again as my skills improve. New insights gained every time.

This is a fantastic jazz theory book.It is quite advanced, and you should know your way around the piano before you begin studying this book, because you go through the basics pretty quickly. Of all jazz theory books i own this is my favorite. It takes some time to go trough it all an practice all the techniques, scales and harmonics, but it is all worth it. The book makes use of some great examples from jazz standards. Which all illustrate the theory and makes it a lot more entertaining to read trough the book. The examples also makes for an easy way to practice what you are reading, while making your way through the book. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to take their jazz piano to the next level.

The author has a very good way of explaining music theory, one of the best I've seen. However, if you are hoping to read this one book and become and expert in jazz, you are out of luck. The thing that the book does very well is to help you understand how music theory is applied in jazz by explaining a point of theory and then point you at some recordings to hear how that works in practice. You need to do lots of listening to jazz records, and I do mean lots. He's probably right that if you don't listen you'll never learn but it's a dauntingly long road to walk down.

Assumes lots of musical knowledge and completely ignores Dave Brubeck.

When I browse the reviews I often wonder if there is something special that the reviewers possess when using books like this. Have they already a wealth of background without which the book makes no sense?I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book not only spells it out for you but also cements together some of the things that I had been hearing on my favourite jazz tracks. Don't get me wrong, this book is probably not suited to the beginner unless they are totally hungry for it and are already transcribing solos and trying out some of the chord changes they hear. However, I will say, as one who is not the sharpest tool in the box, this is the best twelve quid I've shelved out for a long time!

Brilliant read for anyone who knows their way around a piano and music theory, but needs a gentle introduction to playing jazz. It takes you all the way from basic concepts and approaches through to much more sophisticated techniques, with transcriptions of classic jazz recordings as examples along the way.

Covers much the same ground as The Jazz Theory Book by same author. If you play piano this would be my first choice out of the two. I am lucky enough to have a good piano teacher, but if you do not have one this book would be very useful helper. Not a book for beginners, but it it does cover quite a lot of basic stuff. The listening recommendations throughout the book are great.