Advice on jazz?

[Lucy]

hello )

I'm just wondering if any of you can advise me on where to start with jazz piano? It's always intrigued me, but my old piano teacher just wasn't into it, and I always studied more classical stuff ... don't get me wrong, I completely love all this, but I would like to try some jazz.

I just don't know where to start though! Can anyone recommend any pieces for me to try?

Thanks  

[jeff]

hm.

i think i'm in a similar situation. i've been classically trained, but i love listening to other types of music, and over the last few months i've been really getting into jazz. i haven't really started playing any, but i'm really interested in developing an ability to improvise (mainly in jazz style). i haven't bothered to find out where i can get some good jazz sheet music, but you might be able to find some on the net. if you have trouble finding sheet music, why not try figuring out how to play any jazz music you listen to - that'd probably really help your aural skills, and you'd be playing stuff you like to hear. that's something i do now and then, but i'm pretty lazy, so i usually figure out a couple of bars then quit

anyway, good luck with pursuing this interest. enjoy!

[Eek Lek Tik]

Get "The Jazz Piano Book"  by Mark Levine.

Get "Connecting Chords With Linear Harmony" by Bert Ligon.

Also consider Mark Levine's "The Jazz TheoryBook".

[BoliverAllmon]

what would be good books on improvising in a classica style?

boliver

[bernhard]

For improvising on the classical style try:

Gerre Hancock: Improvising - How to master the art (Oxford University Press).

The author studied improvisation with Nadia Boulanger, and although the book is intended for organ players, most if not all the exercises and ideas are applicable to any keyboard instrument. He also mentions (both in the text and in the biblography) several other books, so this one should get you started.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Daevren]

First thing to do is: listen!

Listen to as much as possible, not only piano players, also sax and brass, or even guitar.

Jazz is a way of thinking because its improvised.

[NetherMagic]

there's also jamey aebersold's books on jazz

and listen to many recordings, including ones by Ramsey Lewis, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillepsie, Michel Camillo, etc.

and one of the most important scales in jazz, blues scale:
(Key of C) C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, C

[andru]

by the way,...

...are there scores from Ramsey Lewis, or will I have to transcribe all his works on my own???

Greez, Andru