Jazz starter

[expressman70]

Hello all, I am a classical musician but want to start playing jazz, and learning to improvise. I am very good at following books and self teaching teqnique, so could anyone recommend a great source for that such as theory book specifically with that. I do have an ability to improvise, but it doesn't appear as jazzy when executed. I just need theoretical base for it which i lack in this field. Thank you!

[rdf_mx1]

Hi,

This is my first post, i really hope you find it useful!

I guess i am exactly the opposite (popular music pianist learning classical technique). Through the years i've come across some great books about jazz piano, here is my top three (probably)

Berklee Jazz Piano (Ray Santisi) Berklee Press. It covers all the fundamentals like chord and extension substitutions, different voicings for left hand, as well as two hand voicings, voicings in fourths, modal possibilities for improvisation, as well as some other useful concepts for improvising in the jazz language like creating walking bass lines.  It includes audio CD!

Jazzology: While not a piano book (it does have a couple of chapters about piano voicings and comping though) it is a pretty good compilation of jazz theory. Including the foundations for chord substitutions, modes & scales, etc. It includes assignments/exercises at the end of each chapter that help you understand and reinforce all the concepts. It has a nice chapter about the jazz practice routine.

How To Improvise (Hal Crook): This one discusses really interesting (perhaps a bit more advanced and musical) concepts like pacing (breathing), phrasing, rhythmic development, articulation, etc. It comes with audio Cd as well, with examples, backing tracks and such. My guess is that a classicaly trained pianist will find this one specially fun!

An additional advice would be to listen to the solos of the great jazz pianists, if you hear anything you like, trascribe it, transpose it to all keys, modify it, etc. It is the best way to understand the jazz language IMHO.

I hope you find this books as helpful as i did!

[expressman70]

Hi,

This is my first post, i really hope you find it useful!

I guess i am exactly the opposite (popular music pianist learning classical technique). Through the years i've come across some great books about jazz piano, here is my top three (probably)

Berklee Jazz Piano (Ray Santisi) Berklee Press. It covers all the fundamentals like chord and extension substitutions, different voicings for left hand, as well as two hand voicings, voicings in fourths, modal possibilities for improvisation, as well as some other useful concepts for improvising in the jazz language like creating walking bass lines.  It includes audio CD!

Jazzology: While not a piano book (it does have a couple of chapters about piano voicings and comping though) it is a pretty good compilation of jazz theory. Including the foundations for chord substitutions, modes & scales, etc. It includes assignments/exercises at the end of each chapter that help you understand and reinforce all the concepts. It has a nice chapter about the jazz practice routine.

How To Improvise (Hal Crook): This one discusses really interesting (perhaps a bit more advanced and musical) concepts like pacing (breathing), phrasing, rhythmic development, articulation, etc. It comes with audio Cd as well, with examples, backing tracks and such. My guess is that a classicaly trained pianist will find this one specially fun!

An additional advice would be to listen to the solos of the great jazz pianists, if you hear anything you like, trascribe it, transpose it to all keys, modify it, etc. It is the best way to understand the jazz language IMHO.

I hope you find this books as helpful as i did!

Thank you for your reply i will look into it!

[visitor]

https://us.abrsm.org/en/our-exams/jazz-exams/jazz-piano-exams/

[dcstudio]

books I recommend in addition to those mentioned
The Jazz Language... Dan Haerle
Effortless Mastery  Kenny Werner--just an all around great book for all musicians--but especially jazzers.  He has lectures up on youtube as well...