Contemporary Jazz Piano from Voicings to Improvisation in Three Sections
Available by Mail Order (order form below)
$30.00 for the book
$35.00 for the book and CD

From the column "Survey of New Teaching Materials", Jazz Educators Journal, May 1997 by Dr. John Kuzmich, Jr.

"Originally written in 1978, Contemporary Jazz Piano from Voicings to Improvisation in Three Sections is recently updated. This is written for the young jazz piano student who is interested in learning about theory, voicings, and improvisation applied to contemporary jazz. Part one teaches basic theory and moves directly into voicings of major, minor, and dominant seventh chords. Once familiar with voicings, the student should go to the improvisation section of part one. Scales and detailed explanations are there to help the student put these scales to work over chord changes.

"Part Two teaches intermediate concepts of comping techniques and more difficult harmonic progressions. There are four original charts in this section to facilitate further practice and understanding, plus a handy essay by the author on "The Delicate Art of Comping." Part three shows more voicing and introduces rhythm changes. There is another original chart in this section. Part one also contains sections on tritone substitutions, altered scales, pentatonic scales, and other applications. By the time you get to part three, you are into rhythm changes, half and fully diminished chords, whole tone scales, exotic scales and more! Considering the amount of information given in the 77-page format, this book represents a formidable publication. Written by a jazz educator, this text offers plenty of "nuts and bolts" information for young, aspiring pianists. It is an aggressive little book for the private teacher or school music educator."

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