Q. I've been playing classical piano for several years, but am really interested in learning to play jazz. There isn't a big jazz scene in my town, so finding a piano teacher has been really difficult. Can you recommend some piano pieces and theory books I can look at to get into jazz?
A. Pick a the only book there really is Mark Levine's "Jazz Theory Book" and also get yourself a jazz scales book which shows you all the jazz scales - half diminished, whole tone, etc. and practice them in each key.
After that get some popular music jazz charts (sheet music with the abbreviated notations - ie eb Alt, g m7,maj) You will find these in what are called "Jazz Fake" books.
Work through some easier standards (old popular jazz songs) like "Girl from Ipanema", "Day in the life of a fool" and or "Fly me to the moon". This is the bread and butter learning of jazz.
Once you know your chords , such a s the 7th chords, try to improvise within the songs by using all the notes from that 7th chords on the top hand while playing that ie 7th chord in the bottom hand.
let me know how you are progresssing , or if you need more help
Does anyone have any suggestions for some Jazz Combo charts to play?
Q. So here's the sitch. Were starting a Jazz combo at my school. There will be a trumpet, alto/tenor sax,
Piano, Drums, and Bass/Guitar. The only issue is, we don't really have any charts at our school. We aren't looking for low level charts either. We all can play. Anyone have any suggestions for charts with that instrumentation, or something that could easily be transposed as such?
A. Real Book = ur friend
http://www.4shared.com/document/FeKmAuCg/The_Real_Book_6th_Ed_.htm
http://www.4shared.com/document/kXGd6Bz9/The_Real_Book_6th_Edition_Eb.htm
http://www.4shared.com/document/ksgCsHFt/The_Real_Book_6th_Edition_Bass.htm
http://www.4shared.com/document/K6mhk9-r/The_Bb_Real_Book_Volume01.htm (5th edition)
Ive answered this b4, and Ima copy and paste my songlist below:
Afro Blue
Afternoon in Paris
All the Things You Are
All of Me
All of You
Black Coffee
Blue Bossa
Blue Monk (I kinda dont like this one so much)
Caravan is awesome (Maynard Ferguson's version is my fav)*
Confirmation*
Countdown
Dexterity (I love this song)
Dizzy Atmosphere (This is like the corniest song of life, but Im madly in love with it)
Donna Lee (you'd hafta be badass 2 pull this one off as a band. This is my audition song for college)
Four on Six
Freddie Freeloader
Gee Baby, Aint I Good to You
Giant Steps (easy melody, ridiculous chord changes)
God Bless the Child
Groovin High
Half Nelson (another Bird and Miles song)
How Insensitive (easy melody and changes to play over. since its bossa style is the only worry)
I Remember Clifford
Impressions
In A Sentimental Mood
In the Mood
Intrepid Fox (I never played it, but it looks like a challenge)
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing)
Little Boat (Karrin Allyson version is so chill and inciting)
Lucky Southern
Lullaby of Birdland (one of my fav songs for some random reason)
Mr PC
Misty
My Favorite Things
My Funny Valentine
Naima
A Night in Tunisia
Oleo
Ornithology
'Round Midnight
Satin Doll (yea, high school made me hate this, Blue Monk, and Autumn Leaves)
Scrapple From the Apple (listen to Dexter Gordon's version)
So What (one of my fav Miles Davis songs)
Some Skunk Funk
Summertime*
Take Five
Take the "A" Train
When Sunny Gets Blue (my fav ballad at the moment)
Witchcraft*
*-not in the 6th edition of the Real Book.
What's the difference between a jazz chart and jazz song?
Q. If I'm asked what charts you're playing, does it just mean songs?
A. A jazz song is just that, the title of a particular tune. You could be referring to a piece of sheet music, a recording or just the name. The term "tune" is synonymous with song.
A jazz chart is an arrangement. The arrangement could be as simple as a lead sheet with chord symbols (one staff or piano staff with notation, chords and sometimes lyrics), or it might be an orchestration for 18 piece jazz band or sextet.
For example, Quincy Jones wrote a great chart (arrangement) of the song, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, for the Count Basie band.
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Title : Switching from classical to jazz piano music?
Description : Q. I've been playing classical piano for several years, but am really interested in learning to play jazz. There isn't a big jazz s...