Product Description

70 essential exercises in a variety of styles to benefit the jazz keyboardist, all based on the requisite Hanon studies. The exercises address major and minor modes, blues scales, pentatonic scales, workouts for right and left hands, and more. Doing these exercises is guaranteed to build fluency in twelve keys! Also includes suggested fingerings and suggestions for practice.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85000 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 72 pages

Customer Reviews

Jazz pianist tool for improvement
I bought this book because I had had some success with the traditional classic Hanon drills and upon taking up jazz piano, I wanted something to keep myself occupied when I missed a lesson or my teacher was away, or whatever. I found this to be probably the single best book for practicing jazz technique. Many of the exercises are based on the all important cycle (or circle) of fifths and the ii-V-I progression, but before long, it moves to scales, dominant sevenths, diatonic progressions, etc. After breezing through the first few exercises (what jazz pianist doesn't learn the cycle of fifths and ii-V-I on the first day and practice it every day for a month, without a book?), the exercises suddenly increased in difficulty and "esoteric-ness". In fact, my only real dig against this book is that it gets complex and difficult pretty fast. The only other thing I don't like is the fact that there is no explanation of what exactly you are practicing and why - just, here's some notes, good luck! (I usually get my instructor to fill in the blanks.) Still, I consider this a valuable tool in my jazz piano advancement, and I continue to use it on a regular basis. If you are a jazz pianist who occasionally needs some structure from outside besides your piano teacher, this book should fill that gap nicely.

Not very good at all.
This book really is not very good. Notice how many are for sale used.
I found the exercises boring and not really very good for building technic/technique at all. I have most of the books this author has written, hoping at least one would be good. So far I am still waiting.
I would not give it zero stars, as I do appreciate the effort that goes into writing any music book. It is a lot of work, and I do respect that.
I will review the other books by this same author separately