Product Description

This book presents a practical approach to improvising through a system of patterns in a traditional blues style. Because so much of today's popular music has its roots in blues, the material included here is a vital component of jazz, rock, RandB, gospel, soul, and even pop. The author has compiled actual licks, riffs, turnaround phrases, embellishments, and basic patterns that define good piano blues and can be used as a basis for players to explore and create their own style.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #855474 in Books
• Published on: 1993-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 72 pages

Customer Reviews

Blues and Jazz keyboard
This is a very good book for a beginning blues and jazz player. It has lots of good licks, riffs, runs, and boogie bass lines. Good ideas for adding notes to the melody line. Was very helpful to me. The only thing it needs is a CD to go with it.

Good for Finger Patterns
This is a good book for anyone who hasn't played much rock or blues. The book is full of riffs - however, I found that there were sometimes riffs that were almost identical. You might play 2 pages of riffs, but it really is 2-3 riffs with some variations.

I'm not saying that this is particularly bad - especially if you would benefit from working on and perfecting some good finger patterns. These are mainly usable riffs and if you got used to playing them, I think you'd find that you use them a lot.

One of my favorite parts of this book happens to be when Mr. Eveleth writes short compositions that use these riffs one right after the other. This really gives a feel as to how you might go about using these riffs in a practical setting.

Also, almost everything is in the key of C. There are some benefits to this - but if you're going to get your money from this book, better be ready to either write out transpostions, or better yet, learn to transpose in your head. If you get all these riffs down in C, F, G and perhaps Bb and Eb, you will be able to play them without problem in most of the songs you'll come across.

I didn't personally spend much time with this book. I read through it once at the keyboard - played around with the compositions a bit, played the riffs that I liked in a few keys and otherwise, I only get it out once in a while to find a new finger pattern or idea.

This is a pretty good book if you take into consideration a few of the limiations I've mentioned! I would recommend it!