Jazz Piano Book ( Levine )

[Hobo]

I'm almost sold on getting Mark Levine's Jazz Piano Book, but from my searchings it seems that it teaches playing mostly without the root in the left hand.

 

Is this right, and if so is there any similar books you could recommend that would veer more towards solo playing? This book comes so highly spoke-of that I can't decide!

 

Also, to anyone that has this book, does it include recommended fingering for scales?

 

Thanks.

[Urbanaut]

The Levine book talks about playing solo as well as with combos and bands, etc... The rootless voicing content is based on the work of Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and others from the 50's onward, but rootless voicings are essentially more complex stride piano voicings when used solo (or they are even isolated without their roots while playing solo.)

 

The Book also talks about basic stride technique, be-bop voicings, known as shell voicings, and many other techniques as well such as quartal, secundal, quintal, and upper structures as well, all at relativley basic, but extremely usefull levels. It also encourages the student to combine all different voicings techniques to acheive a unique style all his/her own.

 

If you want to learn jazz piano there are some other good books out there, but for a thouogh, basic understanding of jazz, Marks book is probably the best there is.

 

He goes into detail about scales as well, deriving the melodic and harmonic content of modern jazz from 4 main parent scales: Major, Melodic Minor (and the modes associated with these two parent scales) as well as diminished and whole tone harmony. It goes through fingerings, but talks about many different concepts involving how these scales are used.

 

Overall, this is a great place to start at, and if you can play everthing in his book, you can play solo, or in a band, for money. You will be a good player, without a doubt.

 

I hope my long-winded explanation helps you out Hobo.

 

Cheers,

Urbanaut

[Postman]

Yep, check this book out: Solo Jazz Piano

[moj]

I know what you mean about finding a tutorial on how to play solo jazz piano, there's not many that I've seen.

The book that Postman linked is the first one I've seen that is not just a stride-based study. Looks like an excellent book with some high praise from the Dave McKenna, Alan Broadbent and Joanne Brackeen.

 

I think most jazz players learned by listening to recordings from the greats - Tatum, Hines, McKenna, Petrucciani, etc. I also like to use transcriptions along with the recordings to learn from. Of course, that is a long learning process to begin with, yet it is the most rewarding way to get better at it.

 

Also, using sheet music arranged in a 'jazz/pop' style from arrangers like Dan Fox and Lee Evans is very useful. They both know jazz harmony and jazz styles which makes for good solo improvisations.

So, implementing what you get from the Levine and Olmstead books with what I suggested would be a good course of study.

[Jazzwee]

Originally posted by Hobo:

I'm almost sold on getting Mark Levine's Jazz Piano Book, but from my searchings it seems that it teaches playing mostly without the root in the left hand.

Jazz Piano Book certainly doesn't talk about just playing without the root in the left hand (3/7 Bill Evans style playing). It talks a lot about voicings, which as others have said applies to playing anything.

 

Thus for example, a typical solo piano playing strategy that I have learned at least, is to hit the Root, 5th on the bass and then jump to a rootless jazzed up chord or 3/7 (like the ones in Levine's book) higher up. This is on the left hand. (BTW, Bill Evans played a lot of solo piano using 3/7's).

 

Then your right hand plays a melody, solo, or another thing you can apply from the book is to put the altered tones on the RH using superimposed triads (he talks about a variety of these).

 

 

There's things like "So What" Voicings (Quartals), same one you use in "Maiden Voyage".

 

Lots of theoretical stuff on making a jazz sound. However this is not like easy stuff to understand at first. You read it quickly and you think you've got it. Lots of fine detail that will keep you going for awhile.

 

What it does not talk about are specific techniques for doing Solo piano, like what I was describing above. IMHO, it would be probably be essential to get this book, and then another one specifically on solo piano strategies since they are complementary concepts.

 

Regards,

 

Jazzwee

[Hobo]

Thanks all for your clear and very precise answers.

 

From what you have all said, I'm going to get the Levine book first and spend a couple of years with it...

 

If I need to I'll get the solo book later on.

 

To be honest I'm quite excited about this book and look forward to learning a lot! It seems like the next logical step for me after years of learning 'contemporary' styles.

 

I think some more CDs will be in order too.

 

One day I hope to play somewhere between Monk and Hancock!

 

Thanks again.

[Sergievsky]

I have had this book for a couple years. Now if only Reality would stop getting in the way (like work, groceries, playing with the kids), then maybe I can finally get to reading the damn thing.

[Gods element]

Jazzwee,

 

any suggestions on a jazz solo piano book?

[Jazzwee]

Originally posted by God's element:

Jazzwee,

 

any suggestions on a jazz solo piano book?

The link above (Neal Olmsted) is the only one I'm familiar with but I actually don't have that book. I'm thinking of getting it actually but the example pages on Amazon weren't that exciting (it was a 2-5-1 exercise -- well that's not a solo piano concept). Maybe someone who has that book can comment.

 

There's not a lot of books on Jazz solo piano that I know about. Most of what I know about solo piano came from teachers.

 

Regards,

 

Jazzwee

[Urbanaut]

My solo playing comes from all the experience I've gathered from my studies. Honestly, everything I've ever learned I can and will use when playing solo. Listening to good solo records and transcribing them is one of the best ways to get the sound you want when you paly.

 

Above all else, I feel that solo playing is a really great place to devfelop your own sound. Inevitably, I came to realize that I couldn't and shoudn't learn everything there is to play on a piano. I would find techniques that I liked, then applied them to my technique.

 

I feel that everything in the Levine book can and should be applied to solo as well as combo/band playing. Someone mentiond above that there is a lot of detail in the book. In the nooks and crannies, if you will. It can influence you for many years to come. That solo piano book is cool as well. Good Player Neil is.

 

Jazzbooks.com is a good place to get solo playing transcription books. This is also a great resource. Work through an Art Tatum transcription. It will do wonders for you.

 

Chuuch!!

 

(Hope any of that helps.)

[Urbanaut]

My solo playing comes from all the experience I've gathered from my studies. Honestly, everything I've ever learned I can and will use when playing solo. Listening to good solo records and transcribing them is one of the best ways to get the sound you want when you paly.

 

Above all else, I feel that solo playing is a really great place to devfelop your own sound. Inevitably, I came to realize that I couldn't and shoudn't learn everything there is to play on a piano. I would find techniques that I liked, then applied them to my technique.

 

I feel that everything in the Levine book can and should be applied to solo as well as combo/band playing. Someone mentiond above that there is a lot of detail in the book. In the nooks and crannies, if you will. It can influence you for many years to come. That solo piano book is cool as well. Good Player Neil is.

 

Jazzbooks.com is a good place to get solo playing transcription books. This is also a great resource. Work through an Art Tatum transcription. It will do wonders for you.

 

Chuuch!!

 

(Hope any of that helps.)

[marino]

Originally posted by Jazzwee:

a typical solo piano playing strategy that I have learned at least, is to hit the Root, 5th on the bass and then jump to a rootless jazzed up chord or 3/7 (like the ones in Levine's book) higher up. This is on the left hand. (BTW, Bill Evans played a lot of solo piano using 3/7's).

Another similar technique from yhe 70s is to play with left hand, bottom to top, root-5th-9th, then one of the two Bill Evans forms above that. This can be entirely arpeggiated, ar divided in various ways. It works well on ballads.

[Jazzwee]

Originally posted by marino:

Another similar technique from yhe 70s is to play with left hand, bottom to top, root-5th-9th, then one of the two Bill Evans forms above that. This can be entirely arpeggiated, ar divided in various ways. It works well on ballads.

Thanks Marino. Wonderful insight as always.

 

Another you remind me of is tenths playing i.e. root - 10th. This can be hard as in a major chord D to F# is hard to reach for some people. I'm a small person but I can reach this on my left hand. If you can't reach it in one pass you can "roll it". It's a very full sound considering there's only two notes.

 

I personally mix it in to all the above styles for variety.

[InfoSal]

Originally posted by marino:

Another similar technique from the 70s is to play with left hand, bottom to top, root-5th-9th, then one of the two Bill Evans forms above that. This can be entirely arpeggiated, or divided in various ways. It works well on ballads. [/QB]

With that technique, if the chord lasts for four beats then what do you typicaly play on beats three and four?