Essential Techniques of Jazz and Contemporary Piano

By Steve Lockwood

Looking for that definitive text that covers improvisation in all its diversity with clarity and ease? Are you ready to put in the time and effort required to be a complete musician? Are you unable to afford huge tuitions for your education, but want the careful guidance that a private teacher with the right text can give you? Your search has ended!

This book covers "Essential" materials for a thorough study of improvisation and Jazz piano in two parts: Techniques and Styles. Part 1 includes studies of chord voicings, (how to arrange chord notes in your hands), harmonic and linear approaches to soloing, keyboard bass, rhythmic phrasing, and the "free areas" of introductions, endings, and turnarounds. Part 2 covers a chronological study of style from early Stride techniques, through Swing, Be-Bop, modal harmony, Latin "montuno" techniques and thoughts on soloing in general.

Serious amateurs and young professionals alike will learn basic concepts, enabling a deeper pursuit of each subject, opening the door to a personal repertoire and individual style for a lifetime of enjoyment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456737320

Book preview

© 2011 Steve Lockwood. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 3/8/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-3731-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-3732-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011902848

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Recommendations

Acknowledgements

About This Book

About the Author

Song References

Helpful Books for the Creative Musician

Part I

Basic Techniques

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 3a

Lesson 4

Lesson 4

Lesson 5

Lesson 6

Lesson 7

Lesson 8

Part 2

Influence of Styles

Lesson 9

Lesson 10

Lesson 11

Lesson 12

Lesson 13

Lesson 14

Lesson 15

Lesson 16

Recommendations

This is a very thorough and clearly written book, invaluable not only for musicians new to the jazz experience, but as a handy refresher course for more advanced players. What I particularly like is how each chapter is accompanied by recommended recordings of the great musicians that formed this art, without whom these pages would not come to life.

-Alan Broadbent

Pianist with Woody Herman, Dlane Schuur and Charlie Haden,

Two-Time Grammy Winning, Arranger.

What makes Essential Techniques of Jazz and Contemporary Piano stand out are Lock-wood’s concise and clear explanations, the musical examples he chooses, and the engaging workbook assignments. Lockwood distills the techniques down to their essential components. An excellent intermediate textbook for jazz students.

Scott Healy

Pianist-The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

An excellent introduction to Jazz improvisation for intermediate to advanced players on any instrument, especially bassplayers, who can really benefit from studying jazz technique through the eyes and ears of such an accomplished pianist as Steve Lockwood.

-Michael Merritt

Bassist-The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

In our most enlightened time of jazz education ever, Steve Lockwood has found yet another fascinating way to approach the learning of jazz language and improvisational skills. This is a very comprehensive approach which should produce real results. It is presented in a such way that the student can not only learn the vocabulary and disciplines of this art but have the opportunity of self-discovery along the way. Congratulations!

Mike Lang

Award Winning Pianist who has recorded with and written for:

Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz, Ella Fitzgerald, John Lennon, Frank Zappa,

Aretha Franklin, Stan Getz, Herb Alpert, Fourplay, and many others,

and played on over 2000 film scores.

Acknowledgements

First off, many many thanks to my graphic designer, Veronica Moreno, for her expertise, patience, and diligence in the layout and formatting of this book. Without her assistance I would certainly be bald by now from yanking out my hair during the organization of my manuscript. Thanks also to Dianne Wright for her painstaking textual revisions.

Many thanks also to Alan Broadbent, a fabulous pianist, arranger, composer, and Grammy winner, especially for his help with the Bebop studies in the book. A multitude of thanks to longtime friends (and Conan O’Brien Show band members) bassist Michael Merritt and pianist Scott Healy, for their generous comments and advice.

I’ve always treasured the experience of a great musical education. For that I thank Dr. Edwin LaBounty and Dr. Herbert Herman, formerly of Memphis State University, as well as Walter Cook, of the University of Missouri at Kansas City Conservatory of Music. Their instruction in the nuances of classical piano repertoire made a priceless contribution to my musical life. Other generous teachers and professionals deserving of thanks include Helen Bean, John Owen, Donald Betts, George Salisbury, John Elliott, Meredith Monk, Colin Wolcott, Dick Grove, and David Angel. My thanks as well to those wonderful teachers and fellow professionals too numerous to mention: you know who you are.

Most of all I thank saxophonist-composer Gil Mellé for opening the magic door so wide that all I had to do was step through it to spend a lifetime realizing musical possibilities.

©2009 JMuse Music ASCAP by Stephen Lockwood

About This Book

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Essential Techniques of Jazz and Contemporary Piano is a guide to practical success as a Jazz and/or improvisational pianist—a Primer designed to stimulate your growth in any musical style. This is a definitive text, covering improvisation in all its diversity; comprehensively and clearly. Its suggested use is with serious students who are ready to dedicate the time and effort required to be a complete musician. Ideally, the player or student using this book wants to be able to sit at the piano with any standard fakebook; reading a simple lead sheet, and effectively creating a personal stylized arrangement.

The book covers the essentials for an introductory and complete study of Improvisational

Reviews for Essential Techniques of Jazz and Contemporary Piano

[r_robertson5459 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

incredible book very helpful for teachers and students.Many thanks Steve!