The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Jazz Piano Book
Book Review: Levine's book has become an essential even for non-pianists
Summary: 5 Stars
Play a (fill in the blank) instrument? You will likely find Levine's Jazz Piano book, based on usable chord structures, harmony, and voicings to be an original source of ideas no matter what you play.
This book is less about black dots and more about ideas. Insights you'd only get after hanging out with people who play real music. Inside stuff.
I have had my copy for many years and buy them for others. The response is always the same: What a fantastic book!
Book Review: Lucid and flows like a good Jazz solo..
Summary: 5 Stars
The author unravels the theoritical aspects of those lovely voicings and chord patterns of contemporary jazz with amazing clarity. The methodical layout of chapters and countless examples from the repertoire greatly assists one's journey to the wonderful world of Jazz Piano. Together with "Jazz Theory" by the same author and Jerry Coker's gem on Jazz Improvisation, this work would certainly stand up as an essential companion in exploring infinite possibilities of this 20th century miracle called Jazz.Book Review: Must Read for students of jazz piano
Summary: 5 Stars
The only book actually better than this is Mark Levine's other amazing book about jazz theory.
Mark knows it's not about analysis paralysis but reading about real people and real music. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend both books.
Book Review: My interest in Jazz music
Summary: 4 Stars
This book was recommended by a Jazz teacher from London, Paul Abrahams who offers free tips on I-tunes. I am an amateur when it comes to playing the piano and need all the help I can get. This book is a bit over my head but if Paul recommended it, I would invest in getting this book and hopefully you are beyond my skills. I regret that I didn't listen to my mother when she asked me to practice. I would also check Paul's website as he recommends some other books sold here on Amazon. [...]Book Review: One of the best available--even in 2009 is there something better?
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is focused on how jazz piano is played today but mostly only in the role of someone not soloing. If you are more interested in something like swing & stride piano, bebop piano, free jazz, or many other styles, this is not really the book.
I wish someone would write the Mehegan books with the right chord changese in Roman Numeral and not with chordd charts like I-II--III-IV-V that nobody uses.
Now there are lots of other jazz piano books available, and some are very good for certain genres. I particularly like a set of books that are NOT available on Amazon. Unfortunately, they were published in the
80s and are severely marred by the world's worst music publishing job.
I will have a ListMania list to list a lot jazz by books currently available, and what I think of them. My opinions may differ substantially from other people, mostly because I think when jazz lost the melody it lost its audience. Of course, some of the more popular players have gone back to using the melody. And then there are people who play "jacuzzi jazz". Lots of them can play less popular jazz styles as well as anyone else, but they need an audience to pay their bills.