A comprehensive study text for students beginning a serious study of jazz. The first part of the book begins by teaching elements of jazz phrasing, articulation, vibrato and interpretation of rhythms through exercises and original pieces. Next, the book encourages improvisational skills through both theoretical and technical studies of scales and chords. The second half of the book builds on the skills learned in the first part with an in-depth study of the theory, which underlies improvisational techniques including scales, modal concepts and chord construction. Ear training, particularly the development of the ability to hear chord progressions is also emphasized.
William Bay received his undergraduate degree in business at Washington University in St. Louis and his MBA at the University of Missouri. He played trumpet and guitar professionally for many years and has authored hundreds of books on music education and performance. As president of Mel Bay Publications, he has produced thousands of books dealing with an eclectic array of musical styles, genres and instruments and performed on many audio and video recordings. He is an accomplished composer and arranger. His books have sold in the millions. He was recently inducted into the Missouri Music Hall of Fame.