EZ Jazz: Seven Easy-to-Play Jazz Piano Solos for Any Age.EZ Jazz: Seven Easy-to-Play Jazz Piano Jazz Piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. The instrument is also a vital tool in the understanding of jazz theory and arranging, because of its combined melodic and harmonic nature. Solos for Any Age, by Bert Konowitz. Lee Roberts Music Publications, Inc./Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213). 24 pp. $10.95. Beginners. Anyone who is serious about playing jazz piano would not buy a book of printed, arranged pieces for study. Their study would require a much different approach; but, since this music form has made its way into the hallowed hal·lowed adj. 1. Sanctified; consecrated: a hallowed cemetery. 2. Highly venerated; sacrosanct: our hallowed war heroes. halls of education, it seems only natural to include jazz (even if it is in print) in studio teaching. The benefit of having a "picture" of jazz rhythms and sounds on the printed page is quite a revelation and challenge for the student. Bert Konowitz has offered us an interesting group of pieces, which in the hands of a creative teacher, could provide good orientation into the "stuff" that makes jazz. He has made sure, in this limited offering, to expose the player to the blues form, left-hand boogie lines, back beats or pushes and even a jazz waltz A Jazz waltz is a composition played by jazz musicians in a syncopated 3/4, 6/4, or 6/8 time signature. Frequently a feeling of swing is created in the accompaniment by anticipating the second beat by a quaver. ; these elements could be found in any similar book. He doesn't stop there, though. In "Lazy Days" he introduces the student to what it's like to run a melody line over a slow-walking bass line--one of the earmarks of jazz styling. He goes even further in "Raga Rock
Raga rock is a generic term used to describe rock and roll records with heavy South Asian influence, either in construction, timbre or use of instrumentation, such as sitar and tabla. " to introduce the notion that more than major and minor scales are used in the creation of the jazz sound. This would be a good corollary and catalyst for altered chord/modal and ethnic scale relationship study. The "muddy" left-hand voicings that appear in "Jazz Spooks" and "Jazz Waltz" are questionable; the students reacted to them. As with all printed jazz materials, an important use of that printed page is for analysis. Form, melodic me·lod·ic adj. Of, relating to, or containing melody. me·lod  i·cal·ly adv. and compositional devices, chord structures, common riffs and rhythmic figures are a few elements students easily identify with. Konowitz's book could be a workbook work·book n. 1. A booklet containing problems and exercises that a student may work directly on the pages. 2. A manual containing operating instructions, as for an appliance or machine. 3. for the student and teacher. He has included good beginner examples in EZ Jazz. Reviewed by Christie Otter, Livonia, Michigan Livonia is a city located in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 100,545, making it the eighth largest in the state. . |
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