Jazz Book and Method Reviews

This post is the third in a series of my posts that review David Baker’s “How To Play Bebop” series. I am reviewing the third volume in this post.

This volume is all about techniques for learning and utilizing bebop tunes. This book consists of the following eight chapters:

1. The Contrafact
2. A Technique for Learning Tunes
3. A Technique for Learning and Internalizing a Composition Using Bebop Tunes
4. Using Bebop Compositions and Arrangements As a Means of Learning to Play Bebop
5. The Use of Quotation in Bebop Solos
6. An Approach to Developing Thematic Fluency Using the “Piggyback” Technique
7. Another Approach to Learning to Improvise on The Blues
8. An Approach to Improvising on “Rhythm” Tunes

The author also includes “A List of Essential Bebop Tunes for Memorization” in the appendix.

Chapter 1 provides a definition and historical perspective of the contrafact and then lists 15 bebop songs and other songs that are contrafacts of those songs. The most important thing to take of from this description is that next to the blues there are more bebop songs that are contrafacts of “I Got Rhythm” than any other bebop song. The author lists 48 bebop songs that are contrafacts of the “Rhythm” changes. This explains the importance of spending a great deal of time on the “Rhythm” changes.

Chapter 2 provides a detailed method for learning tunes. Guide tones and example exercises are provided.

Chapter 3 describes ways to internalize bebop tunes. For example learn the melody, learn the roots, use of root-based digital patterns.

Chapter 4 provides a list of tunes that will aid in the learning of bebop.

Chapter 5 discusses the use of quotes from other songs in bebop.

Chapter 6 discusses constructing lines that have a smooth flow.

Chapter 7 disccuses a different approach to improvising on the blues. The author provides a list of riff blues and asks that you learn them in all keys. Examples are provided.

Chapter 8 provides an approach to improvising on the “I Got Rhythm” tunes. Different variations are provided along with some model lines.

David Bakers bebop books are well written. In my opinion this series is best approached by an intermediate or higher level jazz improvisor.

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How to Play Bebop – Volume 3

David Baker has written three books on how to play bebop. This review will take a look at volume two.

The book begins with a preface that traces the beginning of bebop.

The book is divided into the following 8 chapters:

1. The Use of the II,V7 Progression in Bebop
2. The III, VI, II, V Progression in Bebop
3. The Major Chord
4. The II, V7 Progression in Minor
5. The Cycle in Bebop
6. The Use of the Turnback in Bebop
7. Other Important Formulae in Bebop
8. A New Approach To Constructing Bass Lines Based on the Bebop Scales

Chapter 8 is followed by an appendix entitled “A List of Essential Bebop Tunes for Memorization”.

The author includes a 101 bebop era II, V7 patterns in chapter 1.

Chapter 2 consists of a list of songs that contain the III,VI,II,V patterns followed by 100 III,VI,II,V patterns.

Chapter 3 contains 101 major patterns.

Chapter 4 provides a number of II,V7 patterns in Minor.

Chapter 5 provides a number of Cycle patterns.

Chapter 6 includes a number of turnback ( or turnaround ) patterns.

Chapter 8 begins by stating that the blues and “I Got Rhythm” chord changes occur most often in bebop and perhaps in all of jazz. The chapter lists several different formula and a list of songs that use the same formulae.

Chapter 9  provides a discussion on constructing bass lines using the bebop scale.

If you are serious about the bebop scale – this book should be in your library.

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David Baker’s How to Play Bebop 2 for All Instruments – Learning the Bebop Language: Patterns, Formulae and Other Linking Materials