Jazz Piano Soloing/Voicing Help

[J-Red]

Hi, my name is Jarad Spence i go to Mt Lawley SHS in Perth, Australia, i have been playing piano for quite a while but only been playing jazz for roughly a year.

I can comp quite good, not as good as i want thoe, and i can solo, i can solo using a mixo scale for each chord, and that seems to work well, but when i listen to recordings they seem to play outside as such, and i just wanted to ask if any of you could give me some pointers to doing that.

With my comping, i do alright but i dont play the most interesting chord voicings, so when i go hear people such as WAYJO play i get blown away with there sound. So it would be great if you could also give me some chord substitutions and voicings

i know thats alot to ask, but right now all that really matters to me is my music and improving it.

thanks
Jarad Spence

[hglord]

Hi J-Red.

I'd suggest that you get copies of -- and study, really, really hard -- three books: Mark Levine's The Jazz Theory Book, The Jazz Piano Book (also by Mark Levine), and Hal Crook's How to Improvise - An Approach to Practicing Improvisation. The first two are published by The Sher Music Co. The third is published by Advance Music.

The first is a book on jazz harmony and is good for someone who plays any instrument. The second is specifically for keyboard players. Since you play piano (so do I), you may think that you only need the piano book. Not so! If you can only afford one of the above, get The Jazz Theory Book. It's the Bible. That's not to say that the piano book isn't important; it is. It's just that you need to know a lot more about theory and Levine is the best in that department.

Hal Crook's book is about structuring a solo so that it makes musical sense. Anyone can play notes. Anyone can make the changes. Not anyone can make music.

Good luck, man.

[graypencil]

I heartily second the above regarding the Levine books

[J-Red]

Thanks guys, i really apreciate your advice
im about to go hasel my folks for money to better my music (for thoes books).
Do you know if thoes books are available is Australia, if not i might just order them in. Anyway il check, Thanks.

Just for some more background info about me, im in Yr10 (making me 15 aprox) and im going for the certificate 4 course later on this year then hoping to go on to the con.
But first i want to get my sight reading up because thats not something im good at, i mainly play by ear or reading chord charts. I play in the school blues band its quite good but i dont like out trumpet section hehehe no confidence, i also jam every luch time with some friends and i go to school early monday to play with MY band and i prac with them saturdays.

Thanks again for that guys
Jarad Spence

Edit: i called my local friendly music shop (theos) and they said
Mark Levine's The Jazz Theory Book $85.00
An Approach to Practicing Improvisation $45.00
and he ran out of that other one.

[hglord]

The Jazz Theory Book is available directly from the publisher where it's listed for $40. Amazon has it for $38. I don't know anything about the conversion rate of Australian dollars to U.S. dollars, but $85 sounds pretty high.

Anyway, do a Google search on Mark Levine "The Jazz Theory Book" and you'll find lots of places to buy it.

[J-Red]

Here is Oz the average price for music books is $80, anyway il probally get it within the next few days.

[kanker]

New guy here, first post. Check out "Stylistic II/V7/I VOICINGS for KEYBOARDISTS" by Luke Gillespie. Inexpensive book, nothing but voicings. This is a must have for any keyboardist, IMHO.