Jazz Guitar Books

[sicourtjon]

Hi all,

For intrest, I thought I would start this thread all about Jazz guitar tutor/method books especially the old ones. Perhaps those who intrested could share what books you have, maybe include images?

Here are mine in order obtained:
1. Jazz Picture Chords by Artie Traum
2. From Rock to Jazz by Ian Cruickshank
3. Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar Volume 1
4. Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar Volume 2
5. Swing and Big Band Guitar Charlton Johnson
6. Dance Band Chords for Guitar by Eric Kershaw
7. Jazz Chord Progressions by Boyd
8. Chord System for Rhythm and and Orchestra Guitar. Mel Bay
9. Modern Reading Text in 4/4 Louis Bellton
10. Odd Time Reading Text in 3/4 Louis Bellton
11. Pentatonic Khancepts by Steve Khan
12. Contemporary Chord Khancepts by Steve Khan
13. Jazz Guitar Method by Ronny Lee.

Hope to see yours soon. ?

[grahambop]

Here are some I’ve got. As I recall, someone who worked with my dad used to play guitar, but gave it up and passed these books on to me (this was about 40 years ago!)

[Christian Miller]

The Eddie Lang guitar method? (Not actually written by Eddie.)

[Christian Miller]

The George Van Eps books
(GVE Guitar method is prewar IIRC)

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Here are some I’ve got. As I recall, someone who worked with my dad used to play guitar, but gave it up and passed these books on to me (this was about 40 years ago!)

Clearly, I need to work on my mustachios.

[grahambop]

Clearly, I need to work on my mustachios.

One problem with these books is that they contain no advice about that.

[grahambop]

Also got this, but only as a pdf which I got from djangobooks.

[grahambop]

A couple more I’d forgotten about:

[Rob MacKillop]

We have the same library, Graham.

[grahambop]

Haha, yes. Must admit the only one of these books I ever used much was the Ivor Mairants daily exercises. But I keep them all, as they are interesting to look at. One day I might go through the Van Eps book, I have played a bit of that one.

I think I sent you a copy of the Hy White book once. Possibly an ulterior motive on my part, as I was hoping you would record some of the pieces (I seem to recall you did one or two perhaps?).

[Rob MacKillop]

But why listen to me, when you can hear the man himself?

And he was once in The Beatles!

[grahambop]

Yes he sounds good on that blues, good rhythm and tone. I can see him handling a Beatles tune well!

The ‘failed guitarist’ guy also gave me this book (not jazz). Although I played classical guitar, it was not much use to me, as it is in Spanish and French only!

[Rob MacKillop]

There is an English translation available now. He studied with Tárrega, and his teaching personifies that school. Like all the best classical guitar players, he played without nails

[grahambop]

Actually my French ought to be good enough to read it now (seeing as I have a degree in French and Economics!), just never looked at it much.

Thinking back, I reckon I was given all these books earlier than I thought, i.e. while I was still at school. The same person also gave me the Hofmeister edition of the Bach lute music, and I know I learned some pieces from that book with my guitar teacher at school.

[Dean7887]

Here's another book by Eric Kershaw. It's more a collection of pieces rather than a method, but it's still a fun one to have.

[Dean7887]

This method is by Emile Grimshaw, who gave banjo lessons to Ivor Mairants.

[Dean7887]

I really like this little book by Bill Tringham, which concisely lays out his approach to playing rhythm guitar, as well as having a few fun solos for plectrum guitar.

[sicourtjon]

Hello Rob,
It's always a pleasure to to see and hear you play any stringed instrument. The Eastman sounds very nice. You inspired me to try and work through the Mickey Baker book with your videos.
You are a great ambassador for the guitar. Thank you.

[uschmidtguitar]

1. Advancing Guitarist: Applying Guitar Concepts and Techniques Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick
2. Joe Pass Guitar Style: Learn the Sound of Jazz Harmony and Melody by Joe Pass and Bill Thrasher
3. Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
4. The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
5. Chord Connections by Robert Brown

[citizenk74]

1. Advancing Guitarist: Applying Guitar Concepts and Techniques Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick
2. Joe Pass Guitar Style: Learn the Sound of Jazz Harmony and Melody by Joe Pass and Bill Thrasher
3. Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
4. The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
5. Chord Connections by Robert Brown

[rpjazzguitar]

Not necessarily the best, but the ones I used profitably:

1. Rhythms Complete by Colin/Bower. A great f/u after the second Mel Bay book. Play it all, and then an octave up.

2. Jazz Theory by Mark Levine. I read criticism of it, but I haven't seen a better written text book in any field. I think it's great.

3. Brazilian Guitar Styles by Nelson Faria. This is a niche topic, but within that niche, this book can actually teach you how to comp. Examples are from major recordings. You have to read standard notation.

4. Warren Nunes did several books I found helpful, but I studied with him, so it's hard to know what I got from the books and what I got from him. I learned about tonal centers and reharmonization. The Jazz Guitar Portfolio is thin but good. There was another one with tonal centers for soloing that was helpful. The Blues book showed me reharm that I could easily appreciate back then. I got some grips out of the Chord Bible, but not that much.

5. Almir Chediak's series of song books. The gift therein is that he has the guitar chord diagrams reportedly from the composers (if they were guitarists, which some were). These grips were not obvious to me, so the books were helpful.

Among the books I'm not including in my "profitable" list are Joe Pass's method, the thinner George Van Eps book, Ted Greene's chord and single line books, and Mickey Baker's book (I came upon it after I had learned most of the material, so maybe this isn't fair). I think other people got more from those sources than I could.

I also have a bunch of books of jazz licks and the Parker Omnibook. I was unable to get much from that actually into my playing.

[maxsmith]

Like most guitar players I’ve bought a lot of books - dozens, hundreds? These are the few that had the most influence on the way I play jazz and guitar in general.

Not a lot of single line jazz guitar books here except for the Pat Martino - most of my education in that area came from transcribing - Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell and Wes most of all.

Mick Goodrick, The Advancing Guitarist

Eddie Arkin, Creative Chord Substitution for Jazz Guitar (this one is really really good, and I rarely see it talked about)

Pat Martino, Linear Expressions

Barry Galbraith, Jazz Guitar Study Series, #3: Guitar Comping

Jimmy Bruno, The Art of Picking

Steve Khan, Contemporary Chord Khancepts

I add these Leavitt books not so much because they directly affected my jazz playing but because they helped me develop a solid knowledge of the fingerboard and reading skills that enabled me to get a lot of gigs I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

William Leavitt, Modern Method for Guitar Vols. 1, 2, & 3

William Leavitt, Melodic Rhythms for Guitar

William Leavitt, Reading Studies for Guitar

[papandré]

Hello,
I will be very grateful if you could send me a copy of this book.
Thanks

[Roberoo]

George Barnes has a couple of interesting books mostly focused on single note playing. I got them for 99 cents a piece but unfortunately the covers were destroyed so no pictures.

[sicourtjon]

Check out this great book. There’s one written for rhythm guitar also.