JPSL Table of Contents

The Jazz Piano StudyLetter

Annotated Table of Contents

for all the issues of The Jazz Piano StudyLetter. Articles reproduced on this website are highlighted as links.

Page numbers run consecutively through all issues. All articles, except those marked with an asterisk, are by Darius Brotman.

No. 1

Multiple Appogiaturas	1	Two moving inner voices in progressions.
The Altered Scale	3	Discussion of b9,#9, #11, #5 scale. First of a series.
*The Jazz Piano Book*	5	Review of Mark Levine's text.
Style Analysis: Kenny Barron	5	Transcription and discussion of I Love Yousolo.
Playing 3/4 time	8	Brief discussion.

No. 2

Blues melodic style: the basics	9	The blues 7th chord, the two blues scales, and blues riffs.
A Note on Reviews	10
*Jazz Theory*	11	Review of Ken Stanton's text, now out of print.
CD Review: Danilo Perez	11
Walter Bishop, Jr. Master Class	11	Bish's instructional video.
Practicing Scales	11	General discussion, with suggested pattern of constantly changing starting points.
Six-note scales	13	Some scales adding a note to the pentatonic.
Style Analysis: Bud Powell	14	Oblivionsolo analyzed.
Combining Upper Structures	17	Advanced chord voicings with more than one upper structure.
Great Warm-up Exercise	18	A 12-key strength and dexterity exercise by George Cables.

No. 3

Substituting Vsus(b9) for V7	19	An awkwardly titled discussion of the sus. b9 chord.
Filling in the Blues Structure	20	A too brief discussion of the 12-bar blues progression.
A Diminished-scale Voicing	21	Different ways to use the 3-note chord of a perfect 4th stacked over an augmented 4th.
Dorian minor	22	Details of this basic scale. Melodic patterns, upper structures, etc.
Good news	24	Science proves practice makes perfect.
Jessica Williams	24	A plea for greater recognition for this pianist.
A Chromatic Approach	24	A skeptical review of David Liebman's text.
The Ultimate Jazz Fakebook	25	A boost of an underrated songbook.
Style Analysis: McCoy Tyner	25	Monk's Bluessolo shows Tyner's unique approach to the blues.
A Real 5-Finger Exercise	28	A Hanon-like exercise by the author, using unaccustomed finger sequences.

No. 4

Typology of Dominant 7th Chords	30	My theoretical approach.
The Diminished Scale	32	Its symmetries, patterns; the four triads.
The Case of Stan Getz	34	A comment on Getz's peculiar position in jazz history.
Style Analysis: Keith Jarrett	34	So Tendersolo is analyzed and found to be quite inside.
Your Repertoire, and Fakebooks	35
Letters	37	A few raves from readers.
Time and the River	37	Comments on swing.
*The Universal Mind of Bill Evans*	38	Review of this strange old video.
Weight	38	Relaxation exercise from the old classical school.
*Developing a Voicing Vocabulary (I)	39	Left hand rootless voicing exercise. San Diego State's Rick Helzer is the author.

No. 5

*Reinventing Stella:a Case Study*	41	Reharmonization of standard, based on broad principles.
The Half-Diminished Scale	43	Another discussion of a basic scale.
Basics: L. H. Rootless Voicings	44	Fundamental II-V-I stacked-third voicings. "A" and "B" positions. With exercise. First of a series.
More on Mixolydian	45	A more penetrating discussion of McCoy Tyner's use of this scale in his blues style.
*Developing a Voicing Vocabulary (II)	47	A further exercise from Rick Helzer.
No Mind	49	Application of Zen principles to jazz.
*Dick Hyman, Piano Pro*	49	A review of a book probably not worth reviewing.
Utterly Unimportant Fact	50	Meet the mel.
Style Analysis: Bobby Timmons	50	The Openersolo. Classic bebop lines, though post-1960.
An Oscar Peterson Run	51	A Tatumesque descending scale.

No. 6

Nonconforming Scale Choices	54	Using seemingly "wrong" scales over chords.
*The Harmony of Bill Evans*	55	Review of Jack Reilly's book. Less than meets the eye.
*Salsa Guidebook*	55	Rebeca Mauleon's good textbook is reviewed.
Basics: Shells	56	The two-note left hand figures used by Bud Powell and his followers.
Style Analysis: Th. Monk	57	Ugly Beautysolo is studied and found both too hard and too easy to analyze.
Two from Maybeck	57	CD reviews (Barron and Norris).
Summary of the Melodic Minor System.	59	A reference chart of the melodic minor modes.
Major 7 #5 chords	60	A hot chord of recent years.
Triads and Their Added Notes	61	Using triad arpeggios, with added 9 or b9 or #9 or #11, in improvised lines.
Lydian Dominant	62	Another basic scale.
*Developing a Voicing Vocabulary (III)	63	Rick Helzer at it again.

No. 7

Turnarounds	66	A fraction of what could be said. Four good transcribed examples.
Neighbor tones	68	A basic melodic device.
Book Reviews	69	Jazz Anecdotes; From Birdland to Broadway; Handbook of Chord Substitutions; Ways of the Hand.
Style Analysis: Stephen Scott	70	A fast rhythm changes solo (Crazeology).Devices to sound hip at fast tempos.
Basics: the Circle of Fifths	73	A detailed explanation.
The Whole-Tone Scale	74	Another in the Scale series.
Descending from bV(mi7b5)	75	A common descending progression in reharmonizations of standards. Examples.
Using Visualization in Practice	77	A well-known modern practice concept.
A Cedar Walton Flourish	77	A fascinating little descending run.
Altered-scale exercise	77

No. 8

A b13 Scale	78	An invented 8-note scale (phrygian with added maj. 3, or lydian with added #9, are two modes.)
Correct Ending to Blue Monk	79	Monk's own ending, that nobody uses.
*Parallel So WhatChords*	79	Moving stacked-fourth voicings in parallel.
Basics: Alterations	79	Detailed discussion of b9, #9, #11, and #5.
The Tonic Minor Scale	81	The "minor-major" or "melodic minor" scale.
*The Lydian Chromatic Concept*	83	A summary and review of George Russell's well-known theoretical text.
*Thinking in Jazz*	84	A dissent from the chorus of praise for Paul Berliner's massive study.
More book reviews	85	The Jazz Improvisation Series by John Mehegan; The Augmented Scale in Jazz by Weiskopf & Ricker; Latin Jazz Piano Techniqueby Olegario Diaz.
Style Analysis: Mulgrew Miller	86	Solo on Without a Song.
Dan Delaney	86	Note about a teacher who offers personalized video lessons by mail.
Diminished-scale exercise	89

No. 9

Notes on Inner Urge	91	Discussion of the modern harmony of Joe Henderson's tune.
Classic Album	92	The album in question is Night Dreamer (Wayne Shorter).
Two-chord Jams	93	An excellent way to work with students.
Deep Thoughts	94	Different ways of focussing on music.
Basics: Upper Structures	94	Those triads from another key in the right hand.
Style analysis: Horace Silver	97	Solo from The Opener.
Lenny Tristano Scales	100	Lenny's weird scale exercises, with a page of examples.
Joy Spring intro	100	Everyone should know the authentic intro to Clifford Brown's classic.
Shpfltnat	100	A superior music font for your computer.
Think Lydian	100	Using the lydian scale as a basic resource.

No. 10

Deconstructing Stars Fell on Alabama	.103	An analysis of the tune's progression and ideas for reharmonization.
My Philosophy	106	A summary of my ideas about studying jazz improvisation.
Style Analysis: Kenny Kirkland	107	His Ana Mariasolo. Modern, but straightforward.
Playing Rhythm Changes Today	110
Basics: the Chord/Scale Concept	111	Scales are chords, and chords are scales.
Complex Intro Vamps	112	Examples of carefully composed introductory vamps, by Geri Allen and Allen Farnham.
Melody is King	113	A reminder of what's really important.

No. 11

Progression Fundamentals (I)	115	Circle of fifths progressions.
1 2 4 5 Scales	116	These 4-note scales are a good right hand resource.
*The Jazz Theory Book*	117	Review of Mark Levine's newer work.
**The Contemporary Jazz Pianist*	119	A long review of Bill Dobbins' 4-volume instructional work, by contributor Roger Smook.
Basics: Walking Bass Lines	120
Letter	121	From Dieter Feldkamp, a jazz teacher in Germany.
Reflections: the Early 60s	122	The classic Blue Notes of Shorter, Mobley, etc.
Style Analysis: Jessica Williams	123	Her unique lush style on Dear Lord.
"Coltrane Changes" exercise	126	Left hand rootless voicings for a Coltrane-style progression.
Corrections	126	Errata from previous issues.

No. 12

V11	127	Using the unaltered 11th with dominant chords.
An Exotic Scale Revisited	128	More on the "b13 scale" introduced in No. 8.
Good Reads	130	Seven jazz books I like.
Basics: Chord Voicings in Two Hands	130
Style Analysis: Jim McNeely	132	Sipping at Bell's,a good F blues example.
Close-position Pedal Point Progressions	136	Voicing turnaround progressions within an octave's space.
Two Resources	137	Ekay Music's transcriptions; the Encore/Coda music camp.
Jazz Zen (Further Thoughts)	137
Slow Scale Practice	137	Ideas from The Art of Piano Playingby George Kochevitsky.

No. 13

Progression Fundamentals (II)	139	Stepwise progressions.
Charlie Parker Omnibook	141	Essential in your library.
Charlie Parker's Bebop Lines	141	Some of his melodic devices.
Style Analysis: Bill Evans	143	From Sareen Jurer.My longest transcription.
Basics: Harmonic Rhythm	148	An important and neglected subject.
*On Motivation	149	By Dieter Feldkamp.
Jazz Primer on the Web	150	Never mind—this web page exists no longer.
Ninths	150	Making bell-like voicings with ninths.

No. 14

X#9	151	A dominant 7th with 9, #9, #11, 13.
*Before We Go On	152	More ruminations of Dieter Feldkamp. Articulation of Straight, No Chaser.
Rock 'n Roll	153	Back to basics.
Marantz Field Recorder	154	The Cadillac of portable tape recorders.
Style Analysis: Chick Corea	154	Upper Manhattan Medical Group.
Comping	159	General comments on this important skill.
*The Art of Comping*	160	A lukewarm review of Jim McNeely's instructional CD and workbook.
*The Barry Harris Workshop*	160	Four hours of video and a workbook explain Barry's tried and true teaching system.
Ending to 'Round Midnight	162	The familiar samba-time coda is rarely written down.

No. 15

Counterpoint	163	Moving inner voices. They arise from harmonic ideas.
*A Threefold Way of Learning	165	Dieter Feldkamp discusses the "centers" of the mind.
Barry Harris melodic exercises	166	My own piano version of some of his beginning workouts.
*Development of Blues Form	167	By Duncan Burgess.
Style Analysis: Gene Harris	167	The bar-room style Blues for Rhonda.
Basics: Suspended chords	171
My System	173	22 chord types, with my own system of symbols.
Dept. of Amplification	173	More comments on comping, and on chains of dominant 7ths.
Tea for Twoby Tatum	174	A harmonic variation.

No. 16

The Augmented Family	175	Augmented 7th, augmented with 9th, whole tone, and altered chords. An unusual chord substitution is suggested.
*Listening	177	Dieter Feldkamp on real listening.
Crush Voicings	177	Voicings with semitones in them.
Transcribing	178	Tricks of the trade.
Style Analysis: Herbie Hancock	179	Dance Cadaverous.
Basics: Passing Diminished Chords	183	Filling space harmonically with diminished chords.
Two Hands	185	The left and right hands have different natures.
Up 1-4-5, Down Bop b9 Exercise	186

No. 17

Moment's Notice:Turnarounds	187	The progression of Coltrane's tune is analyzed, and variations of turnarounds are discussed.
The Improvised Line	189	The most basic devices of right-hand melody.
*Reviews	190	Feldkamp recommends two recent works, Key Jazz Rhythms,by Fred Lipsius, and Jazz Conception,by Jim Snidero.
*Thoughts on Learning Jazz	191	Dieter Feldkamp favors listening to the masters instead of practicing exotic scales.
Style Analysis: Wynton Kelly	192	Groovin' Highand Well You Needn't.
Long-term Musical Development	195	Music students dream of mastering their shortcomings, but rarely do so.
Groovin' High:original arrangment	196	Dizzy's intro, breaks, and coda.
Eurhythmics	196	The "Dalcroze" method of studying rhythm, and integrating the body and mind, should be better known.
Arpeggio-rest exercise	198

No. 18

Progression Fundamentals (III)	199	Progressions in 3rds; the "leading-tone" dominant; "Coltrane" changes.
*Effortless Mastery*	201	Kenny Werner's recent book on spiritual development is recommended.
*Technique	201	General discussion by Dieter Feldkamp.
Style Analysis: Jimmy Rowles	203	An elegant Sophisticated Lady.Bass line too.
*Fast Jazz Improvisation	206	Feldkamp once more, with some serious bebop exercises and practice recommendations.
Me, me, me	209	I'm sorry already I took up space with this autobiographical entry.
New Scale Exercise	209	A more evolved form of the scale method in No 2.

No. 19

Introductions	211	A discussion of "intros" with 4 great examples.
*Basic Rhythmic Sensibility	213	Dieter Feldkamp discusses some profound basic rhythm exercises.
Style Analysis: Walter Norris	215	Crazy She Calls Me,an unusual standard, is given Norris's special harmonic treatment.
Rhythmic Identity	220	Different beats of the measure have different meanings.
Pentatonic Scales	221	Whole books have been written on this subject, but I have just a few comments.
Still More Thoughts on Scales	222	I must be obsessed with this topic.
*American Popular Song*	222	Alec Wilder's very worthwhile history is written from a musician's point of view.

No. 20

The "Other" Dom. 7 Substitute	223	First there was bII7, then bVII7, and now III7.
Ballad Time	224	Playing ballads involves feeling time on many levels. Time After Timeis the example.
Improvisatory approach to line facility	226	Building free improvisation skills from simple gestures.
Style Analysis: Cedar Walton	226	For All We Knowreally swings.
Going for the Dance	230	Communicating rhythm is the great thing.
*Practice	231	Dieter Feldkamp discusses practicing, and gives some exercises for sharpening your focus.
*Cross-rhythm	232	Feldkamp on a resource that's used in just about every jazz solo.
Voicing Ideas for Prelude to a Kiss	233	Duke's classic becomes a showcase for my wacky voicing ideas.
*Oscar Peterson Exercise	235	A rhythm exercise, left out last issue.
Short Takes	235	Seven ideas that might have been articles, if there were any more issues.
IAJE Convention	237	Themeeting of the jazz world.
New Sleeping City	237	A valedictory offering--one of my own tunes.

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