ABSTRACT

Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study, Second Edition, is a comprehensive textbook for those with no previous study in jazz, as well as those in advanced theory courses. Written with the goal to bridge theory and practice, it provides a strong theoretical foundation from music fundamentals to post-tonal theory, while integrating ear training, keyboard skills, and improvisation. It hosts "play-along" audio tracks on a Companion Website, including a workbook, ear-training exercises, and an audio compilation of the musical examples featured in the book.

Jazz Theory is organized into three parts: Basics, Intermediate, and Advanced. This approach allows for success in a one-semester curriculum or with subsequent terms. If students sense that theory can facilitate their improvisational skills or can help them develop their ears, they become more engaged in the learning process. The overall pedagogical structure accomplishes precisely that in an original, creative—and above all, musical—manner.

KEY FEATURES include 390 musical examples, ranging from original lead sheets of standard tunes, jazz instrumentals, transcriptions, and original compositions, to fully realized harmonic progressions, sample solos, and re-harmonized tunes. The completely revamped Companion Website hosts:

  • 46 "Play Along Sessions" audio tracks, offering experiences close to real-time performance scenarios.
  • Over 1,000 (audio and written) exercises covering ear training, rhythm, notation, analysis, improvisation, composition, functional keyboard, and others. 
  • Recordings of all 390 musical examples from the textbook.
  • Links: Guide to Making Transcriptions, List of Solos to Transcribe, Selected Discography, Classification of Standard Tunes, and more.
  • Lists of well-known standard tunes, including a comprehensive list of 999 Standard Tunes – Composers and Lyricists.

NEW TO THE SECOND EDITION are instructors’ tools with answer keys to written and ear-training exercises, 380 rhythmic calisthenics featuring exercises from the swing, bebop, and Latin rhythmic traditions, a new improvisation section, a set of 140 Comprehensive Keyboard exercises, plus an expanded ear-training section with 125 melodic, 50 rhythmic dictations, and 170 harmonic dictations, plus 240 written exercises, 25 composition assignments, and 110 singing exercises.

The paperback TEXTBOOK is also paired with the corresponding paperback WORKBOOK in a discounted PACKAGE (9780367321963).

part One|112 pages

Basics

chapter 1|13 pages

Music Fundamentals

chapter 2|7 pages

Jazz Rhythms

chapter 3|10 pages

Harmonic Function

chapter 4|10 pages

Four-Part Chords

chapter 5|9 pages

Five-Part Chords

chapter 6|13 pages

The II–V–I Progression

chapter 7|13 pages

Modes

chapter 8|13 pages

Chord–Scale Theory

chapter 9|8 pages

The Blues

chapter 10|14 pages

Basic Improvisation

part Two|136 pages

Intermediate

chapter 11|9 pages

Voicing Formations

chapter 13|18 pages

Idiomatic Jazz Progressions

chapter 14|21 pages

Bebop Improvisation

chapter 15|10 pages

Bebop Blues

chapter 16|12 pages

The “Confirmation” Changes

chapter 17|12 pages

The Rhythm Changes

part Three|133 pages

Advanced

chapter 20|8 pages

Analyzing Jazz Lead Sheets

chapter 21|23 pages

Phrase Models

chapter 22|21 pages

Song Forms

chapter 23|24 pages

Reharmonization Techniques

chapter 24|9 pages

Post-Tonal Jazz—Atonality

chapter 25|20 pages

Set Classes in Jazz

chapter 26|16 pages

Twelve-Tone Techniques