Create arrangements with texture and style with this complete guide to arranging for large horn sections! Now, for the first time, learn the same jazz ensemble arranging techniques taught by renowned Berklee College of Music faculty, and studied by the best and brightest arrangers working today. While the book focuses on classic big band and jazz styles, the core information about horn harmony and arranging can be used for any style, from hip-hop to ska. "Arranging for Large Jazz Ensemble" includes all the information you need when creating horn charts, fueling and inspiring you with the charts of esteemed Berklee professors Jeff Friedman, Ted Pease, Scott Free, Greg Hopkins and Bill Scism. The play-along CD includes more than 60 demo tracks and arrangements written in the style of masters such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Gil Evans, and performed by Berklee faculty. Covers: writing and voicing techniques; soli, background and shout choruses; special effects; creating your own style and more.

Born in 1923, Barney Kessel played and recorded for over 40 years with hundreds of jazz greats, including Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Rich, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lester Young. This is the first book to document his unique life in music, from jamming with the big band of Benny Goodman to playing on many of Phil Spector's famed "Wall of Sound" records and producing a hit for Ricky Nelson. The comprehensive discography of hundreds of his jazz recordings will prove to be a valuable source of information for jazz historians for many years to come.

Blaydon on Tyne, England: Ashley Mark Publishing Co. ©2008

Play jazz piano with new facility and expression as Ray Santisi, one of the most revered educators at the Berklee College of Music, reveals the pedagogy at the core of Berklee's jazz piano curriculum. From beginning through advanced levels, "Berklee Jazz Piano" maps the school's curriculum: a unique blend of theory and application that gives you a deep, practical understanding of how to play jazz. Concepts are illustrated by the accompanying practice CD, where you'll hear how one of the great jazz pianists and educators of our time applies these concepts to both jazz standards and original compositions, and how you can do the same.

Boston, MA: Berklee Press ©2009

A valuable resource for learning the basics of jazz from Mike Steinel of the University of North Texas. It covers the basics of jazz, how to build effective solos, a comprehensive practice routine, and a jazz vocabulary of the masters.

How many times have you heard a jazz ensemble that sounds great, except - the chords played by the pianist do not "agree" with the ensemble voicings? This handbook is intended to be a reference guide, allowing the struggling pianist to take a "non-notated" piano part and come up with a sophisticated, accurate rendering of the music in minutes. Almost immediately, your jazz ensemble will sound better, and your aspiring pianist will get a boost in self-esteem. This handbook is also great for composers and arrangers.

In honor of its 75th anniversary, DownBeat's editors have compiled the best interviews, insights and photos from the world's top jazz magazine in this 352-page anthology. Features include early legends like Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman; bebop heroes such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis; unique voices like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Thelonious Monk and Rahsaan Roland Kirk; and electronic pioneers including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Joe Zawinul.

Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Books ©2009

Few American artists in any medium have enjoyed the international and lasting cultural impact of Duke Ellington. With Duke Ellington's America, Harvey G. Cohen paints a vivid picture of Ellington's life and times, taking him from his youth in the black middle class enclave of Washington, D.C., to the heights of worldwide acclaim. Mining extensive archives, many never before available, plus new interviews with Ellington's friends, family, band members, and business associates, Cohen illuminates his constantly evolving approach to composition, performance, and the music business...as well as issues of race, equality and religion. Ellington's own voice, meanwhile, animates the book throughout, giving it an intimacy and immediacy unmatched by any previous account.

Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press ©2010

Playing music should be as simple as drawing a breath, yet most musicians are hindered by self-consciousness, apprehension and stress. Kenny's remarkable work deals directly at overcoming the distractions that can make musical performance difficult by taking control of our thought process. Inspiring and insightful!

Over 200 photographs, spanning six decades of jazz history, tell the story of drummer and jazz legend Gene Krupa! Many of today's leading drummers share their insight about Gene, including: Peter Erskine, Ed Shaughnessy, David Garibaldi, Alex Acuna, and Steve Smith. The companion CD includes eight previously unreleased tracks!

Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Publishing, Inc. ©2005