This acclaimed resource, featuring audio examples of exercises, is available through Sher Music Co. Amazon.com AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more The Jazz Harmony Book - David Berkman - Amazon.com
"The Jazz Harmony Book" has received positive reviews from musicians, educators, and critics. Many praise the book's clear explanations, comprehensive coverage, and practical applications. Some reviewers have noted that the book assumes a basic understanding of music theory and jazz fundamentals, but overall, it is an excellent resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of jazz harmony.
, offers a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying reharmonization techniques in a creative, non-academic manner. The text introduces a unique model based on "concentric circles of harmonization" that, according to
Berkman is unique because he includes negative examples. He will show you a reharmonization that sounds "cheesy" or "forced" and explain exactly why it fails, then show you a subtle tweak that makes it sound professional.
The book offers strategies for reharmonizing standards and original compositions. This includes techniques for altering chord progressions to create new and interesting harmonic landscapes.
: Berkman encourages musicians to view chord progressions as a series of destinations reachable through various "routes," similar to the styles of Bill Evans or Herbie Hancock. Critical Reception
To get the most out of The Jazz Harmony Book , it should be treated as a long-term study guide rather than a quick read.
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7). Berkman provides clear visual layouts and audio-style concepts showing how this alters the bass line while preserving the essential guide tones (the 3rd and 7th of the chord). 5. Tonicization and Modulation
Jazz cannot exist without the blues. The book analyzes the traditional 12-bar blues structure and demonstrates how jazz musicians gradually "jazz up" the matrix using secondary II-Vs, turnarounds, and bird changes (inspired by Charlie Parker).
For advanced students, the book dives into late-bop and post-bop harmonic frameworks. This includes a thorough breakdown of (three-tonic systems moving by major thirds) and non-functional modal harmony popularized by artists like Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock. Practical Application: How to Study This Book
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The book is structured systematically, guiding the reader from foundational functional harmony to advanced modal and non-functional concepts. 1. Functional Harmony and Chord Substitution
By concentrating on how melodies and harmony interact, it directly helps improvisers understand the "tonality" of a tune, rather than just treating each chord as an isolated scale 1.2.5.
Mastering Modern Jazz: A Deep Dive into The Jazz Harmony Book by David Berkman