Greg Fishman has done a great job of keeping the range of these etudes accessible for all players. The top note found in this book is an “A” above the staff, which is well within the range of developing trumpeters.

These etudes lay well on the trumpet, but there are also challenging intervals and fingerings that will make even the most accomplished player take a second
look. I like the idea of thinking outside the comfort zone for a particular instrument. Aside from the technical challenges found in these etudes, the player will also learn about solo development, melodic phrasing, variations on a theme, and leading tones. We need to challenge our skill-set on a regular basis if we are to go to the next level. Once these lines feel comfortable, smooth and swinging, you’ll most likely find the typical jazz or big band trumpet literature much more fun and interesting.

I hope you’ll enjoy playing these etudes as much as I enjoyed recording them. Many thanks to Greg Fishman for helping all of us get to the next level!

–– Wayne Bergeron

A new approach to learning the language of jazz.

It’s a book of musical concepts brought to life through the use of analogies, beautifully illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Mick Stevens.
Through eighteen chapters, this educational book shares fresh, creative approaches to the following topics:

• Practicing
(“Lifting Weights”)
• Ear training
(“The School Bell”)
• Harmonic awareness
(“Ketchup on a Brownie”)
• Phrasing like a pro
(“The Bus”)
• The importance of chord study
(“Polishing the Silver”)
• Common tones
(“Dual Citizen Notes”)
• Keeping your solos fresh and spontaneous
(“The Lobster Theory”)
• Hearing in harmonic context
(“Harmonic GPS”)
• Pacing your solo
(“The Waiter”)
• How to memorize major scales & key signatures.
(“Alligators, Elephants & Clowns”)
• Using chord substitutions
(Harmonic Turn Signals)
• Infusing your notes with life and energy
(“The Bobber Theory”)
• Using taste to differentiate the sounds of chords.
(“Apple Chords” – includes spellings for the 60 most common seventh chords)
• Two great ways to sequence a musical idea
(“The Snake”)
• Connecting with your listener
(“Tasting Harmony”)
• Organizing your musical furnishings
(“The Music House”)
• Scale note selection
(“The Kid and the Cupcake”)
• Transformative practice strategies
(“Running with the Pro Dogs”)
Notated musical examples, jazz etudes, and educational chord graphs are featured throughout the book to further illustrate and teach the musical concepts

The exercises in this set are designed to teach your ear to focus on the sound of each individual chord tone while simultaneously hearing the full chord. I developed this concept to provide a fun approach for all musicians who want to get involved with harmony on a deeper level in a direct and non-theoretical way.

The chord progression of every song represents a harmonic recipe created by the composer. Tasting Harmony helps you to fully stock your ear with the ingredients needed for each recipe. You’ll learn how to discern the different flavors, and use that ability to establish an emotional connection to your note choices. Sing and play along with vocalist Petra van Nuis and pianist Jeremy Kahn as they take you through a full menu of ear-enriching harmonic flavors.

Tasting Harmony Features

64 Pages + 1 Play-along CD with 81 tracks.   —   Available in C, Bb, and Eb Editions.

• Individual CD tracks train your ear to hear each chord tone over Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Dominant 7th sus, Dominant 7b9, Dominant 7#9, Minor 7th, Minor w/Major 7th, Minor 7b5, Diminished 7th, Major 6th, and Minor 6th chords.

• Train your ear by chord types, such as Major 7th, Minor 7th, etc., or by chord degrees, such as Roots, thirds, fifths, sevenths, ninths, etc.

• Includes a section on suggested use of the book and nine specific practice options.

• Eighty-one play-along tracks are included on the CD. Want to train for sharp 9ths on dominant chords? Play or sing along with track 40. Want to train for sharp 11ths on Major seventh chords? Just go to track 6. Easily locate and train for any chord tone over eleven different chord types.

• CD tracks are played in a wide variety of styles, including: bossa, samba, swing, 12/8, funk, gospel, and two-feel. This keeps things fun and fresh while training your ears, making tracks like “thirds over minor seventh chords” feel more like a song than just an ear training exercise.

• Perfect for all levels. From the eager novice to the seasoned professional, all levels of players will enjoy working with this book and CD set.

• Easily integrated into your daily practice routine.

• Perfect piano background tracks over every chord type so that you can practice licks in twelve keys…If you have a minor seventh lick that starts on the ninth of the chord, simply go to track 47 (ninths on minor seventh chords) and you’ll have the piano accompaniment to play the lick in all twelve keys. What if your lick starts on the third? No problem…go to track 44!

• Great for practicing scales and chord arpeggios in harmonic context.

• CD can also be used without the book for training your ear while commuting, walking, working out, etc.

• Excellent for working on intonation by matching pitch of the vocalist on the CD singing the circle of fourths over all the chord backgrounds.

The exercises in this set are designed to teach your ear to focus on the sound of each individual chord tone while simultaneously hearing the full chord. I developed this concept to provide a fun approach for all musicians who want to get involved with harmony on a deeper level in a direct and non-theoretical way.

The chord progression of every song represents a harmonic recipe created by the composer. Tasting Harmony helps you to fully stock your ear with the ingredients needed for each recipe. You’ll learn how to discern the different flavors, and use that ability to establish an emotional connection to your note choices. Sing and play along with vocalist Petra van Nuis and pianist Jeremy Kahn as they take you through a full menu of ear-enriching harmonic flavors.

Tasting Harmony Features

64 Pages + 1 Play-along CD with 81 tracks.   —   Available in C, Bb, and Eb Editions.

• Individual CD tracks train your ear to hear each chord tone over Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Dominant 7th sus, Dominant 7b9, Dominant 7#9, Minor 7th, Minor w/Major 7th, Minor 7b5, Diminished 7th, Major 6th, and Minor 6th chords.

• Train your ear by chord types, such as Major 7th, Minor 7th, etc., or by chord degrees, such as Roots, thirds, fifths, sevenths, ninths, etc.

• Includes a section on suggested use of the book and nine specific practice options.

• Eighty-one play-along tracks are included on the CD. Want to train for sharp 9ths on dominant chords? Play or sing along with track 40. Want to train for sharp 11ths on Major seventh chords? Just go to track 6. Easily locate and train for any chord tone over eleven different chord types.

• CD tracks are played in a wide variety of styles, including: bossa, samba, swing, 12/8, funk, gospel, and two-feel. This keeps things fun and fresh while training your ears, making tracks like “thirds over minor seventh chords” feel more like a song than just an ear training exercise.

• Perfect for all levels. From the eager novice to the seasoned professional, all levels of players will enjoy working with this book and CD set.

• Easily integrated into your daily practice routine.

• Perfect piano background tracks over every chord type so that you can practice licks in twelve keys…If you have a minor seventh lick that starts on the ninth of the chord, simply go to track 47 (ninths on minor seventh chords) and you’ll have the piano accompaniment to play the lick in all twelve keys. What if your lick starts on the third? No problem…go to track 44!

• Great for practicing scales and chord arpeggios in harmonic context.

• CD can also be used without the book for training your ear while commuting, walking, working out, etc.

• Excellent for working on intonation by matching pitch of the vocalist on the CD singing the circle of fourths over all the chord backgrounds.

The exercises in this set are designed to teach your ear to focus on the sound of each individual chord tone while simultaneously hearing the full chord. I developed this concept to provide a fun approach for all musicians who want to get involved with harmony on a deeper level in a direct and non-theoretical way.

The chord progression of every song represents a harmonic recipe created by the composer. Tasting Harmony helps you to fully stock your ear with the ingredients needed for each recipe. You’ll learn how to discern the different flavors, and use that ability to establish an emotional connection to your note choices. Sing and play along with vocalist Petra van Nuis and pianist Jeremy Kahn as they take you through a full menu of ear-enriching harmonic flavors.

Tasting Harmony Features

64 Pages + 1 Play-along CD with 81 tracks.   —   Available in C, Bb, and Eb Editions.

• Individual CD tracks train your ear to hear each chord tone over Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Dominant 7th sus, Dominant 7b9, Dominant 7#9, Minor 7th, Minor w/Major 7th, Minor 7b5, Diminished 7th, Major 6th, and Minor 6th chords.

• Train your ear by chord types, such as Major 7th, Minor 7th, etc., or by chord degrees, such as Roots, thirds, fifths, sevenths, ninths, etc.

• Includes a section on suggested use of the book and nine specific practice options.

• Eighty-one play-along tracks are included on the CD. Want to train for sharp 9ths on dominant chords? Play or sing along with track 40. Want to train for sharp 11ths on Major seventh chords? Just go to track 6. Easily locate and train for any chord tone over eleven different chord types.

• CD tracks are played in a wide variety of styles, including: bossa, samba, swing, 12/8, funk, gospel, and two-feel. This keeps things fun and fresh while training your ears, making tracks like “thirds over minor seventh chords” feel more like a song than just an ear training exercise.

• Perfect for all levels. From the eager novice to the seasoned professional, all levels of players will enjoy working with this book and CD set.

• Easily integrated into your daily practice routine.

• Perfect piano background tracks over every chord type so that you can practice licks in twelve keys…If you have a minor seventh lick that starts on the ninth of the chord, simply go to track 47 (ninths on minor seventh chords) and you’ll have the piano accompaniment to play the lick in all twelve keys. What if your lick starts on the third? No problem…go to track 44!

• Great for practicing scales and chord arpeggios in harmonic context.

• CD can also be used without the book for training your ear while commuting, walking, working out, etc.

• Excellent for working on intonation by matching pitch of the vocalist on the CD singing the circle of fourths over all the chord backgrounds.

Universal edition! Includes transposed parts for all C (treble clef), Bb, Eb and C (bass clef instruments).

This book is perfect for individual and ensemble use. Band directors can order multiple copies, hand out the books to the entire band, and they’re set for the entire year with ten great songs that can be used for daily warmups, phrasing studies, sight-reading, intonation training, section balance, etc.

These songs are also great for concert performance, and they’re easily opened up for multiple soloists. Chord progressions for the songs are based on popular standards, with harmonies similar to Satin Doll, Autumn Leaves, Summertime, etc.

The play-along CD features demonstration tracks of all songs, played by Greg Fishman on alto (3 songs) and tenor saxophone (2 songs), Victor Garcia on trumpet (3 songs) and Russ Phillips on trombone (2 songs). With this great variety of instruments demonstrating the tracks, everyone gets a chance to play and blend their sound with multiple instruments. CD also includes rhythm section-only tracks, perfect for soloing over the chord changes.

Jazz Phrasing for Trombone features ten melodic pieces which are easy to play, yet convey the essence of mainstream (Swing/Bebop/Bossa) jazz vocabulary. The pieces are catchy and melodic, demonstrating the use of sequence and voice-leading to make a musical statement.

The Phrasing for Trombone book includes a play-along CD featuring trombonist Russ Phillips playing each song with a world-class rhythm section.

The CDs also include tracks featuring Greg Fishman demonstrating each song on alto saxophone, giving trumpet and trombone players the option of playing along with trumpet or alto saxophone.

In addition, there are play-along tracks featuring just the rhythm section. These tracks are great for practicing the songs, chords, scales, voice-leading lines, and soloing over the chords progressions.

These books will provide valuable insights into a melodic approach to jazz improvisation. This book is recommended for players of all levels who wish to improve their tone, articulation, phrasing, and understanding of thematic development.

– Special Features of Jazz Phrasing for Trombone:

• Suggested Use Section – Detailed instructions on a variety of ways to work with the book.
• Style & Analysis Section – Clear, concise explanations of sequence, variation, and voice-leading
• Thematic Index – Lets you compare the opening themes of all ten songs in a convenient two page “at-a-glance” format. Also includes detailed information on the opening interval of each song, as well as the harmonic context of the opening interval.

Jazz Phrasing for Trumpet and  Jazz Phrasing for Trombone feature ten melodic pieces which are easy to play, yet convey the essence of mainstream (Swing/Bebop/Bossa) jazz vocabulary. The pieces are catchy and melodic, demonstrating the use of sequence and voice-leading to make a musical statement.

The Phrasing for Trumpet book includes a play-along CD featuring trumpeter Victor Garcia playing each song with a world-class rhythm section, while Phrasing for Trombone features trombonist Russ Phillips. The CDs also include tracks featuring Greg Fishman demonstrating each song on alto saxophone, giving trumpet and trombone players the option of playing along with trumpet or alto saxophone.

In addition, there are play-along tracks featuring just the rhythm section. These tracks are great for practicing the songs, chords, scales, voice-leading lines, and soloing over the chords progressions.

These books will provide valuable insights into a melodic approach to jazz improvisation. This book is recommended for players of all levels who wish to improve their tone, articulation, phrasing, and understanding of thematic development.

– Special Features of Jazz Phrasing for Trumpet and Jazz Phrasing for Trombone:

• Suggested Use Section – Detailed instructions on a variety of ways to work with the book.
• Style & Analysis Section – Clear, concise explanations of sequence, variation, and voice-leading
• Thematic Index – Lets you compare the opening themes of all ten songs in a convenient two page “at-a-glance” format. Also includes detailed information on the opening interval of each song, as well as the harmonic context of the opening interval.

Each volume of Jazz Phrasing for Saxophone includes ten songs and two play-along CDs. Saxophonist Greg Fishman demonstrates each song on both alto and tenor, backed by a world-class rhythm section featuring pianist Dennis Luxion, bassist Eric Hochberg, and drummer Phil Gratteau.

• Includes rhythm-section-only tracks to practice soloing over the chord progressions.
• The rhythm section is recorded in two different keys, allowing all saxes to read the same written part, ensuring that each song lays perfectly on all saxophones.

Perfect for improving:
• Tone
• Pitch
• Phrasing
• Articulation
• Swing-feel
• Sight-reading Skills