These three comprehensive instruction books from Alfred and the National Keyboard Workshop reveal the secrets of blues keyboard. Students at the intermediate level or above can learn to play and improvise in the blues style with this fun and easy-to-use method. Great as a supplement to traditional piano lessons, or as a primary method for the serious blues student, the "Beginning" book allows the student to dig right in and begin learning blues right away with basic chords and scales, blues melodies, improvisation, turnarounds, intros, twelve-bar blues form, and walking bass. The "Intermediate" book starts with a review and explores chord extensions, blues techniques, building bass lines, playing in the key, ii-V substitutions, slow blues, twelve and eight-bar blues. The "Mastering" book also begins with a review and covers techniques such as tremolos, octaves, grace notes, two-handed chords and various styles such as Chicago blues, New Orleans R&B, jazz blues and more. A CD demonstrating examples and for playing along is available for each book.

This series from Alfred and the National Keyboard workshop reveals all the secrets to playing jazz keyboard. It provides a fun way for the player with intermediate-level or above note-reading and keyboard experience to gain valuable playing and improvisational skills. The "Beginning" book spans the major scale and basic triad theory all the way through 7th chords, pentatonic scales and modulating chord progressions and features a full etude or tune demonstrating every new concept. The "Intermediate" book includes a review of book one, a continuation of modes, chord extensions, making the changes, using chromatic tones and guide tones, chord substitution, "rhythm changes," the blues, altered dominant chords and more. The "Mastering" book starts with a review and quickly moves on to the more advanced concepts of chord voicings, modal soloing, substitution, reharmonization, modes of the minor scales, diminished and whole tone scales, walking bass, stride piano technique, non-diatonic progressions and much more. The optional CD demonstrates examples and gives the student an opportunity to play along. The optional "Beginning" DVD runs 45 minutes and offers comprehensive instruction so any keyboardist with basic keyboard skills can dig right in and begin learning jazz right away.

Editors' Choice
Great on its own or as a supplement to any piano method, That's Jazz is perfect for the adolescent and adult student who wants to learn the main styles of jazz (swing, Latin and rock) and have loads of fun playing the piano. Written by acclaimed jazz pianist, composer and educator Bradley Sowash, this method will give your students a huge dose of inspiration. The three books in the series progress from the early intermediate to late intermediate levels. Each book offers awesome original jazz tunes by Bradley Sowash. All aspects of playing jazz are clearly explained in digestible doses. Students are given plenty of opportunities to try new concepts and to improvise. The enclosed CD includes a performance of each tune in the respective collection, including the duet part. The Performance Books may be used in conjunction with the core Book & CD or alone and includes many new tunes and instruction on improvisation. Highly recommended, especially for the teen student.