Big Book of Jazz Piano Improvisation: Keyboard/Piano Book & CD

Baerman organizes a notoriously sprawling subject into three logical, buildable sections that move from raw materials to real application. The inclusion of recorded examples on the accompanying CD means students hear exactly what Baerman describes on the page, eliminating guesswork about how patterns and concepts actually sound in practice.

Structured yet expansive. Baerman writes with the clarity of someone who has heard hundreds of students hit the same walls and knows exactly where to place an explanation or example to break through.

Intermediate to advanced pianists ready to move beyond basic comping and single-note soloing into sophisticated, intentional improvisation. This book rewards musicians who want to understand the why behind jazz choices, not just the what.

• Work through the scales and modes section methodically before jumping to application chapters; understanding your source material removes the ceiling on what you can do with it.
• Use the CD to internalize the concepts by ear, not just visually; pause frequently and sing or play the demonstrated ideas back before moving forward.
• Tackle one conceptual issue at a time and spend real time applying it to tunes you already know rather than trying to absorb everything at once.
• Return to chapters on patterns and rhythmic displacement repeatedly; these techniques often click differently once you've gained experience with earlier material.

Assign sections as independent study alongside ensemble rehearsals; a pianist working through this material will bring markedly better comping and solo skills to the band within weeks. The organized progression also works well as a semester-long course text for jazz piano students.

• Identifying and executing scales, modes, and harmonic source material in improvisation
• Constructing and recognizing melodic patterns over chord changes
• Managing rhythmic variety and placement within solos
• Using guide tones to navigate chord changes
• Executing locked-hands techniques
• Applying rhythmic displacement to avoid predictability
• Developing personal voice while grounded in harmonic function