Chop-Monster, Book 2: 2 CDs

Shelly Berg built this method on something teachers know works: the call-and-response model that lets students absorb jazz language through their ears before they improvise. Book 2 pushes into the ii-V-I progression across three keys, giving intermediate improvisers the harmonic foundation they need for real jazz contexts without overwhelming them with abstraction.

These recordings pulse with the authentic swing and groove of a working jazz rhythm section, making the learning feel grounded in real music rather than theoretical exercises. Students hear professionals playing the progression, which sets the standard for how it should sound and feel.

This book serves intermediate jazz students and high school jazz ensembles ready to move beyond basic blues forms into functional harmony. It works equally well for self-study and group instruction, giving directors a resource that meets students where they are.

• Have students sing the recorded phrases before playing them. This transfers the call-and-response relationship from listening to physical muscle memory.
• Isolate one key at a time before moving to the next. The progression is straightforward, but shifting between B-flat, E-flat, and F requires mental adjustment.
• Don't skip the imitation step. The method only works if students internalize the sound first and improvise second.
• Create accountability by having pairs take turns improvising while the other listens. It shifts the focus from "getting it right" to "developing your voice."

Use this as your improvisation curriculum during the second semester or when your ensemble has solidified their basic jazz vocabulary. You can layer it alongside big band charts that use ii-V-I changes, giving students a method for approaching solos they'll actually play in performance.

• Improvising over the ii-V-I progression in multiple keys
• Internalizing jazz phrases through listening and imitation
• Transposing improvisational concepts across different tonalities (B-flat, E-flat, F)
• Developing swing feel and rhythmic independence
• Building vocabulary for functional harmonic movement