Chop-Monster, Book 2: Piano Acc. (Instrumental) Book & 2 CDs

Book 2 advances students into the ii-V-I progression across multiple keys, building on foundational material with real harmonic complexity. The call-and-response methodology keeps ears engaged while internalizing language, and two included CDs provide both the model performances students need and the accompaniment tracks for solo practice. Students graduate from isolated chords into the jazz progression that appears in virtually every standard they'll encounter.

Working through Chop-Monster Book 2 feels like learning jazz language the way musicians actually speak it: by listening, imitating, and then improvising. The progression from guided phrases to solo exploration creates real momentum, and the multiple keys prevent the material from becoming rote.

This book serves intermediate jazz pianists ready to work with the ii-V-I progression in multiple keys. It's equally valuable for jazz ensemble pianists who need comping vocabulary and for students preparing for jazz auditions or competitions where harmonic knowledge is essential.

• Listen through each recorded example multiple times before attempting to play. The goal is internalization, not immediate execution, so let the phrasing and articulation settle into your ear first.
• Practice the recorded licks slowly at first, then gradually increase tempo to match the CD. This mirrors how jazz musicians actually develop facility with new material.
• Switch between the model tracks and the accompaniment-only tracks frequently. The shift from imitation to independent playing is where the real learning happens.
• Record yourself improvising over the accompaniment tracks so you can hear what you're actually playing, not what you intended to play.

Assign this systematically as part of your jazz studies curriculum, perhaps dedicating the fall semester to Book 2 so students arrive at spring jazz festivals with solid ii-V-I facility. The book also works well for private lesson study, where a teacher can move at the student's pace through the progression and check understanding before moving forward.

• Playing the ii-V-I progression fluently in B-flat, E-flat, and F concert keys
• Recognizing and imitating jazz articulation and phrasing from recorded models
• Improvising melodic lines over chord changes with increasing independence
• Developing ear training for harmonic listening and response
• Building muscle memory for licks and patterns that anchor improvisation