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Intermediate Jazz Improvisation: Book & Online Audio

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Intermediate Jazz Improvisation Cover Image

Intermediate Jazz Improvisation: Book & Online Audio

A Study Guide for Developing Soloists

By George Bouchard

Level: Intermediate

Item: 24-IJI

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Description
This 274 page book features two audio play-along / demonstration tracks and 168 printable pages of transcribed solos transposed for C, B-flat, E-flat, and bass clef instruments! All aspiring jazz players find themselves at a point in their development where they are ready to go from playing "right notes" to playing meaningful solos, and making this essential leap can be frustrating. Intermediate Jazz Improvisation is for everyone wishing to bridge the gap between playing scales, chords, and licks to playing realistic, flowing jazz lines. It's specifically designed to build upon the knowledge you already have (basic chord and scale knowledge) to improve your understanding and skills as a soloist. The 2 play-along albums include selected tracks from Aebersold play-alongs coordinated with exercises and solo examples played on a separate channel and notated in the book. All parts in the book are transposed for all instruments.

"Useful for both private and classroom settings. Expanded version includes 168 pages of printable PDFs (all transposed for your key)! The large, information-packed book is 276 spiral-bound pages and includes transposed parts for B-flat, E-flat, and bass clef instruments. This popular book has become a classic! Testimonials are many about how this book is helping musicians who feel they're on a plateau in their development! Highly recommended. In-depth, complete, and extensive don't even begin to describe the information in Intermediate Jazz Improvisation. With over 400 pages, this is one of the most extensive study books I have seen on the market today. And since it is published by Jamey Aebersold, you know it comes with play-along albums. The topics covered in this book include the following: chromatic scales, half-diminished, and altered dominant chords, melodic connecting and major cadences, cycles, turnarounds, and sequences, substitutions, and symmetrical scales. Before each explanation about the topic at hand, patterns and exercises are given to illustrate the concepts. Once the patterns and theory (from the explanations) are learned, the student can flip to the second half of the book and apply the techniques to the sample jazz-standard tunes. Additionally, here the student can study written solos that incorporate the various techniques which are very conveniently labeled, aiding the student's analysis. This is an amazing book. With it's clear practice exercises and extensive essays, it will certainly assist in guiding any student along the right path." ---Joshua Musselwhite, Jazz Improv Magazine review

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Additional Details
Series: For All Instrumentalists
Publisher: Jamey Aebersold Jazz
ISBN10: 1-56224-066-8
ISBN13: 978-1-56224-066-0
UPC: 635621500334
SKU: 24-IJI

More about this title

Why we love this

Most improvisation methods throw students into the deep end or keep them wading in shallow water. Bouchard's approach lands exactly where intermediate players need it: moving from mechanical scale passages and borrowed licks into coherent, musical lines that actually sound like jazz. The dual-track audio setup (play-along plus isolated demonstration channel) lets students hear exactly what they're aiming for before attempting it themselves.

What to expect

Working through this book feels like having a mentor in the practice room showing you how professionals actually think through a solo in real time. The transcribed examples ground abstract concepts in concrete musical language, and the play-alongs give you a real rhythm section pushing you to commit to your choices.

Who it's for

Intermediate jazz students who have learned chords and scales but feel stuck playing predictable solos. Players who need a structured path to develop phrasing, rhythmic placement, and the ability to construct logical lines over changes. Band and jazz ensemble directors looking for a resource that bridges method book instruction and real ensemble performance.

How to get the most out of it

  • Isolate the demonstration track first to study phrasing and articulation; don't rush to play along until you can sing the solo confidently.
  • Transpose mentally as you practice across different keys rather than relying solely on the printed transpositions; this deepens your internalization of the material.
  • Record yourself soloing over the play-alongs weekly and listen back critically for rhythmic placement and tone quality, not just correct pitches.

How to use it

Use this as core curriculum in small-group jazz lessons or private study to supplement big band and combo rehearsals. The printable transpositions make it accessible across your entire ensemble, so saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and rhythm section players can all work from the same conceptual framework simultaneously.

Skills your students will build

  • constructing coherent melodic lines over chord progressions
  • identifying and using target notes within chord changes
  • understanding phrase structure and phrasing placement relative to the beat
  • transposing improvised concepts across multiple keys
  • listening critically to solo construction and rhythm section interaction
  • developing personal tone and articulation at the intermediate level

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