Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 3: The ii-V7-I Progression for Guitar: Guitar Book & 2 CDs

The ii-V7-I is the harmonic backbone of jazz, yet many guitarists struggle to hear and navigate it across the fretboard. Christiansen's adaptation cuts through that confusion by giving students both notation and tab, coupled with two full CDs of real accompaniment. The ability to isolate bass and drums online means your students can fail safely, repeatedly, and without the recorded guitarist pointing out every stumble.

Clear and purposeful. The progression itself creates forward momentum that pulls toward resolution, and having both notation and tab removes the guesswork that often derails practice. Real accompaniment tracks make the abstract harmonic concept feel alive and grounded in real ensemble playing.

Advanced guitarists serious about jazz improvisation and comping who understand they cannot sidestep the ii-V7-I. Students working through other volumes in the Aebersold series, or those preparing for jazz standards in ensemble settings, will find this the focused, guitar-specific foundation they need.

• Start by singing the progression before touching the guitar. If you can hear the ii-V7-I resolution in your head, your fingers will follow more reliably.
• Use the bass-and-drums-only mixes to lock your comping pocket with the rhythm section. This trains your ear to hear harmonic movement as conversation, not isolation.
• Practice soloing over single ii-V7-I vamps at a slow tempo until chord changes feel automatic. Speed and repertoire come after the changes live in your hands.
• Compare your phrasing to the demonstration tracks, but don't imitate them note-for-note. Notice instead how the recorded guitarist breathes, emphasizes the guide tones, and lands on resolution.

Assign this to jazz guitar students who have mastered basic chord shapes but are ready to understand functional harmony in a practical way. It fits naturally into a jazz improvisation curriculum in the fall when ensemble arranging classes start tackling Real Book standards, or as summer preparation before student jazz combos convene. The 68-page depth is manageable for independent study while remaining substantial enough to anchor a semester of weekly lessons.

• Recognizing and hearing the ii-V7-I progression in multiple keys
• Comping changes using rootless voicings and guide tone lines
• Improvising melody over functional harmony
• Translating notation to tab and vice versa
• Maintaining pocket and rhythmic independence against a rhythm section
• Analyzing harmonic function rather than memorizing chord shapes