Let's Speak Jazz!: Saxophone Book

This workbook treats improvisation as a learnable language rather than an innate gift. Jacobsen's methodical approach to sound, technique, and jazz vocabulary makes it genuinely useful for saxophonists who are ready to move beyond transcription into actual musical thinking.

Opening this book feels like sitting down with an experienced mentor who respects your intelligence. The writing is direct and purposeful, moving from foundational sound work into the real mechanics of jazz playing without condescension or unnecessary mystique.

This book is designed for saxophonists with solid fundamentals who are serious about developing jazz language and want systematic instruction in improvisation. Both alto and tenor players will find relevant material, though the content assumes you already read fluently and understand basic harmonic concepts.

• Record yourself working through the exercises so you can hear your own sound development and intonation over time; listening back reveals patterns you miss in the moment
• Use the technical material to address specific issues in your improvisation rather than working through it sequentially; if your lines feel disconnected, focus on the phrasing and articulation sections
• Work the improvisation material over your own recordings of chord changes instead of relying only on written examples; your ear learns faster when you're actively solving harmonic problems
• Spend time on the sound production exercises even if they feel elementary; a focused tone is the foundation every improviser needs before adding vocabulary

Assign sections of this workbook to advanced jazz ensemble members during the school year, particularly in the fall when you're building your soloist roster. It also works well as a summer study guide for students serious about jazz performance, giving them structured work to do outside ensemble rehearsals.

• Jazz-specific sound production and tone control
• Harmonic analysis and chord-scale relationships
• Improvisation techniques and phrasing in a jazz context
• Articulation and stylistic approaches for jazz saxophone
• Listening and transcription methods for ear development