Playing Guitar in Jazz Band: Guitar Book & CD

The confidence that comes from finally understanding your role. Instead of fighting unfamiliar chord shapes or guessing at rhythm, you're learning voicings built for guitar and patterns that sit naturally behind a big band's groove.

Beginning to intermediate guitarists who have just joined a jazz ensemble and need to understand how their instrument functions in that context. This is equally valuable for band directors who work with guitarists but lack jazz guitar experience themselves and want to guide their players effectively.

• Treat the chord chart as a conversation, not a prison. Once you're comfortable with the basic voicing, listen to what the bass player is doing and adjust your rhythm to lock with the drummer's cymbal pattern.
• Start with minimal movement between chords. The less you travel on the fretboard, the cleaner your comping sounds and the more you can focus on rhythmic placement.
• Learn the voicings in multiple positions on the neck so you're not always camped in one area. This flexibility lets you stay out of the pianist's register and adapt to different key signatures without stress.

Use this as a standalone resource for any guitarist joining the jazz band mid-year or at the start of a program. The 48-page format means students can work through it independently while you focus rehearsal time on ensemble blend and section interaction. Teachers benefit from the book equally, as it clarifies guitar's role so you can coach your guitarist with specificity.

• Jazz chord voicings and voice leading suited to guitar
• Comping rhythms in swing, bebop, and other jazz feels
• Reading and interpreting real lead sheets and jazz chord charts
• Understanding harmonic function in a big band setting
• Coordinating rhythm with bass and drums