Description

Jazz Notes is your opportunity to take a lesson from a true jazz master. Mike discusses his background, the learning process, the importance of chord tones and embellishments, tension tones and lots of melodic ideas for major, minor and dominant chords. Additional solos include dozens of lines for the II-V-I progression plus 13 choruses of a jazz-blues jam. All is transcribed in music and tablature in the PDF included on the disc. 1 hr., 7 min.”I think I own copies of almost every recording Mike Stern has made (including as a sideman). I love his seemless blend of the most soulful aspects of electric blues and rock guitar vocabulary with a thorough harmonic understanding of jazz (especially bop). I also purchased the instructional video he did in 2001, as well as the “Ultimate Play-Along” book/cd set. For me, personally, “Jazz Notes” is the most informative and easy-to-decipher explication of devices Mike employs when improvising. The same information may be presented elsewhere and/or by other presenters; but it is great to hear Mike clearly lay out these important concepts. This is not a lesson for beginners – except that it may inspire. With humor and humility, this brilliant improviser discusses and demonstrates the importance of chord tones, of the Dorian scale in II-V-I progressions, and also how to incorporate these into playing blues. (Just listening to and watching Mike play the blues towards the end was worth the cost of the disc to me.)”- Review from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Notes-Mike-Stern/dp/B009CW56F6)