Kent Hewitt

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My Book

Jazz Piano

Methods and Songbooks for Professional Playing Vols. 1 and 2

By Kent Hewitt

I’m glad you are interested in my book. There is a hard copy version (USA only) $75 plus $10 shipping/tax for 2 volumes. It is only available through me and I custom print to order, which accounts for the price. I don’t know where you live so I don’t know if I can recommend the hard copy. I generally only sell it in the USA because it costs about $35 to ship to Europe, so I recommend getting the download and printing on your end, you save money. There is a download version (PDF) for $50 for 2 volumes, which has the advantage of being on your computer, plus having a hard copy should you choose to print it.

(note: please use a computer or laptop to make purchase). 

“Kent Hewitt’s Jazz Piano Methods and Songbook Volumes I and II (c2008) are a compendium of essential building blocks that the student of jazz must understand and master along the way toward playing at a professional level.”

Dorothy B - Piano Student

“Kent Hewitt’s Jazz Piano – Methods and Songbook is wonderfully unique among books of its kind.  Kent is able to combine music theory and practical applications and present them in a clear and consistently understandable way throughout the entire book.”

Peggy S - Piano Student

“I bought your book a month or so ago and I can’t tell you how happy I am with it; I am learning so much in a systematic way and the songs are arranged so musically, I am really, really impressed with all the thought and work that went into this, thank you. You should really promote it more, it’s by far the best piano AND music instruction book I’ve owned, and I’ve tried a lot of them. I’m finally making real progress thanks to you!”

Andrew O - YouTube Subscriber

“Hello Kent. I have 20 books on jazz. Reading some of them is like studying quantum mechanics! So there’s only one that I keep going back to and it’s yours. Pure clarity. It’s a work of genius. Best investment in my jazz training I ever made!”

Alexander M PhD

“ I’m full of admiration for the many kinds of knowledge and skill both in the music, but also in making such a nice clear lucid presentation of it. It’s a very attractive package …I would think any student would not only find it very helpful, but very inviting.”

William Zinnser - Author, Musician
Introduction

Jazz Piano

Methods and Songbooks for Professional Playing Vols. 1 and 2

By Kent Hewitt (c. 2008)

Over the course of many years of teaching jazz piano to people of varying levels of skill and experience, I have developed a keen appreciation of the practical needs of individual students. Since basic theory can be dull and ponderous, I have attempted to combine theory lessons with concrete examples and to augment each lesson with arrangements of songs that apply the concepts covered. The result is a step-by-step instruction book which combines lessons in theory and technique with easy-to-play arrangements of songs that every aspiring jazz pianist wants to learn.

This book is divided into two parts or volumes. Volume One will cover the basics of jazz theory and will enable students to play tunes from songbooks that contain only melodies and chords. The lessons in Volume One cover basic chords-triads and seventh chords and teach a variety of techniques needed for professional level performance. Many easy-to-play arrangements of popular tunes and jazz standards which apply the various techniques learned in the studies are also included.

In Volume Two the student will learn more advanced concepts to enable a higher level of professional playing; improvisation, reharmonization, multi- stylization, and more advanced upper structure chords are introduced in this volume.  As in Volume One, lessons are accompanied by exercises to help develop specific techniques.

The  Appendix will contain exercises in techniques, drills to practice, a chord syllabus, listening suggestions, and additional references to jazz methods. Scattered throughout the book are short biographical sketches of some of the legendary composers and jazz artists whose songs are contained within.

While there is no substitute for a good private jazz instructor, this book provides a practical and fun guide to developing the skills needed to play professional level jazz piano.

Table of Contents

Jazz Piano

Methods and Songbooks for Professional Playing Vols. 1 and 2

By Kent Hewitt (c. 2008)
Volume 1 -Table of Contents

Introduction

About the Author                                       

Chapter 1—Scales   

  • Lesson 1—The Chromatic Scale
    • Examples of Chromatic Scale: The Midnight Sun, Lover, Donna Lee, Early Autumn, Sophisticated Lady
    • Jazz Greats
  • Lesson 2—The Major Scale
    • Horizontal Movement
    • Notes Above the Octave
    • Vertical Movement
    • Melodic Phrases
    • Great Composers—Irving Berlin
    • Cycle of Keys—Major and Relative Minor
    • The Twelve Major Scales And the Twelve Minor Scales

Chapter 2—Intervals

  • Lesson 1 Major and Perfect Intervals
  • Lesson 2–Altered Intervals
  • Lesson 2–Intervals Above the Octave
  • Lesson 4–Altered Intervals Above the Octave
  • Lesson 5–Interval Summary
  • Lesson 6—Intervals—Other Keys
  • Lesson 7–Intervals in Tunes: Deed I Do, Cheek to Cheek, Exactly Like You, Satin Doll)

Chapter 3—Basic Chords

  •   Lesson 1–Triads—3-Note Chords
  •   Lesson 2–Other 3-Note Chords
  •   Lesson 3—All Triads—Sharp Keys
  •   Lesson 4–All Triads—Flat Keys
  •   Lesson 5– Scale Tone Triads
  • Lesson 6—Tetra Chords
    • Major Scale
    • Cycle of 5ths

Chapter 4—Basic Chord Progressions

  • Lesson 1—Basic Chord Progressions V I
  • Lesson 2—Dominant/Tonic Relationship
  • Lesson 3—I IV V I Progression (You Are My Sunshine)
  • Lesson 4—II V I Progression (I’ve Got You Under My Skin)

Chapter 5—Chord Inversions and Alterations

  • Lesson 1—Triad Inversions
  • Lesson 2—Slash Chords
  • Lesson 3—Triad Inversions-, You Are My Sunshine.
  • Lesson 4—Triad Alterations
  • Lesson 5— Altered Triads In Chord Progressions
    • I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me
    • Tunes with Triad alterations and Inversions, Love Me Tender, All Of Me
  • Lesson 6 -Right Hand Chord Inversions (You Are My Sunshine, Morning Has Broken

Chapter 6—The Minor Scales

  • Lesson 1—The Natural Minor Scale
    • The Natural Minor Scale
    • The Melodic Minor Scale
    • The Harmonic Minor Scale
    • Green sleeves,
    • Scale Tone Triads in Minor – Summertime
    • Summertime in Broken Tenths
    • The Great Composers—Gershwin

Chapter 7—Jazz Harmony

  • Lesson 1—Seventh Chords
  • Lesson 2—Other Four-Note Chords
  • Lesson 3—How to Practice Seventh Chords
  • Lesson 4—Chord Symbols
  • Lesson 5—Scale Tone Seventh Chords
  • Lesson 6—All Scale Tone Seventh Chords
    • Flat Keys
    • Sharp Keys

Chapter 8—Seventh Chord Inversions

  • Lesson 1—Inversions 7th Chords
  • Lesson 2— Tune with Roots and Inversions

Chapter 9—Seventh Chord Progressions

  • Lesson 1—The II V I Progression and the Cycle of Fifths
    • The Cycle of 5ths Diagram
  • Lesson 2—II V I (Don’t Blame Me, Bye Bye Blackbird)
  • Lesson 3—Cycle of 5ths—All

Chapter 10—Seventh Chord Alterations/Secondary Dominants

  • Lesson 1—Scale Tone 7th Alterations
    •  Tune for a New Day
  • Lesson 2—-Secondary Dominants
  • Lesson 3—Secondary Dominants and Cycle of Fifths
    • Don’t Blame Me
  • Lesson 4—-Secondary Dominants in Tunes
    • Just In Time Arrangement
  • Lesson 5—Jazz Chord Progressions, Primary and Secondary Dominants

Chapter 11—Harmonization for Jazz and Blues

  • Lesson 1—Scale Tone Sevenths—Harmonization Overview
  • Lesson 2—Blues Harmonizing in Thirds
    • Blue Monk
    • Great Jazz Pianists–Thelonious Monk
  • Lesson 3—The Blues Progression
    • Blues Solo
    • Blues in C
    • Great Blues Pianists–Pinetop Perkins
    • Down Home Blues
  • Lesson 4—Harmonizing in Thirds and Sixths and 3-Note Harmony
    • Sentimental Journey
    • Fly Me to the Moon
  • Lesson  5—Left Hand Voicing, 3-Note Chords
    • Love Me Tender
    • I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me
    • Great Composers – Duke Ellington
    • Satin Doll (version I)

Chapter 12 —Stride Techniques

  • Lesson 1—Stride techniques for All of Me
    • All of Me Examples
    • All of Me arrangement
    • Great Jazz Pianists- Fats Waller
    • Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Stride arrangement

Chapter 13—Spread Voicings, 4-Note Chords

  • Lesson 1—Spread Voicings, 3 and 4 Note Harmony
    • Don’t Get Around Much Any More
  • Lesson 2—Spread Voicing Rules in Detail
  • Lesson 3—Left Hand Open Fifths
    • All the Things You Are arrangement
    • Great Composers, Jerome Kern
  • Lesson 4—Spread Voicing Arrangements
    • I Can’t Believe You’re in Love With Me
    • Bye Bye Blackbird
    • It’s Only A Paper Moon

Chapter 14—Right Hand Chordal Technique

  • Lesson 1—Satin Doll (Version 2 and Version 3)

Chapter 15 – Review – Three Techniques for 7th Chords

  • I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me 3 techniques
  • Satin Doll – 3 techniques combined
Appendix material is available only as a separate order:
Appendix Volume 1
  • Practice Procedure
  • Interval Exercise
  • All Triads Chart
  • Scale Tone Triads Inversion Exercise
  • All 7ths Charts
  • II-V-I Exercises
  • Spread Voicings Exercise
Appendix Volume 2

Chapter 16—Left Hand Block Chords

  • Lesson 1—II V I Root Position
  • Lesson 2—Don’t Blame Me arrangement

Chapter 17—Upper Structure Chords

  • Lesson 1—Color Tones and Upper Extensions
  • Lesson 2—Ninths, Elevenths and Thirteenths
  • Lesson 3—Upper Extensions in Spread Voicings
    • Our Love is Here to Stay Arrangement
    • The Way You Look Tonight Arrangement
  • Lesson 4—Color Tones in Right Hand Chordal Techniques
    • A Foggy Day arrangement

Chapter 18—Bass Lines

  • Lesson 1—Two Beat Bass Lines
    • Bill Bailey arrangement
    • Blue Moon arrangement
  • Lesson 2—Four Beat Bass Lines
    • Blues Comp Arrangement
    • Don’t Blame Me Arrangement

Chapter19—Melodic Jazz Phrasing

  • Lesson 1–Autumn Leaves arrangement
  • Lesson 2–Blues Elements
    • Down Home Blues arrangement
  • Lesson 3– Blues Style on Standards
    • Embellishing and Inner Lines
    • Georgia on My Mind Arrangement
  • Lesson 4 –Melodic Interpretation and Embellishment
    • Autumn Leaves arrangement

Chapter 20—Rootless Voicings

  • Lesson 1—Root Position
  • Lesson 2—1st Inversion, A Form
  • Lesson 3—2nd Inversion
  • Lesson 3—3rd Inversion, B Form
  • Lesson 4—Rootless Voicings for II V I, A Form and B Form
    • Moonlight in Vermont arrangement
    • Our Love is Here to Stay arrangement

Chapter 21—3 Note Voicings with Upper Extensions

  • Lesson 1—Various 3 note voicings
    • Blues in G arrangement

Chapter 22—Rhythmic Comping in Left Hand

  • Lesson 1—Lady Be Good Arrangement

Chapter 23—Basic Jazz Improvisation

  • Lesson 1—Major Modes
  • Lesson 2—Application of Major Modes
  • Lesson 3–Concepts and Exercises in Improvisation
    • Improvisation on Blues Vamp
  • Lesson 4—Major Mode Solo
    • Autumn Leaves arrangement

Chapter 24—Scales for Improvisation

  • Lesson 1—Major Scales
  • Lesson 2—Minor Scales
  • Lesson 3—Dominant Scales

Chapter 25—Reharmonization and Chord Substitution

  • Lesson 1—Examples in Tunes
  • Lesson 2—Tritone Substitution
  • Lesson 3—Cycle of Fifths
  • Lesson 4—All the Things You Are, Over the Rainbow arrangements

 Chapter 26—Elements of Improvisation, Advanced Concepts

  • Lesson 1—Approach Tones
  • Lesson 2—Arrangements for Improvisation With Analysis
    • Back Home in Indiana arrangement
    • Donna Lee arrangement
    • Minor Moods arrangement

 Chapter 27—Combining All Techniques

  • Lesson 1 Techniques Combined in Tunes
  • I Should Care arrangement
Appendix material is available only as a separate order:
Appendix Volume 2
  • II-V-I ‘s All Inversions
  • II-V-I Progression Exercises A Form
  • II-V-I Progression Exercises B Form
  • Left Hand Techniques –Overview
  • Recommended Standards Song List
  • All-Time Top Jazz Artists and Recordings List
  • Legendary Jazz Pianists List

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