Audiobook excerpt from A Framework for Jazz Mastery

Last year, Richie Beirach and I published the book, A Framework for Jazz Mastery. I knew once we released it, I would want to create an audiobook version of it.

It took some time, but I’ve finished the narration are we are almost ready to submit it to the audiobook platforms.

Richie and I wrote about a number of topics in the book related to playing jazz, but I want to give you an audio preview of two that I think you’ll find especially valuable.

The first is about reharmonization. And this was where I wanted to use the audiobook medium to its fullest. As Richie talks about the possible chords and polychords that can harmonize an Eb in ‘Round Midnight, those harmonies are played on the piano for you to hear. You don’t just learn about the composition of those harmonies, but you hear them as well while Richie describes them.

The second topic within the excerpt is from the section in the book called Heart Ear Hand. This is Richie’s description of the process of sitting at the piano experiencing an emotion and the quick reaction of that emotion that triggers his fingers to play music on the keyboard. Unless you’ve already read the book, you’ve not heard the improvisation process explained quite like this.

I love the audiobook medium for music instruction. There aren’t yet many audiobooks on jazz music instruction and I think this opens up a lot of potential for an art form that is aural in nature. Added to the elevated instruction, the audio format gave me a chance to include the voices of Richie, Dave Liebman, and Randy Brecker in the narration.

And you’ll be the first to know once the audiobook is released soon on Apple books, Audible, and others.

In the meantime, check out these other jazz audiobooks by clicking their cover: