Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar

Synopsis

(Ashley Publications). A method in how to play jazz and hot guitar.

Summary

Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar is a comprehensive guidebook for beginner and intermediate guitar players interested in learning the fundamentals and techniques of jazz guitar. Written by renowned jazz guitarist Mickey Baker, this book covers everything from basic finger positioning to advanced chord progressions and improvisation. In this summary, we will delve into each chapter of the book, providing a brief overview and a real-life example to help better understand the concepts.

Chapter 1: Introduction
The book starts with an introduction by Baker, where he explains his teaching philosophy and how he developed his own unique style of playing. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding music theory and learning to read sheet music, as these skills are essential for any jazz musician.

Chapter 2: Basic Jazz Guitar Mechanics
This chapter focuses on the basic mechanics of playing jazz guitar, including hand positioning, finger techniques, and picking. Baker also introduces the reader to the concept of chord progressions and teaches how to play a simple jazz blues progression in the key of G. For example, he shows the reader how to play a G7 chord using a root, third, and fifth position on the guitar.

Chapter 3: Introduction to Chords
In this chapter, Baker dives deeper into chord shapes and introduces different chord inversions. He also explains the concept of slash chords and how to use them in a jazz context. For a real-life example, let's take the jazz standard "Autumn Leaves." Baker explains how to play the chords in the key of E minor and provides different chord inversions for voicing options.

Chapter 4: Moveable Chords and Substitutions
This chapter teaches the reader how to use moveable chord shapes to play in different keys. Baker also introduces the concept of chord substitutions, where chords with similar harmonic functions are replaced to add more color and interest to a progression. For example, he shows how to substitute a dominant seventh chord with a diminished seventh chord in the song "Blue Bossa."

Chapter 5: Blues Scale
In this chapter, Baker introduces the blues scale and explains how to use it to improvise over a blues progression. He illustrates this by teaching how to play a simple blues solo using the blues scale over a 12-bar blues progression in the key of A.

Chapter 6: Chord Progressions
This chapter delves into more complex chord progressions, such as rhythm changes and major and minor turnarounds. Baker provides examples of popular jazz standards that use these progressions, such as "Honeysuckle Rose" and "All of Me."

Chapter 7: Repertoire and Improvisation
In this final chapter, Baker discusses the importance of building a repertoire of jazz standards and provides tips on how to learn tunes by ear. He also teaches different approaches to improvisation, including chord-tone soloing and using arpeggios to create melodic lines.

In conclusion, Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar is a must-have for any aspiring jazz guitarist. Each chapter builds upon the previous one, providing a comprehensive understanding of jazz guitar techniques. The real-life examples and practical exercises make it easy to apply the concepts learned in each chapter. With this book, readers will be well on their way to mastering the art of jazz guitar.