USING THE BOOK AS A TOOL

I do not believe for a moment that the information in Cutting the Changes is largely new to the world of jazz. However, I do believe I have presented it in a way that is new, accessible, and practical for the jazz beginner of any age (including instructors). Check it out:

Prerequisite Skills
To experience the benefits of this book, you only need to be able to play your major scales: in fact, your concert C, D, F, G, A, Eb, Db, and Ab major scales cover eight of the tunes. The book is available in C Treble, C Bass, Bb, Eb, and F keys/clefs. You'll find the major scales in your key in the front of the book. Beyond that, you'll need only your willingness to experiment: no further jazz theory is needed!

Key Sheets, Lead Sheets, and Play-Along CD
The 64-page book in your clef and key presents the following 13 tunes without chord symbols, instead showing major-scale key-centers: I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, The Days of Wine and Roses, I Can't Get Started, In the Still of the Night, As Time Goes By, The Best is Yet to Come, Since I Fell for You, Tea for Two, Lil' Darlin', It Ain't Necessarily So, The Shadow of Your Smile, You Go to My Head, and How High the Moon. Lyrics are included for all but one of the tunes. Most are very accessible for a less-experienced musician, but I've included a couple that will offer anyone something to work on.

The book then offers the same 13 tunes showing the chord symbols so that you can compare the two versions of each tune, if you like

The Play-Along CD provides you with an inspirational accompaniment of bass (left channel), piano (right), and drums (both) for each tune, plus six demonstration tracks in which you can hear me soloing with the rhythm section on tunes using the Cutting the Changes concepts. The book also includes a brief, recommended discography for each tune, as recorded by major artists. There is no substitution for listening to jazz live and via recording, singing along with great recorded jazz solos (no matter what your instrument or theirs), and learning such solos on your instrument.