Jerry Bergonzi - Sound Advice

Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long Series, Vol. 102

Since his days with Dave Brubeck in the 1980's, Jerry's influence as a modern jazz tenor man has been undeniable. Less well-known are his tasty compositions, presented in this collection for your enjoyment. Jerry has recorded all these songs on various Double-Time Jazz CD's!

Includes: Out House, Red's Blues, The Ray, Sound Advice, Invisible Light, Wind Print, WIggy, Inside Out, Con Brio, I Ching Reading, Simultaneious Looks, Optimum Propensity, and Different Places Together.

Rhythm Section: Renato Chicco, Piano; Dave Santuro, Bass; Adam Nussbaum, Drums.

Melodic Structures

Inside Improvisation Series, Vol. 1 (96 pages)

This is the first in a series of books and audio/video recordings which describe a simple and pragmatic approach to improvisation. While focusing on the jazz idiom, the techniques discussed are applicable to many styles of music and all instruments, be it rock guitar, jazz saxophone, or the solos of the fusion keyboardist. The system presented in this volume offers a tangible pathway to inside the creative imagination by getting inside harmony, inside the changes.

Chord changes are included for C Concert, B flat and E flat instruments. In addition the book includes transposed examples for all instruments (C treble clef, B flat, E flat and bass clef).

The accompanying recording has been designed for use in conjunction with each of the chapter assignments. There are nine tunes for you to play along with, each played at a slow and then medium tempo featuring Garry Dial on piano, Dave Santoro on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, plus 12 demonstration tracks performed by the author on piano and/or tenor saxophone.

Pentatonics

Inside Improvisation Series, Vol. 2 (125 pages)

Many of the great modern players have pentatonics at their command and melodic disposal. The book provides a practical yet creative approach to assimilating pentatonics into your melodic musical reservoir. The author has taught this method over many years and it has proven to be very successful.

This is a method book designed for all instruments. Chord changes are included for C Concert, B flat and Eflat instruments.

The accompanying recording has been designed for use in conjunction with the text. There are 18 tunes for you to play along with, featuring Renato Chicco on piano, Dave Santoro on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums, plus eight demonstration tracks performed by the author on tenor saxophone.

Jazz Line

Inside Improvisation Series, Vol. 3 (109 pages)

Line Playing · Voice-Leading · Chromaticism · Bebop Scales

A clear and practical step-by-step approach to chromaticism, line playing and voice leading. The CD contains 23 play-along tracks (most of them played in two tempos), based on standard chord progressions, performed by a professional rhythm section, featuring Renato Chicco on piano, Dave Santoro on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. In addition Jerry demonstrates various exercises and approaches on tenor saxophone. Chord changes are included for C concert, B flat and E flat instruments. Jerry Bergonzi is a highly respected jazz educator/musician who lives and teaches in the Boston area. Over many years his "Inside Improvisation" system has proven to be tremendously successful.

Melodic Rhythms

Inside Improvisation, Vol. 4 (132 pages)

Time and rhythm are king! Number one! We are constantly aware of this fact when we are playing or listening to improvised music. All notes seem to sound good when they are played with good time. Even melodies that use wrong notes sound good when played with good time. What often packages a good time feel are the rhythms a particular artist chooses to use. This book hopefully lends some insight into practicing and playing creative rhythms in a melodic way. - Jerry Bergonzi

The CD provides 10 standard chord progressions, each played in two different tempos by Bruce Barth on piano, Dave Santoro on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. In addition Jerry demonstrates various approaches and exercises on tenor saxophone.

Thesaurus of Intervallic Melodies

Inside Improvisation, Vol. 5 (230 pages)

"Practicing out of this book by just reading the melodies has changed and expanded my playing," says Jerry Bergonzi. He offers a number of suggested uses and applications for this intervallic system including ear training, composition, improvisation, improving technical facility, intonation, sight reading, breaking finger habits, and pitch retention.

This book is accompanied by a play-along CD with 19 tunes as well as 8 vamps featuring Jerry Bergonzi and Allan Chase, saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone); Renato Chico, piano; Dave Santoro, bass; and Tom Melito, drums. The intervallic system presented in this book is a means for creating original lines and themes - a modern thesaurus of intervallic melodies. Each page concentrates on three, four, or five specific intervals. Combining these intervals with all of the possibilities for moving in ascending or descending direction creates an infinite variety of very distinctive melodies. Although these melodies were composed independent of any particular harmony they can sound quite effective when played over chord changes. Chord changes and heads are included for C concert, Bflat, Eflat, and bass clef instruments.

"In his Thesaurus of Intervallic Melodies, Jerry has created a wonderful and most unusual tool which will expand any musicians musical endeavors. These challenging exercises are very enjoyable to play and can be absorbed in a relaxed and natural manner. The melodies take the player's ears and fingers into refreshingly unfamiliar territories. Very inspirational... highly recommended for students and professionals alike." Mike Brecker

"I have all of Jerry Bergonzi’s books: Vol. 2, Pentatonics, Vol. 3, Jazz Line, and Vol. 4, Melodic Rhythms. All of these books are musically amazing. Now, Jerry has come up with another book, Vol.5, Thesaurus of Intervallic Melodies, which is truly astounding. My advice to any musician, regardless of his or her instrument, would be to get ALL of Jerry’s books. There is a wealth of information in each of these books. Musicians, do yourselves a favor. Get them!! I did! I'm truly happy, but I see that I have a lot of work to do. Thank you, Jerry, for all your musical lessons." James Moody

"Volume 5, Thesaurus of Intervallic Melodies is put together by one of the most generous and inspired musicians of our time, Jerry Bergonzi. It is a collection of beautifully crafted phrases that will open up your ears and minds to develop into a creative improviser. Imagination is everything in jazz and if you study with a free open approach you can develop from these pages as your own player. It’s up to you to put your own ideas together and these interval studies will give you an amazing springboard into your future improvisations. Developing your technique, ears, sight reading, etc. is a lifelong journey as a musician and exploring all of the possibilities within this book will open up your conception about creating music and not just trying to recreate what someone else has already played." Joe Lovano

"Man, this book is really great! Jerry is investigating all the possibilities of intervallic and chromatic improvisation. A very refreshing concept." George Garzone

Jerry Bergonzi's long awaited book on developing a jazz language! Order your copy today!

Developing a Jazz Language, is the sixth book of Jerry Bergonzi's series, Inside Improvisation. Learning a language requires listening on many levels to the meanings, the sounds, the intentions, and the inflections or nuances of the language. The first chapters of this volume on learning the language of jazz focus on the prerequisites of chord scales, approach notes to chord tones and target notes, scale motifs and sequences, and lines.

Part two qualifies improvisational techniques into three areas; melodic, harmonic and sonic (rhythmic devices are the focus of Vol. IV, Melodic Rhythms) and it is designed as a menu of soloing devices from which you can select your personal course of study.

Over 100 specific devices are discussed and conceptualized so as to give the improviser more depth of expression and a greater well from which to draw ideas. Among the numerous topics presented are: guide tones, voice leading, chord substitutions, three tonic system for composition, tritonics, hexatonics, tonal expansions, whole tone playing, augmented symmetric scales, double diminished scales, limited range and large range playing, shapes, blues melodies, accents, comping as a soloing device, common tones, articulations and much more...! 

If you like PENTATONICS you will love HEXATONICS. It is an easy and sophisticated way to organize melodic material. To be released early 2006, pre-order your copy today!