Taylored For Jazz

Beyond Chord Melody with Martin Taylor MBE condenses over 40 years of playing expertise and insight into this beautiful jazz guitar book. Learn from the internationally acclaimed master of jazz chord melody guitar as he guides you through his 7-step method to creating your own guitar arrangements. Includes free audio and bonus video lessons

A heartwarming story of secret pets and secret crushes... and learning to take center stage! Avery Williams can sing, but that doesn't mean she can sing in front of people. She likes to stay backstage at her new school, which is where, to her surprise, she finds a cat tucked away into a nook. Avery names the stray Phantom and visits any time she's feeling stressed (which is a lot these days). As she sings to Phantom one day, her crush, a girl named Nic, overhears her and ropes Avery into auditioning for the school's musical. Despite her nerves, Avery lands the lead role! She knows she should be excited, but mostly Avery is terrified. Can Phantom help her through her stage fright? And what will happen if anyone finds out about her secret pet?

Learn Martin Taylor's Jazz Guitar Arrangements of 10 Beautiful Christmas Carols Christmas Carols for Guitar, arranged by a master of Chord Melody. "These ten jazz guitar arrangements of my favourite Christmas carols have been a labour of love that began in 2019. There's something about the simplicity of the harmony and melody of these tunes that presents a unique challenge to someone used to reaching for the rich chords and melodic twists of jazz standards. On one level, these Christmas songs are simply perfect performance pieces to play for your family and friends. On another level, as a student you'll discover my playing laid bare. If you ever wanted to learn how I approach altering the harmony of a song, these Christmas carols for guitar will provide you with great insight into my creative process." -Dr Martin Taylor MBE From the delicate, exposed vulnerability of O Come All Ye Faithful to the Blues stylings of Jingle Bells; from the jazz harmonies of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, to the extended creative vamps of We Three Kings, there's something for everyone in this collection of accessible chord melody arrangements for guitar. Complete with full notation, tablature, audio and insights into each piece from Martin, you'll discover a whole new versatile repertoire of Christmas songs, arranged for jazz guitar, along with genuine musical techniques that you can apply to any song you learn. Learn These Beautiful Christmas Carols for Guitar - O Come All Ye Faithful - All Through the Night - Auld Lang Syne - Silent Night - We Three Kings - Jingle Bells - Deck the Hall - O Little Town of Bethlehem - Away in a Manger - We Wish You a Merry Christmas This book comes with a free audio download of Martin playing each of the 10 Christmas songs live from his studio - so it's like getting a whole album of his virtuoso playing into the bargain. If you want to discover how a virtuoso guitarist approaches a simple melody and turns it into a wonderous work of art, Martin Taylor's Christmas Carols for Jazz Guitar is a sneak peek behind the curtain of his genius. Buy it now.

The autobiography of the celebrated American jazz pianist, composer, activist, educator, and Emmy Award–winning broadcaster. Legendary jazz ambassador Dr. Billy Taylor’s autobiography spans more than six decades, from the heyday of jazz on 52nd Street in 1940s New York City to CBS Sunday Morning. Taylor fought not only for the recognition of jazz music as “America’s classical music” but also for the recognition of black musicians as key contributors to the American music repertoire. Peppered with anecdotes recalling encounters with other jazz legends such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and many others, The Jazz Life of Dr. Billy Taylor is not only the life story of a jazz musician and spokesman but also a commentary on racism and jazz as a social force. “This book (including Dr. Teresa L. Reed’s eloquent introduction) captures with great clarity and accuracy the character of this man. Taylor not only always aspired to excellence, he was also humble and generous of word and deed. The Jazz Life of Dr. Billy Taylor provides the backstory of why he must be remembered as one of the major leading lights of America’s classical music.” —New York City Jazz Record “In this excellent collaboration with author Teresa Reed, Dr. Billy Taylor, one of the most beloved and iconic figures in the jazz world, tells his extraordinary life story in his own words with characteristic humility, warmth, and eloquence. This is a book of major importance not only to the jazz field but also to the study of the African American social and cultural experience in the 20th and early 21st centuries. It is a must read—I couldn’t put it down!” —Dr. David N. Baker, Chair, Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Master “An impeccable memoir by one of America’s most celebrated renaissance men. . . . The writing is as fluid as it is gorgeous, captivating and inspiring. This monumental memoir offers an in-depth and critical analysis of American history through the lens of one the most decorated African American creative artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. . . . From amazing details of interactions with Malcolm X, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., John Coltrane and Mary Lou Williams to the behind-the-scenes inspirations for compositions such as “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free,” “Don’t Go Down South” and “Peaceful Warrior”; this is a must read by anyone who claims to be remotely interested in American music, history, arts and culture.” —Emmett G. Price III, Ph.D, Executive Editor of Encyclopedia of African American Music

Jazz Guitar virtuoso Martin Taylor teaches his secret walking bassline techniques

Experiencing Jazz, Second Edition, is an integrated textbook with online resources for jazz appreciation and history courses. Through readings, illustrations, timelines, listening guides, and a streaming audio library, it immerses the reader in a journey through the history of jazz, while placing the music within a larger cultural and historical context. Designed to introduce the novice to jazz, Experiencing Jazz describes the elements of music, and the characteristics and roles of different instruments. Prominent artists and styles from the roots of jazz to present day are relayed in a story-telling prose. This new edition features expanded coverage of women in jazz, the rise of jazz as a world music, the influence of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, and streaming audio. Features: Important musical trends are placed within a broad cultural, social, political, and economic context Music fundamentals are treated as integral to the understanding of jazz, and concepts are explained easily with graphic representations and audio examples Comprehensive treatment chronicles the roots of jazz in African music to present day Commonly overlooked styles, such as orchestral jazz, Cubop, and third-stream jazz are included Expanded and up-to-date coverage of women in jazz The media-rich companion website presents a comprehensive streaming audio library of key jazz recordings by leading artists integrated with interactive listening guides. Illustrated musical concepts with web-based tutorials and audio interviews of prominent musicians acquaint new listeners to the sounds, styles, and figures of jazz. Course components The complete course comprises the textbook and Online Access to Music token, which are available to purchase separately. The textbook and Online Access to Music Token can also be purchased together in the Experiencing Jazz Book and Online Access to Music Pack. Book and Online Access to Music Pack: 978-0-415-65935-2 (Paperback and Online Access to Music) Book Only: 978-0-415-69960-0 (please note this does not include the Online Access to Music) Online Access to Music Token: 978-0-415-83735-4 (please note this does not include the textbook) eBook and Online Access to Music Pack: 978-0-203-37981-3 (available from the Taylor & Francis eBookstore) ebook: 978-0-203-37985-1 (please note this does not include the audio and is available from the Taylor & Francis eBookstore)

An informal though authoritative history of jazz, Taylor heard through the piano, combining his firsthand knowledge both as a musician and as an "aural historian." He begins by tracing jazz' roots to the African tradition, disputing Andre Hodier's popular theory that early jazz rhythms were derived from military marches and polkas, which black musicians might have heard in the 1800s. He follows the chronology through the rags of Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake, the New Orleans jazz of Jelly Roll Morton, the stride piano of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, on up through Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Cecil Taylor, McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett.