Recommended Titles
Improvising Jazz by Jerry Coker
When I knew nothing about jazz, this book really got me started toward understanding how things worked. I bought mine in 1979, so this is apparently a newer edition from 1988.
The Real Book - Volume I: C Edition 6th Edition
The Real Book is essential for anyone who has ever considered learning jazz. It has melodies and chord progressions for all of the popular standards. I've done many gigs in which every tune we played came from the Real Book. A must have!
(Can't read melodies on guitar? Please have a look at my first book, "The Guitarist's Link to Sight Reading", which addresses that problem.)
Buy on Amazon - The Real Book Volume I C Edition Fake Book (Hal Leonard)
Ted Greene -- Chord Chemistry
I love this classic book by Ted Greene. It's a really cool analogy he draws between the construction and function of chords, and chemistry. I haven't seen it for a long time but just went looking for it. I think I'll have to get another one for myself.
