The Jazz Language: A Theory Text for Jazz Composition and Improvisation

I studied with Dan Haerle while at UNT. My first day as an arrogant freshmen, I went to his office and asked how I could place out of his Jazz Theory course. He handed me a copy of "The Jazz Language" and said, "Come back after lunch and take the exam based on this book." I was just out of high school and thought I was a theory wiz kid. So I examined each chapter, came back after lunch, took the test and, yes, I placed out of the class. Dumbest thing I ever did. Later that day it had occurred to me how great a book this was for beginning jazz musicians, thought he must be a great teacher, and took the class anyway because I wanted to hear him lecture. In fact I took every class he taught that I could get in. A wise choice indeed for a naive kid.I've seen many books on theory and jazz theory (I was a theory major), and I'm hear to tell you, this is, IMHO the best book of it's kind.It's strength lies in Haerle's approach. Most chapters are only four or five pages long in which he generally presents the the same information from several different perspectives. If you didn't understand something after the first explanation, you were sure to understand it after the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th attempt. A classic example of how ingenious this approach is the chapter "Modes of the Major Scale" - only three pages long, but you'll get it, and you won't forget it. In some sense a good theory book has to remember that not everyone plays the same instrument, and that perhaps different people perceive patterns better in certain contexts. And the title, "The Jazz Language", is apt. Haerle doesn't always tell you how to use this information (although the appendixes at the end of the book are very detailed in explaining "How to Practice", "What to practice", "How to transcribe solos" - all very detailed in an old school, woodshedding mentality which I love), but he does introduce to the beginning jazz player most of the basic concepts he will learn in greater detail as he goes along."The Jazz Language" goes a long way in a very short amount of space. This is a very concise, straight to the point, down to earth, easily absorbed beginning introduction on everything you'll ever need to know about jazz theory. His chapters on "Voicing and Connecting Chords" and "Basic Substitution and Function" for example, get right to the point, are easily understood, and stay with you throughout your musical life.Haerle accomplishes more in 56 pages than most books do in several volumes. If you're smart you really don't need much past this book (as far as the overall knowledge is concerned), because everything beyond this book is just an extension of something you will now have a basic grasp on. The book also has an intimate quality to it. It's as if he made the book for a friend, or as if he was keep summery notes for himself. It's like an organized summery of the way Dan Haerle learned jazz. It feels like he's sitting right there next to you, explaining the material. Rarely have I encountered a book that manages that. This book makes everything look so easy.And for these reasons, it's my opinion that every beginning jazz musician should start with this book. I've generally always liked text books over "bookstore music books", because the information (if done right) is presented for quick learning, and is structured in an way that makes sense for the serious musician. And in that sense, "The Jazz Language" is a little masterpiece of jazz pedagogy. It does start almost insultingly simple with a chapter on "Intervals", and I can see where that might turn some people away, but it quickly moves forward at an astoundingly fast and graceful pace. Again, if you're smart enough, you could read this book in a day and pretty much know the basics of everything you're about to learn in more detail in the years to follow. The only other knock on this book is that because Haerle is a pianist, it's obvious presented from a pianist point of view. That never bothered me (at the time piano was my secondary instrument), but if you're a bassist let's say, you'll need to transpose not only the examples, but some of the approaches to your plied interment. But the book is for the brain mainly, and even examples voiced for piano can be re-thought on the guitar, or used for purposes of arranging.I own several copies of this book. Sometimes I just buy them and give them away to friends. I also make my students start with this book. It's the best $10 you'll ever spend."The Jazz Language" is for the beginner or the intermediate student who my have some holes in their knowledge, and it functions as an outline for everything you'll be studying the rest of your life. I give this book my highest recommendation. This book needs to be in your library.I apologize for the wordy review but this book holds a special place in my early years of development, and my rather large library.Enjoy!

Excelente libro gran maestro muy buen trabajo para nosotros los estudiantes

Great book for those beginning to learn jazz.

good product but needs up-dating in lay out and has a few mistakes not worth mentioning. However, back in the day when it was written there were not many books like this available. Was and is one of the fbest books published for jazz musicians so the information is crucial to learning jazz. I also recommend Mark Levine's book on jazz harmony which is a good addition to this one. Do the execises in this book, he knows his stuff.

This is a great theory book that contains good examples. It flows nicely and I recommend it to anyone interested in music theory, jazz or otherwise.

We must recommend the following scale as Dr. Haerle has in this book: Whole Tone + Harmonic Major = Rebop Augmented!Any student of Jazz Theory or Jazz improvisation must please study this book and formulate their own scale/non-scale system to use. The Jazz Language reads like French and sounds like Arabic, unless the performer is from Europe. This book serves as a end-all and be-all for Jazz Law. "C#" is the key to learning the theory. (Don't be fooled by Coltrane's "Db" diatribe of 1959).2.342

Information every jazz student should know. It's all written in treble clef so bass players will have to brush up on their higher clef. -Not a bad thing though!

This book fills the gaps when you started learning jazz. If you are coming from classical background, this book helps you work out the jargons and weird symbols that so often put you off the genre.

Very much a theoretical book as recommended by my teacher. It'll take me some time to get my head around this one. However, the print quality of this book is questionable although I know it's only in paperback form. For some it might be a better idea to get the Ebook version.

This is a good publication if you need an explanatory glossary of terms and to be able to differentiate between similarly ambiguous terminologies, of which jazzspeak is full

Great book. Clear and concise.

日本語訳は出ていないようですが、良書ですし、安いし、わずか60ページですので、ジャズの理論を勉強したい人におすすめします。欧米のジャズサイトでも勧める人がちらほらいたような。下手な訳語より原語でおぼえたほうがなにかと便利でしょう。三和音から 13th 、モード、代理コード、ペンタトニックやブルーススケールなど、ごく基本的なことですが、各章末のエクササイズがいいですよ。譜面に書いたりキーボードで確認したり、ただ声に出して歌うというのは苦手意識でやってませんが(汗)。ジャズ向きの楽典といったおもむきの本です。