Joe Diorio Jazz Blues Styles
Vincent McKnight
Continuing in my travels on the guitar, I have been working with Jazz Blues
Styles by Joe Diorio. It may be that I appreciate this book because I have
already done quite a bit of work in the Ferguson Series and in Steve Kahn's
Chord book, but I must say that Mr. Diorio has jammed a ton of information
into this book along with a play along CD that is fun. It is apparent that
he has spent substantial time analyzing horn players - something that I'm
into.
It was a coincidence that I had just finished working on a section of "Blues
fo Alice" from the Parker Omnibook when the Diorio's book arrived, and as I
flipped through it he had covered the tune and it's chord progressions.
The two dovetailed nicely. In the back of the book, he has many block, and
slash chords examples, but as he says the chords can be used in all
situations so I think this is a great addition to my library.
It may be more beneficial for an intermediate type than a beginner, simply
because you may need a foundation to understand what he has presented here,
because the book is thin on text. Personally, I find the text is concise and
informative in its brevity, but it is because I have studied other stuff
before opening this book. Having said that, if you are a beginner, and these
harmonies become part of your ears and fingers, then who cares whether you
understand it, as long as you can DO IT.
Trying to move into the world of rootless chords and extensions is a
difficult transition because the roots on 5 and 6 are so comfortable and
familiar. But, slowly some of these things are beginning to work their way
into my thick skull. To me it seems that one of the primary issues revolves
around learning all of the uses of the m7 chord in its muti-tiered
reincarnations as dominant, sub-dominant, and major chords. The same can be
said for the m7 run, and then it's on to the diminished scale and how it
really fits, and why did Trane do that?.....
I'm rambling again...
Peace,
Vince