Bucky Pizzarelli: The Creative Guitarist

[TheGrandWazoo]

Anyone have this book? I've been doing a lot of work getting his chord voicings under my fingers and have read that this book explores it in detail. People are asking $150 up for this book which is ridiculous.

[MarkRhodes]

Sorry, no. I'd never even heard of it.
$150 is a lot to ask. I wouldn't pay that. But if you do get hold of a copy at a reasonable price, please let us know what's in it. Bucky deserves the accolade 'master.'

[GuitarGerry]

Cool, I never knew he wrote a book. I definitely wouldn't pay that much for it.

[TheGrandWazoo]

I stand corrected. ebay has it at $99.

The book covers how he handles chord changes. His MO is a lot of three not chords on the inner strings (5th, 3rd, 2nd or 5th, 4th, 2nd).

So when he wants to play Gmaj, he would play:

Bm7 D6 GM7
--------------------------
---3--------7--------12---
--2-----4-----------11----
----------------------------
--2------5---------10-----
---------------------------

When you extrapolate this simple example over all the keys and chord flavors you get a lot of inversions to choose from.

As I began to transcribe what Bucky is doing I began to see a lot of parallels with the chord forms in Alan Kingstone's Barry Harris Method for Guitar book. Both (Bucky and Alan) are providing a path to "chord nirvana" for the guitarist.

Chord Nirvana = Moving beyond just seeing a chord as a static thing; Automatically seeing a chord as its parts (GMaj = Bm7, D6, etc) and those values/notes on the fretboard.

Applying the simplicity of Bucky's examples with the 6th/dim examples from Kingstone expands the mind.

[shelleytele]

Looks like a great book!

[GuitarGerry]

I stand corrected. ebay has it at $99.

The book covers how he handles chord changes. His MO is a lot of three not chords on the inner strings (5th, 3rd, 2nd or 5th, 4th, 2nd).

So when he wants to play Gmaj, he would play:

Bm7 D6 GM7
--------------------------
---3--------7--------12---
--2-----4-----------11----
----------------------------
--2------5---------10-----
---------------------------

When you extrapolate this simple example over all the keys and chord flavors you get a lot of inversions to choose from.

As I began to transcribe what Bucky is doing I began to see a lot of parallels with the chord forms in Alan Kingstone's Barry Harris Method for Guitar book. Both (Bucky and Alan) are providing a path to "chord nirvana" for the guitarist.

Chord Nirvana = Moving beyond just seeing a chord as a static thing; Automatically seeing a chord as its parts (GMaj = Bm7, D6, etc) and those values/notes on the fretboard.

Applying the simplicity of Bucky's examples with the 6th/dim examples from Kingstone expands the mind.

Seems like the standard Freddie Green type voicings, which makes sense because that's where John Pizzarelli comes from.

I hardly own any guitar tutors, but one that was of use to me is a Mel Bay book which covers the whole Freddie Green thing (plus reharmonization). Hell of a lot cheaper than the above.

[WilliamScott]

I was thinking the same thing as what GuitarGerry just said. Some of my favorite voicings. Amazon has the Mel Bay Freddy Green book for less than $10.

[TheGrandWazoo]

Don't worry, I'm not paying $99. I just want know if someone has it.

[GuitarGerry]

Interesting, the Mel Bay book I have is from the late 80s...looks like they've revamped it:

http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Basic-Jazz.../dp/0786668423

Can't remember the name of the copy I have...it's in a suitcase in my attic (I'm not going up there!).

Edit: hmmm, judging by some of the reviews it's not as comprehensive as its earlier incarnation.

[coolvinny]

I've got the book, and would sell it for less than $150! I'm no longer into music books.

[Eagle2x]

Hi Coolvinny - is the book still available? If so, I am interested!

[Irez87]

I think he made it into a DVD... let me check (Bucky... wouldn't it be awesome if FG taught how he played and conceptualized chords in a VHS ? )

[Irez87]

This might help:

Bucky Pizzarelli Master Jazz Guitar Solo Collection Sheet Music By Bucky Pizzarelli (SKU: MB.99930BCD) - Sheet Music Plus

But I do remember a whole DVD or book he put out about the art of accompaniment... Gonna keep looking

[Irez87]

This might be it, though all samples sound distorted:

Bucky Pizzarelli Guitar Instruction, Lessons, DVDs, Video - Firstpost

What was that DVD called... looking for a title

[Irez87]

btw, bucky is the nicest, kindest, warmest soul I've ever met in the jazz ring. I spoke to him and Howard (also a kind soul, and an excellent musician--will have to get lessons from him before I go out Wes... I mean out west ) about the gemstone pick I use. They were both curious about it, and we got into a genuine dialogue about tone for a little while, just like that. That was... 5 years ago... Getting old...

[Greentone]

Heck, I don't know about $150...but I might go as high as $99 on da Bay for a copy of BP's book. Bucky Pizzarelli is one of my earliest influences. My dad played. Dad listened to BP in the 60s and got me hooked as a kid. When Bucky Pizzarelli joined forces with George Barnes, creating an update of the old George Barnes and Carl Kress duo, I would try to see them any chance I got. They would show up on TV occasionally (Merv Griffin, for example). I purchased their scant recorded output as a teenager. Ever since, I have collected all of Bucky's albums. What an artist.