Jazz Banjo Books

  • Jazz Improvisation for the 5-String Banjo
    Vol. one lays a solid foundation for your journey into the art of Jazz Banjo.
  • Banjo Chromaticism
    Vol. two is a milestone and the next step in your Jazz Banjo education.

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An Introduction to Jazz Improvisation for the 5-String Banjo
An Introduction to Jazz Improvisation for the 5-String Banjo

NO LONGER IN PRINT

An Introduction to Jazz Improvisation for the 5-String Banjo

by David Crisler

This book lays a solid foundation for your journey into the art of Jazz Banjo. The goal is to have you improvising over the chord changes to "All of Me" by the end of the book. I lead you there by exploring how to use the Major Scales in improvisation, Diatonic Chords, how to learn jazz tunes, how to approach the art of practicing, and more. All examples are written in tablature. A CD is included with all the examples in the book. You can adjust your stereo speaker balance to practice by yourself with guitar accompaniment. Here's a sample page from the book. Listen to one of the solos you'll be learning.

"At last, there is something other than folklore and hearsay that really gives a decent introduction to a difficult and heretofore obscure topic. David pays his dues to the REAL traditions of Jazz. If you are even remotely interested in the topic of improvisation for 5-String Banjo in a true Jazz tradition, then run, don't walk to get this book from Acutab!" - PAT CLOUD

Banjo Chromaticism
Banjo Chromaticism

NO LONGER IN PRINT

Banjo Chromaticism

by David Crisler

This book is a milestone and the next step in your Jazz Banjo education. There are some established "tricks of the trade" in the Bebop and Swing world that involve chromatic alterations of the Major and Dominant Scales. By utilizing these techniques, you can easily turn an ordinary scale based passage into a Jazz line. Packed with tablature, the book shows you how to play interesting, chromatic based bebop lines over Major Seventh chords, Dominant Seventh chords, and IIm7/V7 progressions. Once again, the goal of the book is to have you improvising over the the chord changes to "All of Me". Three different solos are tabbed out for that song. There are also three different solos for a Jazz Blues in G. A CD is included, and the solos are played slow, then fast. You can read a sample page here.

Listen to some solos you'll be learning: [1] [2] [3] [4]

CD-R - Bopjo
Bopjo CD-R

Bopjo - The CD-R

SORRY, SOLD OUT

Acoustic Jazz Banjo performed by David Crisler. This is an instrumental CD-R of Jazz Standards and originals played on the 5-String Banjo with Midi accompaniment. Songs included are:

Four | Scrapple From the Apple | Snubbed by Mullen | 4 Little Indians | Blue Bossa | The Work Song | The Snook | Ceora | Forrest Flower | The Days of Wine and Roses

Read some reviews of the CD-R.

(*note: I use Paypal to process credit card orders. After you click the "Buy Now" button, you will be taken to a screen to make your purchase. If you don't have a Paypal account, look for the heading "Don't have a Paypal account?" and click the "continue" link there. It will take you to the screen where you fill in your credit card info, shipping address, etc.)