Awarded the prestigious Music Industries Association Award in 2006 for Best Pop Publication, Tim Richards' Exploring Jazz Piano was the long-awaited follow-up to his acclaimed Improvising Blues Piano, also published by Schott. The overall level is somewhat higher, and would suit pianistsof Grade 4 standard and above. The book comes in two volumes, comprisin g no less than 56 original pieces by the author, together with special arrangements of 24 standards ranging from Autumn Leaves and Summertime toStraight No Chaser and Coltrane's Impressions. The two volumes also con tain over 800 musical examples, a veritable treasury of styles and techniques for the aspiring jazz pianist, and refers to the work of Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Horace Silver, Hampton Hawes, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, and many others. Each volume has its own CD, containing between them performances of all 80 pieces, played by Tim alone or with his current trio of Dominic Howles (bass) and Matt Home (drums). Play-along tracks are also included, in which thepiano is panned to one speaker, providing rhythm section accompaniment if desired by turning the amplifier's balance control. Copious examples of improvisation are accompanied by numerous assignments, with help on hand on every page.
