Charlton Johnson SWING AND BIG BAND GUITAR - FOUR-TO-THE-BAR COMPING IN THE STYLE OF FREDDIE GREEN

Pros: Well written and organized; in depth; samples on CD

Cons: None

If you are at all interested in the style of Count Basie's legendary rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, this is the book for you. Even if you are primarily interested in gypsy jazz guitar, this will greatly enhance your playing. The author, a renowned teacher and player, joined the Count Basie Orchestra and played in Green's rhythm guitar chair for six years. He takes you through all the essentials of the style, including the proper role of the guitar in the swing orchestra, rhythm chord voicings in the Freddie style, right and left hand techniques, patterns and progressions and so on. Fifteen years ago, after serving as the stand-up vocalist with a local 20-piece swing orchestra, I was informed that I was the new guitarist after the previous one retired. This book became my Bible and continues to serve me well. When I took up gypsy guitar a few years later, the foundation came in very handy. Highly recommended!

Submitted by: klaatu on 01/26/2018 05:09:34 AM