Mike Longo's book "How To Sight Read Jazz And Other Syncopated Type Rhythms“

I have recently become convinced that the most pervasive and crucial problem among young musicians is a lack of understanding of the nature of jazz rhythm i.e., syncopation.

Luckily, I learned syncopation at the feet of the masters, by playing with them, hearing how it should go night after night, doing my best to emulate it. Until I discovered Mike’s book, I had been depressing my classes, advising them of the challenge they face trying to learn jazz rhythm. That the only way they could learn it was the same way I did, through experience. Unfortunately for them, the masters I learned it from are dead and, because of the demise of the apprenticeship system, their disciples are not in a position to pass it on to them by the oral tradition.

But there is hope. In this book, Mike has preserved the rhythmic legacy of Dizzy Gillespie and found an effective method to pass this legacy on.

I had the good fortune to spend a week with Dizzy when he was a guest artist with the Phil Woods Quintet in the 80’s. I was never the same after that week. All Dizzy talked about for that week was rhythm, rhythm, and more rhythm. When the inventor of the music puts so much emphasis on one particular aspect of jazz, I got the point, that jazz is at root a rhythmic invention. If you don’t understand the rhythm you don’t understand the music.

"How To Sight Read Jazz And Other Syncopated Type Rhythms" is a must for everyone who pretends to become a jazz player and should be a part of every jazz department’s curriculum!

Only $14.95, you can order it (catalogue # 1005) by phone by calling 1-880-232-6796 or send a check or money order to:

Consolidated Artist

290 Riverside Drive, Suite 11-D

New York, NY 10025

You can also buy it on-line at: http://www.jazzbeat.com/html/woodshed.html

Another must is Mike’s interview with Dizzy. Only $6.00 and it is revelatory!