Jazz Repertoire

Level I

 

Technique & Pattern Books

Improvisational Patterns: Vol. 1                                                       David Baker

Improvisational Patterns The Bebop Era: Vol. 1                           David Baker

Patterns for Jazz*                                                                              Jerry Coker

Daily Studies*                                                                                    Trent Kynaston

Improvisation for Saxophone                                                           Andy McGhee

Patterns for Improvisation                                                                Oliver Nelson

Jazz Improvisation for Saxophone                                                  Lennie Niehaus

 

Etude & Transcription Books

Solos for Jazz Alto Sax*                                                                   Stuart Isacoff

Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax*                                                                Stuart Isacoff

Reading Key Jazz Rhythms*                                                            Fred Lipsus

Basie – Nestico Lead Sax Book*                                                   Sammy Nestico

Intermediate Jazz Conception for Saxophone Series                  Lennie Niehaus

Hot Rock Sax                                                                                    Tim Price

Creative Jazz Improvisation                                                             Scott Reeves

Jazz Conception                                                                               Jim Snidero

 

Tunes for Memorization & Transcription Study

Tune; Artist, Album, Source

 

Body and Soul; Coleman Hawkins, Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax

 

C Jam Blues; Johnny Hodges, Johnny Hodges Live at the Sportspalast, Solos for Jazz Alto Sax

 

Desafinado; Stan Getz, Getz/Gilberto, Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax

 

Early Autumn; Woody Herman, Woody Herman and His Orchestra, Jazz Styles and Analysis: Alto Sax

 

I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good; Johnny Hodges, Johnny Hodges Live at the Sportspalast, Solos for Jazz Alto Sax

 

Sugar; Stanley Turrentine, Sugar, Modern Jazz Tenor Solos

 

Summertime; Charlie Parker, The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve, Solos for Jazz Alto Sax

 

Additional Tunes for Memorization      

Cantaloupe Island, Footprints, Satin Doll, So What, Watermelon Man

 

 

 

Level II

 

Technique & Pattern Books

How to Play Bebop Vol. 1*                                                              David Baker

Improvisational Patterns: Vol. 1                                                       David Baker

Improvisational Patterns The Bebop Era: Vol. 1                           David Baker

Improvisational Patterns The Bebop Era: Vol. 2                           David Baker

Patterns for Jazz                                                                               Jerry Coker

Daily Studies                                                                                     Trent Kynaston

Repository of Scales & Melodic Patterns                                      Yusef Lateef

Improvisation for Saxophone*                                                         Andy McGhee

Patterns for Improvisation*                                                               Oliver Nelson

 

Etude & Transcription Books

Modern Jazz Tenor Solos*                                                               Hunt Butler

Solos for Jazz Alto Sax                                                                    Stuart Isacoff

Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax                                                                 Stuart Isacoff

Masters of the Alto Saxophone Play the Blues                              Trent Kynaston

Basie – Nestico Lead Sax Book*                                                   Sammy Nestico

Advanced Jazz Conception for Saxophone                                   Lennie Niehaus

Dexter Gordon Jazz Saxophone Solos                                          Lennie Niehaus

Great Tenor Sax Solos*                                                                   Tim Price

Creative Jazz Improvisation                                                             Scott Reeves

Creative Reading Studies for Saxophone                                     Joseph Viola

The Technique of the Saxophone*                                                  Joseph Viola

Jazz Saxophone Vol. 2                                                                     Peter Yellin

 

Tunes for Memorization & Transcription Study

Tune; Artist, Album, Source

 

Corcovado; Cannonball Adderley, Cannonball Adderley and the Bossa Rio Sextet, The Jazz Style of Cannonball Adderley

 

Blue Rondo Ala Turk; Paul Desmond, Time Out, Solos for Jazz Alto Sax

 

Dexter Digs In; Dexter Gordon, Long Tall Dexter/The Savoy Sessions, Dexter Gordon Jazz Saxophone Solos

           

Ecaroh; Hank Mobley, Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers, Modern Jazz Tenor Solos

 

For Regulars Only; Dexter Gordon, Manhattan Syndrome, Dexter Gordon Jazz Saxophone Solos

 

Maiden Voyage; George Coleman, Maiden Voyage, Modern Jazz Tenor Solos

 

Now’s the Time; Charlie Parker, Confirmation: The Best of the Verve Years, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Over the Rainbow; Sonny Stitt, Soul Electricity, Sonny Stitt Improvised Tenor Saxophone Solos

 

Song for my Father;  Joe Henderson, Song for My Father, Modern Jazz Tenor Solos

 

Speak No Evil; Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Wayne Shorter

 

Additional Tunes for Memorization

Autumn Leaves, Billie’s Bounce, Doxy, Groovin High, Just Friends, Killer Joe, Misty, Softly As, In a Morning Sunrise, Stella by Starlight

 

 

 

Level III

 

Technique & Pattern Books

How to Play Bebop Vol. 2                                                                David Baker

Improvisational Patterns: Vol. 2                                                       David Baker

Improvisational Patterns The Bebop Era: Vol. 2                           David Baker

Patterns for Jazz                                                                               Jerry Coker

Improvisation for Saxophone                                                           Andy McGhee

New Concepts in Linear Improvisation*                                         Ramon Ricker

 

Etude & Transcription Books

The Charlie Parker Omnibook*                                                       Aebersold & Sloan

Jazz Etudes                                                                                       David Baker

The Jazz Style of Sonny Rollins*                                                     David Baker

Jazz Improvisation: The Goal Note Method                                   Shelly Berg

Solos for Jazz Alto Sax                                                                    Stuart Isacoff

Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax                                                                 Stuart Isacoff

Thad Jones Lead Sax Book*                                                          Thad Jones

Masters of the Tenor Saxophone Play the Blues*                         Trent Kynaston

Jazz Tenor Rhythm Solos                                                                 Trent Kynaston

Advanced Jazz Conception for Saxophone Series                      Lennie Niehaus

Lennie Niehaus Plays the Blues                                                      Lennie Niehaus

Creative Jazz Improvisation                                                             Scott Reeves

Joe Henderson Improvised Saxophone Solos                              Don Sickler

Creative Reading Studies for Saxophone                                     Joseph Viola

The Technique of the Saxophone                                                   Joseph Viola

 

Tunes for Memorization & Transcription Study

Tune; Artist, Album, Source

 

Billie’s Bounce; Charlie Parker, The Savoy & Dial Master Takes, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Blue Bossa; Nick Brignolo, LA Bound, Nick Brignola Sax Solos

 

Cheesecake; Dexter Gordon, Go, Dexter Gordon Jazz Saxopohone Solos

 

Infant Eyes; Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Wayne Shorter

 

I Remember You; Lee Konitz, Motion, Jazz Styles and Analysis; Alto Sax

 

Like Someone In Love; Paul Desmond, Dave Brubeck Quartet Live in Europe, Jazz Styles and Analysis: Alto Sax

 

On Green Dolphin Street; Sonny Stitt, Sunny Side Up, Improvised Tenor Saxophone Solos

 

Additional Tunes for Memorization

Girl From Ipanema, Indiana, It Could Happen to You, Milestones, Perdido, Round, Midnight, Sweet Georgia Brown, Tenor Madness, There Is No Greater Love, There Will Never be Another You, Yardbird Suite

 

 

 

Level IV

 

Technique & Pattern Books

How to Play Bebop Vol. 3                                                                David Baker

Improvisational Patterns The Bebop Era: Vol. 3                           David Baker

Modal and Contemporary Patterns                                                 David Baker

Chromaticism/Non-Diatonic Scales                                               David Liebman

New Concepts in Linear Improvisation                                           Ramon Ricker

Pentatonic Scales for Jazz Improvisation*                                     Ramon Ricker

 

Etude & Transcription Books

The Charlie Parker Omnibook                                                        Aebersold & Sloan

Bebop Jazz Solos                                                                             David Baker

The Jazz Style of Cannonball Adderley*                                         David Baker

Intervallistic Concept                                                                         Eddie Harris

Bob Berg Solos                                                                                Trent Kynaston

John Coltrane Improvised Saxophone Solos*                               Don Sickler

 

Tunes for Memorization & Transcription Study

Tune; Artist, Album, Source

 

Anthropology; Charlie Parker, Summit Meeting at Birdland, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Au Privave; Charlie Parker, Swedish Schnapps - The Genius of Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Blue Train; John Coltrane, Blue Train, John Coltrane Improvised Saxophone Solos

 

Dig; Sonny Rollins, Dig, Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax

 

Donna Lee; Charlie Parker, Bird/ The Savoy Recordings, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Just Friends; Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker with Strings, Charlie Parker Omnibook

 

Locomotion; John Coltrane, Blue Train, John Coltrane Improvised Saxophone Solos

 

Nica’s Dream; Hank Mobley, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Modern Jazz Tenor Solos

 

On Green Dolphin Street; Cannonball Adderley, Jazz Track, Jazz Styles and Analysis

 

Oleo; John Coltrane, Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet, Rhythm Changes Jazz Tenor Solos

 

Stompin’ at the Savoy; Phil Woods, Legrand Jazz, Jazz Styles and Analysis: Alto Sax

 

Additional Tunes for Memorization

Blue Monk, Confirmation, Dewey Square, Have You Met Miss Jones, I Got Rhythm, Just Friends, Lazy Bird, Ojos de Rojo, Star Eyes

 

 

 

Level V

 

Technique & Pattern Books

Modal and Contemporary Patterns                                                 David Baker

Chromaticism/Non-Diatonic Scales*                                              David Liebman

Technique Development in Fourths for Jazz Improvisation*        Ramon Ricker

Pentatonic Scales for Jazz Improvisation                                      Ramon Ricker

The Technique of the Saxophone   Vol. 2                                      Joseph Viola

 

Etude & Transcription Books

The Charlie Parker Omnibook                                                        Aebersold & Sloan

John Coltrane Styles and Analysis                                                  David Baker

Michael Brecker Solos                                                                     Trent Kynaston

 

Tunes for Memorization & Transcription Study

Tune; Artist, Album, Source

 

E.S.P.; Wayne Shorter, E.S.P., Wayne Shorter

 

Giant Steps; John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Solos for Jazz Tenor Sax

 

Invitation; Michael Brecker, You Can’t Live Without It, Micheal Brecker Improvised Saxophone Solos

 

Moment’s Notice; John Coltrane, Blue Train, Improvised Saxophone Solos

 

Additional Tunes for Memorization

All the Things You Are, Ornithology, Scrapple From the Apple, Stella by Starlight, What is This Thing Called Love

 

 

 

For further information and annotations on the texts and recordings mentioned in this list please refer to:

 

Jeffrey Benedict’s D.M.A. dissertation, Incorporating jazz into the study of saxophone at the undergraduate level: A graded index of materials and recommendations for their use, available from UMI.

 

Visit Dr. Justeson’s Webpage