Ramon Ricker

The Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series Vol. 2

Volume two is devoted exclusively to the blues form and is for players of all levels who want to become more familiar with this most important form in jazz.
Subjects covered in this book include:
VOCABULARY: The Blues Form and its Variations, Blue Notes, Basic Chord Substitution, The Blues Scale, The Pentatonic Scale, Dominant Scales with a Passing Tone, The Dominant Workout, Applying Dominant Scales with a Passing Tone to II-V Progressions, and Applying Dominant Scales with a Passing Tone to Blues
STYLE: Improvising on Blues, Using the Melody, Learning the Melody, Using Transcribed Solos as the Basis for Improvised Solos, and Steps for Playing Good Solos.
EAR TRAINING: Specific examples and suggestions with recorded tracks for practice.
REPERTOIRE: A suggested basic repertoire
This improvisation method is more than just another play-along. It is a series of books and CDs that progress step by step, offering concrete suggestions and advise that shows you how and what to practice. Drawing on twenty-five years of teaching experience at the Eastman School of Music, Ramon Ricker uses text, recorded demonstrations by him and his students, and practice and play-along tracks that present the material in a clear and concise manner.
Most of the play-along tracks feature the rhythm section of the 1980 Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band with Harold Danko on piano, Rufus Reid on bass and the late, great Mel Lewis on drums. Since they performed and recorded together consistently over a period of several years, they played as a unit - a true jazz rhythm section.
The recordings were brought up to meet todays higher CD standards and served as an inspiration for Ramon Ricker to write three entirely new books. In addition, new demonstration, ear training, and play-along tracks were added.