Exploring Jazz Arranging (Revised Ed)

Renowned bass player, composer, and arranger Chuck Israels takes a refreshing approach to the study of arranging and orchestration.

While some information will be familiar, there is so much more in this revised edition! Chuck goes way beyond big band score examples with limited descriptions of techniques, the “meat” of most arranging books. In this book you will learn:

• The importance of rhythm above chord voicing and the essential relationship between the “outer lines,” melody and bass line, as well as the importance of contrary motion. Chord names are often not enough for a bass player to play an effective line!
• Learn about chord voicing and voice leading and explore common musical forms; how to recognize chord phrases, or recurring patterns in chord progressions.
• Israels describes how to arrange for solo, 2, 3, 4, and 5 voices, writing for the individual instruments in the rhythm section, and then writing for combos and smaller ensembles. It's not until two-thirds of the way through the book that you will learn about writing for big band.

This text and accompanying examples explore fundamental ideas about music, primarily in the jazz idiom. Mr. Israels freely shares his deep understanding and astute insights into this wonderfully expressive style of music.

187 pages and free download of audio files for each musical example.

Spiral bound, available in both printed and PDF formats.

Chuck Israels is a composer/arranger/bassist who has worked with Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock, J.J. Johnson, John Coltrane, and many others. He is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1961 through 1966 and for his pioneering accomplishments in Jazz Repertory as Director of the National Jazz Ensemble from 1973 to 1981.