MEL BAY

31070M

Into the Labyrinth An Anatomy of Position Playing for Jazz Guitar

By Davy Mooney

NOTE – Intermediate-Advanced Material

Includes access to online audio.

If you’ve ever wondered about the depth of thought vs. pattern playing that goes into jazz guitar improvisation, you’ll find the answer in this book. University of North Texas jazz guitar instructor and stellar musician, Davy Mooney is as fluid in writing about the physical and cerebral processes of jazz guitar improvisation as he is in playing over tunes, chord changes and modulations.

Mooney describes the guitar fretboard as “…a labyrinth ruled by shapes and patterns.” He recounts his own journey toward fretboard fluency beginning with the CAGED major scale positions and connecting them with ascending arpeggio shapes. The purpose of his book is to show you a way into the labyrinth, how to navigate it, and find your way out, should you so desire.

Five is the magic number in this book. With five jazz chord progressions, fretboard scale and arpeggio diagrams in five positions, and transcribed eighth-note improvisations, Mooney illustrates how five giants of jazz—Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane—might have approached improvisation had they been jazz guitarists.

Written in standard notation and fretboard diagrams for the intermediate to advanced guitarist already well-acquainted with jazz scale and chord theory. Includes access to online audio for all 60 etudes, play-along and improv examples.



NOTE – Intermediate-Advanced Material

Includes access to online audio.




CONTENTS


Introduction to the Labyrinth

Miles-Type Changes

Wayne-Type Changes

Jobim-Type Changes

Monk-Type Changes

Trane-Type Changes

Out of the Labyrinth

About the Author





NOTE


This book will be shipped by Media Mail in a box due to the thickness. The book will also be shrink wrapped to prevent any damage during shipping.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVY MOONEY

Davy Mooney is a jazz guitarist from New Orleans who records for Sunnyside Records and is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and head of the jazz guitar program at the University of North Texas. He has recorded seven CDs as a leader, and many others as a sideman. His latest Sunnyside CD, Live at National Sawdust, was recorded live in Brooklyn, NY with Brian Blade, Jon Cowherd, John Ellis, and Matt Clohesy. In 2018 he recorded Benign Strangers, a collaboration with Japanese drummer Ko Omura (also on Sunnyside), and toured Japan to promote the release in the summer of 2018. His previous Sunnyside releases are 2017's Hope of Home, and 2012's Perrier St. In promotion of these CDs, Mooney has toured the US extensively, as well performed in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Myanmar. Mooney's first book for Mel Bay, a guitar and improvisation instructional volume entitled Personalizing Jazz Vocabulary, was published in 2019. Mooney has a PhD in jazz performance from NYU, and wrote a dissertation on the early 1960s work of Joe Pass entitled "Joe Pass's Catch Me!, For Django, and Joy Spring: Transcription and Analysis." He placed third in the 2005 Thelonious Monk International Guitar Competition, and studied at the Monk Institute of Jazz Performance from 2007 to 2009, under artistic director Terence Blanchard. The Monk group worked with many jazz legends-including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Ron Carter-and toured Panama and India. Mooney received his master's degree from the University of New Orleans in 2005. Shortly thereafter he relocated to New York City and performed at clubs such as the 55 Bar, The Bar Next Door, The Blue Note, and Smalls. In 2006 he recorded a duo guitar CD with John Pizzarelli entitled Last Train Home. The following year he recorded Astoriano, released on the Japanese label LateSet Records. Mooney has also made the foray into the literary world by self-publishing two novels: 2017's Annalee and 2012's Hometown Heroes.