HOW TO APPROACH STANDARDS CHROMATICALLY
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE
“How To Approach Standards Chromatically….” Is a slightly different
kind of playalong. It’s packed with transcriptions of Liebman solos which are
meant to be studied as much as played by students. The scope of this book is a
bit dizzying: Liebman’s approach is to provide the student with twelve songs and
superimposition concepts that progress up the dissonant food chain. The material
Liebman draws upon for contrasting chromatic colors include upper structure
chords, tritone relationships, ii-V substitutes, “Giant Steps” movement , side
slipping, moving chord cycles, purely intervallic thinking and other advanced
concepts.
To benefit from this book, you do not need to play along with the CD note for note. Rather, use Liebman’s detailed written notes to help you recognize and analyze the kinds of lines he plays on each of the superimposed progressions; then try to improvise over the progressions in a similar vein. Alto/bari players and other instrumentalists can also get in on the action, as each solo and progression are transcribed in concert key, Bb and Eb.
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