Good book on music theory

[Howard Klepper]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Yes, I definitely wouldn't recommend that for a beginner.
I'm not sure I'd even recommend it for jazz theory, because there's a lot of important stuff left out. You need a secure grounding in functional key theory, and plenty of experience in jazz, to give you the necessary perspective on it.
I read it many years ago, and was highly impressed; but then I was quite niave about jazz, and the book's failings (at least in claiming to be "The" jazz theory book ) have steadily become more apparent.

It's not a "how to play it" kind of book. So, no, it won't make you a jazz musician. But I don't think it purported to do that. It's a book of theory, not of practice. I agree that much of it kind of floats free of the way most jazz is conceived of by players. But that is another topic, and not what I took the OP to be asking for..

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

It's not a "how to play it" kind of book. So, no, it won't make you a jazz musician. But I don't think it purported to do that. It's a book of theory, not of practice.

Agreed - although there are obvious hints about practice in it.
What I don't like about it is that it does purport to be "The" jazz theory book, as if it's either (a) the only one, and/or (b) tells you everything you need to know about jazz theory.

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

I agree that much of it kind of floats free of the way most jazz is conceived of by players. But that is another topic, and not what I took the OP to be asking for..

Absolutely.