• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MEMBER’S AREA
    • JOIN
    • FAQ
    • MEMBER LOGIN
    • Member Monthly Lessons
    • Member VIP Area
    • Member-Practicing with Neff
    • Member-Brecker Alternate Fingering Lessons
    • Member-Killin’ Altissimo Lick Lessons
    • Member-Monster Lick of the Day
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT
  • SUPPORT
You are here: Home / Reviews / Book Reviews / The Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 Review

The Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 Review

March 7, 2019 by Steve 22 Comments

*I posted all the recordings I could find on Youtube that go with this transcription book at the bottom of this review………Enjoy!

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 that has just been released by Hal Leonard.  This great book of transcriptions was created by Chris “Doc” Stewart who also transcribed the Sonny Rollins Omnibook  and the Cannonball Adderley Omnibook that I reviewed earlier last year.  Hal Leonard was kind enough to send me the Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 in Eb and Bb to review here on the site.

Before I get into the book, let me just say that Charlie Parker has had a huge impact on me as a sax player.  When I was in junior high school,  I was introduced to the saxophone playing of Charlie “Bird” Parker by my sax teacher.  It was 9th grade and up to that point all I had listened to was Spyro Gyra, Chuck Mangione, Dave Sanborn and the Yellowjackets.  My saxophone teacher told me that if I wanted to be good at jazz then I had to get the “Omnibook” and check out Charlie Parker.

I immediately went to the local music store and bought the Charlie Parker Omnibook and started working on it.  I have to admit that these solos were extremely hard and frustrating for my 9th grade brain to handle.  The hardest thing for me to figure out (besides all the fast notes and hard rhythms…..) was why Parker would play a certain lick or phrase over a specific chord.  There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it in my young mind.  I was learning all my chords from “Patterns for Jazz” by Jerry Coker and was learning what notes sounded good over what chords but when I looked at a Charlie Parker solo, I had trouble seeing how he was using these same notes.  It just seemed like he was playing whatever the heck he wanted to and it sounded great.  That’s what I wanted to do!

Youtube Links of Solos from Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 at bottom of page!

It wasn’t until many years later, when I was in college that I started to understand a bit more about what Parker was doing.  Even to this day, I am in awe when I hear a recording of his.  His lines are so harmonically rich.  His rhythmic ideas and displacements are mind boggling.  You just get a sense that he is playing whatever he wants, whenever he wants and he makes it sound great over the chords……….

The original Omnibook is still sitting on my desk within arms reach even after all these years.  I don’t think it has ever left my desk.  It is so important to me that to put it across the room on my book shelf just seems wrong.  I know that I will be reaching for it at any minute, so I keep it close at hand.   If I could only bring five music books to a desert island with me, the original Charlie Parker Omnibook would be one of them!

When I first heard that Hal Leonard was publishing a second Charlie Parker Omnibook with sixty new solos I was incredibly excited.  Sixty new Charlie Parker solos for me to dig into!  I couldn’t wait to get these books and dive in!

The Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2

The Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 is created with the same standard of excellence as the other Hal Leonard Omnibooks.  It is coil bound so it is easy to open on a music stand and it stays open and flat when you are reading from it.  The coils are big enough that it is easy to turn the pages quickly on the fly.  The book is 230 pages long and has 60 solos in it.  Here is the complete song list:

Bird Feathers • Bird of Paradise • Bird’s Nest • Body and Soul • Bongo Beep • Bongo Bop • Carvin’ the Bird • Cheers • Cherokee • Confirmation • Cool Blues • Crazeology • Dexterity • Dizzy Atmosphere • Drifting on a Reed • East of the Sun • Easy to Love • Embraceable You • Groovin’ High • Hallelujah • Hot House • I Get a Kick Out of You • I Remember You • I’ll Remember April • I’ve Found a New Baby • I’ve Got You Under My Skin • Indiana • Klactoveededstene • Little Willie Leaps • Liza • Love for Sale • Lover • Mango Mangue • Meandering • Move • My Heart Belongs to Daddy • My Heart Tells Me • My Old Flame • A Night in Tunisia • Oh, Lady Be Good • On a Slow Boat to China • Out of Nowhere • Quasimodo • Repetition • Rock Salt a/k/a Rocker • ‘Round Midnight • Salt Peanuts • Sippin’ at Bells • The Song is You • The Squirrel • Star Eyes • Stupendous • Swedish Schnapps • Sweet Georgia Brown • They Didn’t Believe Me • This Time the Dream’s On Me • Tiny’s Tempo • Visa • Wee (Allen’s Alley) • What is This Thing Called Love?

Youtube Links of Solos from Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 at bottom of page!

I found as many of these recordings as I could on Youtube and saved you about 2 hours and 20 minutes of your time by listing all the links I found at the bottom of this review. As I followed along with the Eb transcriptions, I quickly realized that one of the coolest aspects of this new Omnibook is that a lot of these tunes are standards.  You get to hear and see on the page what Charlie Parker chooses to play over many other keys.  As great as the original Charlie Parker Omnibook was,  all the solos in it are really in only a handful of keys and most of those are sharp keys (except Chi Chi and Donna Lee).  The new Omnibook still has a lot of solos in G, A and D but there is a lot more variety with the chord changes he is playing over than in the original Omnibook.

Here are a couple of highlights I noticed in the new Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2:

  • Bird of Paradise-basically the changes to All the Things You Are.  It’s great to hear Bird go to town over these standard changes.
  • Bird’s Nest-this tune is rhythm changes in G with a different bridge. You get to hear many of the tried and true Bird RC lines on this solo.
  • Body and Soul-recorded in 1941 which means Bird is like 21 years old.  Wow!  He kills it even at 21!  The classic solo of his on Cherokee was recorded later that same year and is in this book also. Love that solo!
  • Bongo Beep & Bongo Bop are two tunes I never heard before. They are on an A blues and are perfect solos if you want to learn how to play bebop lines on a blues.  You hear some Bird blues lines from the original Omnibook on these as well.
  • Cool Blues-Incredible solo also. You can hear Bird play a few popular quotes and the audience immediately respond which is cool.
  • I’ve Found a New Baby-more from the 21 year old Bird!  Classic!
  • Indiana-changes to Donna Lee.  Check out the lick on the first page, lines 3 & 4.  Love that! Parker ends the tune with Donna Lee.
  • Liza-man, the melody sounds rough but Bird’s solo kills!
  • My Heart Tells Me-another 21 year old Bird with what sounds like that same guitar player from the 1941 Cherokee clip.
  • My Old Flame-I have never heard this before. Beautiful effortless playing by Bird! A masterpiece!
  • Oh, Lady Be Good-19 or 20 year old Bird. This is the earliest recording I have heard.  He plays great but you can really hear the difference in his playing from then compared to later.
  • Out of Nowhere-for some reason listening to this one, I got a strong Phil Woods vibe.  Not sure why but I think Bird played some stylistic lines that maybe Mr. Woods picked up himself back in the day.
  • Sippin’ at Bells-Bird on tenor sax……(I prefer him on alto…….just sayin’)
  • Tiny’s Tempo-Another killin’ blues solo in Birds favorite key of G.
  • A Night in Tunisia-This is not the version with the infamous solo break but another version.  This break is just as deadly!  Bird even plays an altissimo A in this solo!!
  • East of the Sun-Great solo with string and horns behind Bird.
  • Meandering-a ballad where Bird plays some stunning beautiful lines.

These are just the tip of the iceberg.  I still have to get to many of the other tunes.  I will say that if you are like me and know your Omnibook really well, then checking out Volume 2 will pleasantly surprise you.  Before I received the book,  I honestly assumed that it would be filled with most of the same lines that Parker played in the original Omnibook but this is not the case at all. There is a lot of new interesting Bird material here that will blow your mind!

Youtube Links of Solos from Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 at bottom of page!

Here is a great paragraph that Chris “Doc” Stewart wrote in the preface of the book that has some great details in it:

“There are a few differences between the two Omnibook volumes worth mentioning.  Two titles have been repeated from the original book including Confirmation and Visa.  The first represents one of Bird’s biggest hits played in an entirely different fashion from the version in the original Omnibook and is one of his most outstanding solo performances of all time.  Transcribing the alternate Birdland version of Visa showcases my skillful use of technology to resurrect a solo that is incomplete and nearly inaudible.  I’ve included more ballad performances that are a must for any jazz alto player to know.  You will also appreciate some teenage Bird when you discover the obvious genius of what was to come from some early recordings.  The original Omnibook also contains sixty tunes, but all were written by Charlie Parker.  I have included many tunes by other authors in this volume. This permitted the last difference where I made an effort to include titles where we discover Bird approaching tunes with more complex chord changes and less common key signatures.  The original Omnibook clearly is a speed demon with several tunes exceeding 360 bpm (6 beats/sec)-although this volume still has several burners exceeding 300 bpm that will challenge the most adept player. You can the cool off with some ballads.

What you’re about to experience comes from thousands of hours of analysis and collaboration, and my love of jazz music, all tuned toward carrying on a legacy of the original Charlie Parker Omnibook in a new digital era.  It is my hope that it continues to be a major reference for students of jazz, professional musicians and music historians for years to come.”     Chris “Doc” Stewart

The Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2

The first thing I noticed about the Charlie Parker Omnibook is that Chris “Doc” Stewart went above and beyond in the details included in these transcriptions.  In many of the transcriptions, there are trumpet lines included, piano lines (many with the voicing written out), bass cues, snare hits and even french horn lines.  During the rests it tells you what instrument is soloing or if there is trading fours with drums going on.  All of these specifics make it so much easier to find where you are in the transcriptions.

Another great feature is that the melodies are included on every transcription.  Many transcriptions these days only include the solos because of copyright limitations but Hal Leonard has included these great melodies and written them out in detail.

There are a ton of articulation markings throughout each solo to help with how to play these solos like Charlie Parker.  As I look through the book I see all sorts of slurs, accents, staccato markings, ghost notes, grace notes, scooped notes, etc…….Although articulation markings are a great tool to help a student figure out how to articulate, they do make the page a bit more cluttered. I found myself missing the simplicity of the original Omnibook’s style of having no articulation markings at all.  I could just focus on the notes and then listen to Charlie Parker to see how he articulated them and try to copy what I heard.

It is also obvious that Chris “Doc” Stewart did not just fill in the known chords of each tune over the transcriptions but added the details of the chords even when there were alterations or substitutions.  You can easily see this as you look through each tune and compare the chords of each chorus. Many times there are differences in each chorus as you compare chords.  This is a cool feature for those of us interested in the harmonies going on behind these solos.

Youtube Links of Solos from Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 at bottom of page!

The one element of the book layout that I wish was different,  is that the key signature is only on the first line of each page.  I understand why this was done for the sake of giving more space to the notes, but when I was reading the transcription many times I would forget the key signature, look at the beginning of the line and think it was in C.  I would then remember that the key signature is at the top of the page and have to look up there.  It’s not a big deal but just something I have to remember when reading the music.

I will also add that as a sax player that plays both alto and tenor saxophone, I prefer to read this book in Eb on alto sax.  It’s the lines Bird played with the same fingerings and range.  The Bb book is cool to read for tenor sax and trumpet but to keep the higher alto lines in the range of the tenor sax many of those lines are taken down an octave.  This usually means that the line might jump down or back up right in the middle of the line.  Honestly, this couldn’t be avoided unless you had the tenor part going way up into the altissimo.  Chris Stewart did a great job with the transposition aspect of the Bb and C books when you consider the range difficulties of these keys.

There is so much more I could write about,  I truly am in love with Charlie Parker’s playing and what is captured on these pages!  It is just a plethora of incredible new bop lines, licks, phrasings and melodic ideas that can be worked on for a lifetime.  Amazing work by Chris “Doc” Stewart who is actually a MD, Senior Consultant & Assistant Professor at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine!  Wow, all these transcriptions and he’s a doctor also!  I would have loved to have this book on my stand next to the original Charlie Parker Omnibook when I was a kid! Thanks Chris Stewart for what must have been thousands of hours of work!

Great job by Hal Leonard in publishing another great Omnibook in their collection that includes John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, Joe Pass, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and now Cannonball Adderley.  You can get the book from Amazon. (Hover your mouse over each ad below to see which instrument each book is for)

   Eb Omnibook     Bb Omnibook      C Omnibook

If you end up getting the Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2  please feel free to come back and share your thoughts and comments with all of us below.  If you have other thoughts about Charlie Parker, I would love to hear them also.  Thank you to Charlie Parker for who you were and your amazing contribution to jazz music and the saxophone.       Steve

Disclosure: I received the books mentioned above for free from Hal Leonard in the hope that I would perhaps review them here on my blog. If you purchase the book from any of the Amazon links above I will make a small commission that I will use to support this site.  Regardless, I only review saxophone related products that I enjoy and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also.  Steve

Addition because I’m a nice guy………..(this took me 2 1/2 hours to find all these clips…….)

Youtube Links of Solos from Charlie Parker Omnibook Volume 2 (If any of these links do not work, please let me know so I can fix the links.  Thanks,  Steve)

Bird Feathers

Bird of Paradise

Bird’s Nest

Body and Soul

Bongo Beep

Bongo Bop

Carvin’ the Bird

Cheers

Cherokee

Confirmation

Cool Blues

Crazeology

Dexterity

Dizzy Atmosphere

Drifting on a Reed

East of the Sun

• Easy to Love
Embraceable You

Groovin’ High

Hallelujah

• Hot House
I Get a Kick Out of You

I Remember You

I’ll Remember April

I’ve Found a New Baby

I’ve Got You Under My Skin

Indiana

Klactoveededstene

Little Willie Leaps

Liza

Love for Sale

Lover

Mango Mangue

Meandering

Move

My Heart Belongs to Daddy

My Heart Tells Me

My Old Flame

A Night in Tunisia

Oh, Lady Be Good

On a Slow Boat to China

Out of Nowhere

Quasimodo

Repetition

Rock Salt a/k/a Rocker

‘Round Midnight

• Salt Peanuts
Sippin’ at Bells

The Song is You

The Squirrel

Star Eyes

Stupendous

Swedish Schnapps

Sweet Georgia Brown

They Didn’t Believe Me

This Time the Dream’s On Me

Tiny’s Tempo

• Visa
Wee (Allen’s Alley)

What is This Thing Called Love?

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Alto Saxophone, Charlie Parker, Chris "Doc" Stewart, Hal Leonard, Omnibook, sax solos, transcription, Volume 2

Steve

About Steve

Steve Neff has been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for over 30 years. He is the author of many best selling jazz improvisation methods as well as founding the popular jazz video lesson site Neffmusic.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarMike J says

    March 12, 2019 at 11:25 am

    WOW what a rush! Much like you (and I’m sure most sax players), the original omnibook was the foundation for my first and continuing jazz study. My copy is always near and annotated, torn, coffee spilled, etc. I always forget how transcendent Bird was and how relevant he still is.

    This new volume is a different beast than the first and I am in love all over again. The types of tunes make a big difference. It’s refreshing to see standards tackled by the master: how to take a standard and turn it inside out, play with the time, elevate it. And the live solos have a drastically different feel than Bird’s recorded solos. It’s a different playing experience listening and learning those solos.

    I think it’s a perfect partner to volume 1. Now if only I could get better quality recordings of some of these solos…

    Reply
  2. AvatarGiuseppe says

    March 17, 2019 at 9:02 am

    How many beautiful ballads and what a sound structure! I will certainly buy the II Charlie Parker Omnibook.
    Thanks Steve for your clip search. You really are a “Nice guy”!
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
  3. AvatarGiuseppe says

    March 17, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    Although I now play the tenor, I think I will buy the E-flat version, so I will train myself to move my hands like Bird; Steve, do you think you could recommend me a good cheap alto with good value for money as a second instrument?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 17, 2019 at 8:32 pm

      Giuseppe,
      I don’t know of a cheap alto sax but the one I suggest to students is a used Yamaha Yas-23. You can usually get a great condition one for like 450.00. They play pretty good and when you are done with it you can turn around and sell it for 450.00 again. I did this with two of my daughters who wanted to play sax. Didn’t lose any money on the deal either and they each got to try sax for a year or two. Steve

      Reply
  4. AvatarGiuseppe says

    March 18, 2019 at 2:36 pm

    Thanks, Steve.
    Yamaha 23 is a good sax, I thought that even used ones cost more. One of my two tenors is a Yamaha Yts 62 bought new in 1987 and still looks new and sounds great, a little bright; however, for a alto sax, the brilliance does not hurt. The mod. Yts 23 I remember was the model a little less professional and it was brighter, but I remember it sounded very good.
    Thanks for the advice.
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
  5. AvatarLarry Weintraub says

    March 22, 2019 at 7:52 pm

    Steve: I received this book in the mail a day ago. I got the Eb book. This book has a lot of standards. I would say that overall the keys are harder and except for maybe playing the heads to the standards this book is harder than Vol 1.
    I will be playing this book on tenor for the most part. Btw – there are at least 2 solos that Bird recorded on tenor. One is “Sippin’ At Bells.” Can’t remember the other one. Anyway there are endless hours of fun and practice.
    If you are a tenor player like me please do not get the Bb version. Otherwise you will be jumping octaves a lot. Everything will lay so much better on the saxophone on the Eb Book.

    Reply
  6. AvatarRob Payne says

    March 24, 2019 at 11:06 pm

    Thanks for the review. What I can’t believe is that neither book has Parker’s Just Friends solo. That was one of Parker’s personal favorite recordings, and one of mine as well. I did have a copy of it but I was living in Paradise, Ca and both my houses burned down along with five saxophones, three flues, a Whisper Room, numerous great playing and expensive mouthpieces, all my sheet music. WTF. Maybe I’ll start rebuilding my library with this volume. I ordered a flute from the Flute Center of NY which of course came damaged. Par for the course. It’s been that way since November of last year. I want to order an alto sax but now I’m afraid to. Just kidding. In fact I’m going to order an alto tonight, can’t wait to start playing music again. I had to buy some furniture for the house I bought first. It still hasn’t come yet and ironically I might end up getting my horns before the furniture gets here at some point in the future. Maybe next year. I already ordered another Whisper room which was the best thing for my playing that I ever invested in because I could practice for hours any time of the night or day. Freedom! Onwards and upwards!!!

    Reply
  7. AvatarGiuseppe C. says

    March 30, 2019 at 8:10 am

    Hello, “says”, I answer you for the Bird songs played at the tenor sax; are, in the Savoy record of the August 14, 1947 session, with Miles Davis, John Lewis, Nelson Boyd and Max Roach:
    Milestones (M. Davis)
    Little Willie Leaps (M. Davis)
    Half Nelson (M. Davis)
    Sippin ‘at Bells (M. Davis)

    In “Collector’s Items, by Miles Davis (Prestige), with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Walter Bishop, Percy Heath, Philly Joe Jones, recorded Jan. 30, 1953 (Bird’s tenor looks a lot like Sonny Rollins):
    The Serpent’s Tooth (side one)
    The Serpent’s Tooth (side two)
    ‘Round About Midnight
    Compulsion.
    These eight tracks are played by Bird at the tenor and are very beautiful.
    Giuseppe

    Reply
  8. AvatarGiuseppe says

    March 30, 2019 at 8:25 am

    Hi Rob Payne,
    Here in Italy, we saw on television the disaster that happened in California, in Paradise and, of course, I was impressed and afflicted identifying myself with the pain of those who must have had to abandon all their memories for a natural disaster, escaping to save their their lives and those of theirs animals, dogs, cats, horses … Really painful to think about it.
    But, to know, does the State, in America, intervene to compensate at least the material damage suffered or, if you are not insured, you lose everything?
    I’m glad you were able to start a new renaissance little by little, starting from the music … and I wish you all the best for a good future; also my country, a territory with enormous hydrogeological risk and also, often, devastated by fires, is, by now, devastated by natural tragedies to which governments, apart from small talk, do not devote much, or nothing, funds for prevention.
    A hug from Rome … and … good jazz!
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
  9. AvatarGiuseppe says

    March 30, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    I will buy the version of the book in E flat, also if I play it with the tenor; in this case I think, however, that it is useless to buy the version with downloadable bases, because, playing with the tenor (in B flat) the musical score in E flat, I would go out of tune; quite right?
    In Italy they still don’t distribute the book!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 31, 2019 at 7:15 pm

      Giuseppe, Sorry, I don’t really understand your question here. “downloadable bases”? I’m not sure what you are asking? Steve

      Reply
  10. AvatarRob Payne says

    March 31, 2019 at 7:07 pm

    Hi Giuseppe,

    Thanks for the kind words! The government provides some emergency services but if you didn’t have insurance you’d probably be out of luck. In fact right after the fire there was talk of tort reform (protects companies from law suits). So the state will probably do more for PG&E than the victims. Any way, I hope you are enjoying Charlie Parker’s music, what a gift to mankind! Good news, my alto came yesterday, a new Yani AW010 . Things are looking up.

    Reply
  11. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 1, 2019 at 5:49 am

    Hi Rob,
    Because one pay taxes if, then, a natural disaster, the State will not reimburse you?
    Really a great gift is Bird’s music, for all humanity!
    Toast with a bottle of Champagne to your new Yaganisawa and … wishes for the future!
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
  12. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 1, 2019 at 6:13 am

    Sorry Steve,
    my english is not good; I wanted to say that they sell only the book with the musical scores, or a comprehensive version of the accompaniment that you can download with the Internet; as they write on Amazon: Charlie Parker Omnibook: E-flat Instruments Edition With Online Audio; Includes Downloadable Audio:
    https://www.amazon.it/Charlie-Parker-Omnibook-flat-Downloadable/dp/1540037290/ref=sr_1_9?hvadid=79920783953336&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvqmt=p&keywords=charlie+parker+omnibook&qid=1554112388&s=gateway&sr=8-9
    I hope the translator has made me understand it …
    Once on some methods like Aebersold, they put a CD with the accompaniment of bass, piano and drums; now, some, instead of the CD, they put the access to audio tracks online, for downloading or sterling, using the unique code inside the book; in a method by Hal Leonard, “Amazing Phrasing”, which made me buy my teacher, there is also included “Playback +, a multi functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right (I’m copying from the book in question, I don’t even understand what it means …).
    From what I understand on Amazon, even the Charlie Parker Omnibook 2 can be purchased either just a book with scores or with the access to tracks online, as described above.
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      April 1, 2019 at 11:13 am

      I don’t think the Volume 2 Omnibook has an option that includes tracks. I have not seen that. Yes, if your goal is to play the solos with the tracks on Youtube, you would want the Eb book for alto and the Bb book for tenor. If you just want to play the solos like Parker did then I think reading the solos form the Eb book on tenor sax is fine. They are the same lines and licks that you will be learning. Steve

      Reply
  13. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 1, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    Not to insist, but, then, what does this advertising mean? (euro 31):
    Charlie Parker Omnibook: E-flat Instruments Edition With Online Audio; Includes Downloadable Audio (English) Paperback – 1 Feb 2019

    https://www.amazon.it/Charlie-Parker-Omnibook-flat-Downloadable/dp/1540037290/ref=sr_1_9?hvadid=79920783953336&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvqmt=p&keywords=charlie+parker+omnibook&qid=1554112388&s=gateway&sr=8- 9

    Can I be misled by this other advertisement ?:

    https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/improvisation/73331-charlie-parker-omnibook-volume-2-a.html

    If the option with the tracks does not exist, I will be happy to play the solos on the book in E flat with the tenor!
    Too bad, however, it would have been a nice idea, unlike the previous book, to sell it with tracks!
    Thanks,
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      April 1, 2019 at 12:33 pm

      This is an ad for the original Charlie Parker Omnibook. It does look like it comes with audio tracks. My review is for the Volume 2 of the Omnibook which I haven’t seen tracks for. Many of the recordings are all on Youtube like i listed in the review. Steve

      Reply
  14. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 2, 2019 at 7:03 am

    You’re right, I checked and the first string (https://www.amazon.it/Charlie-Parker-Omnibook-flat-Downloadable/dp/1540037290/ref=sr_1_9?hvadid=79920783953336&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvqmt=p&keywords=charlie+ parker + omnibook & qid = 1554112388 & s = gateway & sr = 8- 9)
    refers to the Charlie Parker 1.
    However, the second string (https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/improvisation/73331-charlie-parker-omnibook-volume-2-a.html)
    refers to the Charie Parker 2, in fact there is “Dexterity”.
    Maybe that guy he has tracks for his own cont.
    Yes, I saw, and read, that you searched and entered all the recordings in the review of the book 2; I’ve also heard a lot of them, but I wasn’t referring to them!
    Thank you,
    A greeting,
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      April 2, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Giuseppe, The link for the Omnibook 2 you posted just has a Youtube video of Doc Stewart (the person who wrote the Omnibook 2) playing the Dexterity solo over a midi track play along. Maybe he created the midi tracks play alongs when he finished the transcriptions for his own enjoyment. Maybe he will share them someday…….. Steve

      Reply
  15. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 3, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    Yes, as I thought; I got confused by that advertisement on Amazon of book 1 that I had confused for book2; in addition, seeing Mr. Stewart video … Maybe, as you say, in the future they will do the book 2 tracks …
    It may be a good idea.
    Excuse the confusion,
    Giuseppe.

    Reply
  16. AvatarLincoln says

    February 14, 2023 at 6:14 pm

    Of course the ideal is to study Bird’s vocabulary on alto. It all lays out so well and makes sense on alto. Sometimes it’s a little awkward to read through the Bb book on tenor.

    However, it’s great to read through the Eb book on tenor, because it’s all laid out just like Bird played it. It’s all in the wrong key, but that’s OK. It’s good to learn the vocabulary the way it was played, then you can get good practice transposing later.

    Reply
    • AvatarGiuseppe C. says

      February 16, 2023 at 4:53 am

      Yes, it helps to play the book in E flat with the tenor, so you practice moving your fingers like Bird did!
      Giuseppe.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Cart

BRAND NEW BOOK!

Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues
Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues

Subscribe to the Neffmusic Newsletter for the latest reviews and best deals delivered straight to your inbox every month. Join now and you will also receive my 40 Ultimate Michael Brecker Licks free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to


Thanks for joining!


NEFFMUSIC PRINTED BOOKS

Testimonials

I’m an experienced player in the pop/soul/funk areas of music and, previously, classical.  Over the decades I’ve been playing, I’ve always felt that I could do what I needed in those styles of music.  However, recently I began to feel limited by my use of the same old licks. When I discovered Steve Neff’s website, and heard the audio examples based on the exercises in his books, I realized they were what I needed.  I purchased all of them and have been working on them since.  It’s very hard work… Read more
Paul
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin

Your material is great! I got your New Altissimo Lesson 6 months ago and I have learned more from that than in all my 44 years of playing! I appreciate your down to earth teaching method and I really appreciate the heart that you teach with. I have been a subscriber to your lessons for the past 6 months and I have learned a great deal. Over that period of time I have had some questions and you have never failed to respond. Thanks! I have already recommended your lessons to a number of players in… Read more

Michael Byington
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
Patrick
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant

Never really had lessons before just kinda worked things out on my own. Was in a rut but your lessons are really helpful in opening melodic possibilities. Ur an awesome resource to the saxophone community. Thanks for sharing. 

Anthony
I’ve been downloading your lessons for 4 months now (20 lesson) and I have noticed tremendous growth in my playing thus far! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site!
Bob

Featured Video Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) $19.99
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 4.90 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson
    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $9.99

Now over 600 video and audio lessons to choose from!
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY AND SAVE BIG ON EACH LESSON!

Dominant Bebop Scale Book
Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale

Free Lessons

  • Free Lesson on The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering Altered Pentatonics
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale and Language Book 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Approach Note Velocity Book

Recent reviews

  • Mastering Altered Pentatonics (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Dino Govoni
  • Mastering the Bebop Scale Review-Blues in All Keys Lesson 1
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Steve Nye
  • Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Mark White
  • Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Mark White
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Christopher Lutyk

Jazz Improvisation Books

Mastering Altered Pentatonics
Mastering Altered Pentatonics
Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk
Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk
Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale
Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale
Dominant Bebop Scale Book
Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale
Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale-Book 2
Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale-Book 2
The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer (Major)
The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer (Major)
Mastering Major Diatonic Patterns
Mastering Major Diatonic Patterns
Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz & Funk
Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz & Funk-Thirty 5 Star Reviews!!!
Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 2-Dominant Chords
Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 2-Dominant Chords
Best II-V-I Patterns Book
Best II-V-I Patterns
Approach Note Velocity Book
Approach Note Velocity
Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords
Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords
Major Bebop Scale Book
Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Brian on Roberto’s Winds RW Tenor, Alto and Soprano Saxophone Reeds Review
  • Don on 100 Must Know Jazz Tunes Consensus List
  • Honeyboy on Saxscape Arizona Slim Profile Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Dan Gutwein on KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Top rated products

  • The Dorian Mode Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Cool Piano Voicings Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best II-V-I's Overview Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Straight No Chaser-Jazz Articulation Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Overtones-The Path to Altissimo Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Product tags

alto sax alto saxophone approach notes audio lesson bebop scale beginner beginner saxophone blues blues licks blues patterns blues scale blues scales diminished scale dominant chords ear training fundamentals II-V-I improvisation jazz improvisation jazz lines jazz patterns jazz sax jazz saxophone jazz standard jazz standards licks Mastering the Blues Scale Michael Brecker modern improv modern improvisation online lesson patterns playing outside practice habits reading music sax basics sax lessons saxophone scales smooth jazz steve neff tenor sax tenor saxophone video lesson video lessons
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • SUPPORT

Neffmusic © 2023