Saturday, November 10, 2012

Our landmark publication, "The Real 'Cool' Book" now available

I discovered jazz in the 1950s by putting my ear to my brother Norm's room as he and my uncle Ben practiced Chet Baker/Gerry Mulligan duets. So when I joined the Neal Buckley Octet a couple years ago, it lit up a part of my musical subconscious that had long been dormant. What I found was that the West Coast, "cool jazz" charts we played sounded even better than I remembered them. So when someone said I should put out "The Real 'Cool' Book" this project just popped into being---first as a conception and now as a reality. My heartfelt thanks goes out to my musical editor/transcriber Larry Dunlap and our music engraver Chuck Gee for dedication to excellence beyond the call of duty. A world-class job!

What we have done is to take 14 of the best octet songs from that era and transcribe them from the recordings so that this happy, swinging version of jazz could be played by any college-level, or even good high school ensemble. There are separate books for each player, all in one big binder. And on our website there will soon be transposed versions of each of the horn parts so that groups with different instrumentation can still play these songs.

Jazz used to be "the music of the people." Without cowtowing to blatant commercialism, I feel that this book can bring back some of that connection with audiences that jazz has lost over the years. Why? Because the music is upbeat and unapologetically tonal, with great melodies, wonderful counterpoint writing and arranging, and a swinging forward motion that won't quit. And the sheer beauty of five horns blending with other is unbeatable, in my experience.

My hope is that schools, jazz camps and just groups of jazz players will find "The Real 'Cool' Book" to be as advertised, "The most fun you can have for $11 apiece!" - Chuck Sher


Randy Vincent's LINE GAMES just released

I have been very fortunate to play music with guitarist Randy Vincent in several different settings over the last half dozen years or so. My observations are that he is talented, no question; great ears, no question; completely conversant with the jazz tradition to the point of being able to tell you which chord substitutions were played by which artist for innumerable tunes, etc. etc. But Randy's unique gift is an insatiable curiosity with how music works, what the underpinnings are of the music played by the jazz masters. This is what makes him a great teacher and, at this point in time, the greatest living author of jazz guitar books.

His third book, LINE GAMES, is further proof of that claim. I won't go into a description of what he covers here - that is spelled out clearly on our website. But I do believe that, among others things, Randy (like Sher Music Co. itself) was put on this earth to accomplish the goal of creating the best jazz books possible. It is a real honor to work with him.

One further source of pride for me with this book is that the mosaic guitar on the cover was created by my wonderful wife and soulmate, Sueann Bettison Sher. If they gave Grammys for the best music book cover of the year, Sueann and our graphic artist, Attila Nagy, should win first prize. I hope you all enjoy this labor of love - Chuck Sher

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Two new Sher Music books!

Things are popping here at Sher Music. Today we released two very well-done books. If the subjects interest you, you can't do better.
1) Method for Chromatic Harmonica by Max De Aloe is the first book on the big harmonica to treat it as a legitimate instrument. Endorsed by Toots Thielemans, Hendrik Meurkens, Olivier Ker Ourio and others, the book is designed for all levels of players and any style of music. Like classical method books, Max takes the reader through all the keys and makes sure that you learn to have facility all over the instrument. Scale studies, arpeggio studies, rhythmic training, ear training, special harmonica techniques like bending and vibrato, and more. Plus a very well-done play-along CD with a good Italian rhythm section.

2) Afro-Peruvian Percussion Ensemble: From The Cajon to the Drum Set by Hector Morales. Berklee professor and drummer with Paquito d'Rivera says: "This book/DVD package is a goldmine of information on Peruvian music and percussion." The book itself contains charts written out for all the various instruments - cajon, congas, bongos, cowbell, etc. for all the main styles of Afro-Peruvian music, photos showing how to play them, and good historical background on the music. There are also charts for bass and guitar parts and for the drum set too. The best part of the package, to me, is the DVD. The instructional sections are beautifully filmed, and many of them slowed down to half time, as well as normal speed, to facilitate easy learning. And the ensemble tunes on the DVD are quite fun to watch and listen to. The band includes one of the world's greatest Latin bass players, Oscar Stagnaro, along with the author, Hector "Jereto" Ferreyra, Eric Kurimski and others.

We have two more new books slated for release by the end of the month, "The Real 'Cool' Book" and "Line Games" by Randy Vincent. Stay tuned! - Chuck Sher

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Digital Age

Thanks to my webmaster & buddy Bob Afifi, I am being dragged kicking and screaming into the Digital Age. Which is good news to all of you iPad and Kindle owners. In addition to the Digital Real Book and the 16 Sher Music books released in digital form last year, we now have the following items ready for downloading:
1. "Three-note Voicings and Beyond"
by Randy Vincent
http://www.shermusic.com/new/9781883217662.shtml

2. "Introduction to the Conga Drum" - DVD
by Michael Spiro
http://www.shermusic.com/new/242169.shtml

3. Play-Along CDs for The New Real Book: Vol. 1
in downloadable format
http://www.shermusic.com/new/0961470143-cd.shtml

Enjoy! - Chuck Sher