February 2026 Sher Music Sale1

 

For the month of February, 2026 we will be discounting two seriously useful publications, which every jazz musician should have in their library — at 25% off the already low prices!

1. The New Real Book, Vol. 1 - Digital Edition. This PDF book contains all the songs in the printed edition (with one exception). Each song is printable and also compatible with forScore, iGigBook or any other fake book indexing software (available as a complete book only.) This makes it eminently useful for any playing situation, so check out this greatest of the New Real Books in digital form!

2. The Digital Standards Songbook. This amazing resource (culled primarily from our Standards Real Book) is composed of downloadable lead sheets for 176 great standards by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Jobim and many more! (Please note: The discount is for the whole book only, not individual songs.) Again, these world-class Sher Music charts are compatible with forScore, iGigBook or any other fake book indexing software. For your convenience, this digital book is available in C, Bb, Eb and Bass Clef editions. You won't be sorry that The Digital Standards Songbook is on your iPad or computer!

In addition, we now have a Spanish language edition of Neff Irizarry's landmark book Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol. 1, available as a downloadable PDF! 
Además, ahora contamos con una edición en español del libro fundamental de Neff Irizarry, Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol. 1 edición en español, disponible como PDF descargable.

Future Publications — in a month or so we will be publishing The REAL Intros and Endings Book, transcribed from the original recordings by Tony Corman, and also a wonderful book for drummers, Jim Payne's Linear Funk Drumming. Full speed ahead in 2026 for Sher Music Co.!

A Note on Music Books in General — as you may have noticed, things are more expensive at the grocery store, gas pumps, etc., etc. But music books are still a real bargain — for the same price as a lunch for two you can own The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker, for example — something you'll use and treasure for a lifetime! Long Live Jazz!

The Sher Music Team - www.shermusic.com

Happy 2026 and Two New Sher Music Books!

 Folks - First, let me wish you all a swinging New Year and all the best for 2026! Last year was tough for us here financially but a good year for me personally since I've been taping my regular Sunday outdoor jazz gigs ("Jazz in the Plaza" here in Petaluma - see info on our home page, www.shermusic.com). By having an objective outside source of information I've been able to improve my playing where it needed improvement and have discovered the joys of patting myself on the back for the things I'm doing better - even at this late stage of the game (I'm 78 years old). Live and learn, eh?

Speaking of bass playing, Bob Sinicrope (Down Beat Jazz Educator of the Year last year) has two more additions to his "Walking Bass Line Construction" series - So What and Take the 'A' Train - now available on our website. All the material previously available only via hyperlinks in his books is now printed out in the hard copies, which makes the books even more valuable than before. Check them out and also our January digital book discounts at https://www.shermusic.com/sale.php.

Here's to a better year for everyone in 2026 and, as some anonymous poet wrote, "Make Beauty - there will be one less place for evil to hide." Peace and Love - Chuck Sher 

Jazz in the Plaza!

 

Jazz in the Plaza

Jazz in the Plaza has just finished its fifth season in November, 2025. We will be starting up in the spring of 2026. To be included on our mailing list for future jazz and Latin Music free concerts here in Petaluma, please send your email to shermuse@sonic.net. Below are a sample flyer and testimonials from some of the musicians who played this year, which we sent to our fiscal sponsors, Music in Place and Jamey Aebersold. Sample videos from this year are available at https://www.shermusic.com/jazz-in-the-plaza.php. Long Live Jazz! — Chuck Sher

---

Dear Mr. Merrimore and Members of Music in Place - I am writing to thank you for your support of Chuck Sher's Jazz in the Plaza series. With your generous support, we are able to bring live jazz performances, free of charge, to a community that is very much in need of concerts like these. In addition to providing the public with the opportunity to hear great jazz, your generous donations also provide some of the top musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area with opportunities to perform for audiences that are eager to experience live jazz, and live music in general, in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Thank you so much for your generosity and dedication to bringing so many live performances, in such a wide range of genres, to our Bay Area communities. Your contributions are profound!”
— Brian Pardo, guitarist

To you supporters of live jazz; Thank you so much for making this happen. It has been a small miracle and a huge blessing. And eternal gratitude to the tireless dedication and vision of Chuck Sher, without whom this gift to the music and our community would not have been possible. In love and gratitude.”
— Steve Rubardt, pianist

To the sponsors of Jazz in the Plaza - Thank you so much for your support! These concerts have become some of the musical and social highlights of my life. It's such a great opportunity for musicians and non-musicians alike, to get together and appreciate music in general and Jazz in particular. Chuck Sher has created a wonderful sense of community in the beautiful city of Petaluma. I know that we are all grateful for your support. Thank you!”
— David Rokeach, drummer

The Jazz community in the North Bay has been enlivened and invigorated by the opportunity to play every week for the fine folks in Petaluma. We very much appreciate the support you have provided this noble effort of bringing quality music to the general public. Thank you!”
— Doug Morton, pianist and flugelhornist

Hello Jamie A. and the Music In Place Folks - I wanted to share my gratitude for all you've done to present and support the Jazz in the Plaza series over the years. It means a lot to our community to have free access to high quality music from all of the best musicians in the Bay Area. As one of the musicians to be in the mix, I have benefited greatly from being a part of the various lineups of wonderful musicians and it's always a pleasure to play and hang out with Chuck. Sending you warm seasons greetings and many thanks!!”
— Bryan Bowman, drums

Jamey and Music in Place - your generous support of Petaluma Sunday Jazz performances has been so much appreciated by the many people who have enjoyed listening to the performances and by all the musicians (including me!) who had great fun playing for those audiences. Mid-day Sunday gigs are few and far between, especially events that attract savvy audiences and players who have lots of fun together. Thank you for making all this possible!”
— Jon Krosnick, drummer

Dear Jamey Aebersold and Music in Place: Thank you so much for supporting this concert series. It is a wonderful outdoor community event that gives much needed exposure to the public, who might not otherwise ever get a chance to hear live jazz. Also, it is a fun place to perform, with very appreciative audiences composed of people of all ages. Best wishes for the new year.”
— Steve Heckman, saxophone

I'd like to thank Jamey Aebersold and the folks at Music in Place for their continued support for Petaluma's Jazz in the Plaza. It's always a pleasure to perform with Chuck and his cadre of players.”
— Brad Buethe, guitarist

As 2025 draws to a close I would like to thank Chuck for organizing Jazz In The Plaza and our sponsors for the financial support that makes first-call musicians willing to come to Petaluma on Sundays to play. These gigs provide a real sense of community; I particularly enjoy seeing older folks and little kids listening (and often dancing!) to the bands. The word has obviously spread that there is no cover charge; as time has gone by the crowds have become larger and I suspect many audience members don't have extra income to pay for music in their life. I'm proud to be a part of such a nice scene. Thank you!”
— Kendrick Freeman, drummer

The Jazz at the Plaza series has provided a great opportunity to play with great players in a relaxed setting for the general public. I especially loved the opportunity to reconnect with the fabulous Chuck Sher. We've played together a lot over the years, but it's definitely been a while. Thank you!”
— Sheldon Brown, saxophonist

 

Sher Music Holiday Printed Book Sale!

 

As a Holiday gift to you, for the month of November 2025 only, we are happy to offer you Wholesale Prices on almost all our printed books - 40% off the list prices! (This offer is good for the USA only.) 

This is a rare sale on our physical books and it won't last long, so go to www.shermusic.com for some serious discounts! Great for Christmas shopping for other musicians too! Have a safe and Happy Holidays from everyone here at Sher Music Co.!

FAKE BOOKS

1. The New Real Book, Vol. 1 - C, Bb and Eb versions
2. The New Real Book, Vol. 2 - C, Bb and Eb versions
3. The New Real Book, Vol. 3 - C, Bb, Eb and Bass clef versions
4. The Standards Real Book - C, Bb and Eb versions
5. The All Jazz Real Book - C version only
6. The Real Easy Book, Vol. 1 - C, Bb, Eb and Bass clef versions
7. The Real Easy Book, Vol. 2 - C, Bb, Eb and Bass clef versions
8. The Real Easy Book, Vol. 3 - C, Bb, Eb and Bass clef versions
9. The Latin Real Easy Book - C, Bb, Eb and Bass Clef versions
10. The Best of Sher Music Real Books - C, Bb and Eb versions
11. The World's Greatest Fake Book - C version only
12. The European Real Book - C version only
13. The Latin Real Book - C version only

METHOD BOOKS AND PRACTICE GUIDES

1. The Jazz Theory Book - by Mark Levine
2. The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker
3. Logic and Creative Thinking in Jazz Improvisation - by Vincent Herring
4. Forward Motion - by Hal Galper
5. Metaphors for the Musician - by Randy Halberstadt
6. The Blues Scales - by Dan Greenblatt
7. Essential Grooves - by 3 Berklee College professors
8. The Rhythm Changes Guide - by Lukas Gabric
9. 365 Days of Practice - by Rick Margitza
10. The Bob Mover Jazz Lexicon - Treble and Bass Clef versions
11. Building Solo Lines from Cells - by Randy Vincent
12. The Serious Jazz Practice Book - by Barry Finnerty
13. The Serious Jazz Book II - by Barry Finnerty
14. The Jazz Harmony Book - by David Berkman
15. The Jimmy Raney Book - by Jimmy and Jon Raney
16. The Musician's Guide to Creative Practicing - by David Berkman
17. Major is Harmonic - by Randy Vincent
18. Minor is Major - by Dan Greenblatt

GUITAR BOOKS

1. Line Games - by Randy Vincent
2. The Cellular Approach - by Randy Vincent
3. Jazz Guitar Voicings: The Drop 2 Book - by Randy Vincent
4. Three-Note Voicings and Beyond - by Randy Vincent
5. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol. 1 - by Neff Irizarry
6. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol. 2 - by Neff Irizarry
7. The Jimmy Raney Book - by Jimmy and Jon Raney
8. The Brazilian Guitar Book - by Nelson Faria

LATIN MUSIC BOOKS

1. The Brazilian Guitar Book - by Nelson Faria
2. The True Cuban Bass - by Carlos del Puerto
3. Muy Caliente! - Afro-Cuban Book and Play-Along audio
4. Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section - by Nelson Faria and Cliff Korman
5. Afro-Caribbean Grooves for Drumset - by Jean Philippe Fanfant
6. Flamenco Improvisation, Vol. 1 - by Enrique Vargas
7. Flamenco Improvisations, Vol. 2 - by Enrique Vargas
8. Flamenco Improvisation, Vol. 3 - by Enrique Vargas
9. The Latin Real Easy Book - C, Bb, Eb and Bass Clef versions
10. 101 Montunos - by Rebeca Mauleon
11. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar - by Neff Irizarry
12. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol.2 - by Neff Irizarry
13. Decoding Afro-Cuban Jazz - by Chucho Valdes and Rebeca Mauleon
14. The Latin Bass Book - by Oscar Stagnaro & Chuck Sher
15. The Latin Real Book - C version
16. The Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble - by Rebeca Mauleon
17. The Conga Drummer's Guidebook - by Michael Spiro
18. Language of the Masters - by Michael Spiro
19. El Libro del Jazz Piano - by Mark Levine

PIANO BOOKS

1. The Jazz Piano Book - by Mark Levine
2. An Approach to Comping - Vol.1 - by Jeb Patton
3. An Approach to Comping - Vol. 2 - by Jeb Patton
4. Jazz Piano Masterclass: The Drop 2 Book - by Mark Levine
5. Wisdom of the Hand - by Marius Nordal
6. Playing for Singers - by Mike Greensill
7. El Libro del Jazz Piano - by Mark Levine
8. 101 Montunos - by Rebeca Mauleon
9. How to Voice Standards at the Piano - by Mark Levine
10. Introduction to Jazz Piano - by Jeb Patton
11. The Jazz Harmony Book - by David Berkman
12. The Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble - by Rebeca Mauleon

BASS BOOKS

1. Bass Foundations - by Chuck Israels
2. The Improvisor's Bass Method - by Chuck Sher
3. Walking Bass Line Construction: Perdido - by Bob Sinicrope
4. Concepts for Bass Soloing - by Marc Johnson and Chuck Sher
5. Walking Bassics - by Ed Fuqua

DRUM BOOKS

1. Syncopation Companion - by Bryan Bowman
2. Language of the Masters - by Michael Spiro
3. Drum Chart Supplement for The Real Easy Book 1 - by Alan Hall
4. Afro-Caribbean Grooves for Drumset - by Jean-Philippe Fanfant

EAR TRAINING, ARRANGING AND MISC. INSTRUMENT BOOKS

1. The Real Easy Ear Training Book - by Roberta Radley
2. Reading, Writing, and Rhythmetic - by Roberta Radley
3. Jazz Scores and Analysis, Vol. 1 - by Rick Lawn
4. Jazz Scores and Analysis, Vol. 2 - by Rick Lawn
5. The Jazz Saxophone Book - by Tim Armacost
6. New Orleans Trumpet - by Jim Thornton
7. Method for Chromatic Harmonica - by Max de Aloe

Each book has been endorsed by multiple jazz legends and is the state-of-the-art on its respective topic.
See www.shermusic.com to order or for sample pages, sample audio tracks, endorsements, etc.

40% OFF DISCOUNT AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED AT CHECKOUT

Enjoy! - The Sher Music team.

LEARN MORE

 

October Sher Music Sale!

Due to popular demand, our HALF PRICE sale on almost all our PDF digital books is being extended through the month of October 2025 as well. We hope you take advantage of the big savings in our "Back to the Woodshed" sale. See below for details and enjoy!

https://www.shermusic.com/sale.php

— The Sher Music Team

Super Sale at Sher Music!

Fellow musicians — for the month of September only, virtually all our Sher Music method book PDFs are on sale at HALF of their normal (already low) prices. You won't see these kinds of savings again for a while, so I hope you take advantage of our "Back to the Woodshed" sale. See below for details & enjoy!

— The Sher Music Team

Method Books

1. 365 Days of Practice by Rick Margitza
2. An Approach to Comping: Vol. 1 by Jeb Patton
3. An Approach to Comping: Vol. 2 by Jeb Patton
4. Bass Foundations by Chuck Israels
5. Blues Scales by Dan Greenblatt
6. Bob Mover Jazz Lexicon by Bob Mover
7. Building Solo Lines from Cells by Randy Vincent
8. Cellular Approach by Randy Vincent
9. Concepts for Bass Soloing by Chuck Sher & Marc Johnson
10. El Libro del Jazz Piano by Mark Levine
11. Essential Grooves by Dan Moretti, Matthew Nicholl & Oscar Stagnaro
12. Flamenco Improvisation: Vol. 1 by Enrique Vargas
13. Flamenco Improvisation: Vol. 2 by Enrique Vargas
14. Flamenco Improvisation: Vol. 3 by Enrique Vargas
15. Forward Motion by Hal Galper
16. Foundation Exercises for Bass by Chuck Sher
17. Guitarist's Introduction to Jazz by Randy Vincent
18. How to Voice Standards by Mark Levine
19. Improvisor's Bass Method by Chuck Sher
20. Introduction to Jazz Piano by Jeb Patton
21. Jazz Guitar Voicings: The Drop 2 Book by Randy Vincent
22. Jazz Harmony Book by David Berkman
23. Jazz Musician's Guide to Creative Practicing by David Berkman
24. Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine
25. Jazz Piano Masterclass: The Drop 2 Book by Mark Levine
26. Jazz Saxophone Book by Tim Armacost
27. Jazz Scores and Analysis: Vol. 1 by Rick Lawn
28. Jazz Scores and Analysis: Vol. 2 by Rick Lawn
29. Jazz Singer's Guidebook by David Berkman
30. Jazz Solos of Chick Corea by Peter Sprague
31. Jazz Songs for the Student Violinist by Joanne Keefe & Kevin M. Mitchell
32. Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
33. Jimmy Raney Book by Jimmy Raney & Jon Raney
34. Line Games by Randy Vincent
35. Logic and Critical Thinking in Jazz Improvisation by Vincent Herring
36. Major is Harmonic by Randy Vincent
37. Metaphors for the Musician by Randy Halberstadt
38. Method for Chromatic Harmonica by Max De Aloe
39. Minor is Major! by Dan Greenblatt
40. Modern Etudes for Solo Trumpet by Cameron Pearce
41. New Orleans Trumpet by Jim Thornton
42. Playing for Singers by Mike Greensill
43. Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker by Michael Brecker
44. Reading, Writing and Rhythmetic by Roberta Radley
45. Real Easy Ear Training Book by Roberta Radley
46. Rhythm Changes Guide by Lukas Gabric
47. Rhythm First! by Tom Kamp
48. Serious Jazz Book II by Barry Finnerty
49. Serious Jazz Practice Book by Barry Finnerty
50. Syncopation Companion by Bryan Bowman
51. Teoría del Jazz by Mark Levine
52. Three-note Voicings and Beyond by Randy Vincent
53. Walking Bass Line Construction - F Blues by Bob Sinicrope
54. Walking Bass Line Construction - Bb Blues by Bob Sinicrope
55. Walking Bass Line Construction - C Minor Blues by Bob Sinicrope
56. Walking Bass Line Construction - Perdido by Bob Sinicrope
57. Walking Bassics by Ed Fuqua
58. Wisdom of the Hand by Marius Nordal

Latin Music

1. 101 Montunos by Rebeca Mauleón
2. Afro-Caribbean Grooves for Drumset by Jean-Philippe Fanfant
3. Brazilian Guitar Book by Nelson Faria
4. Conga Drummer's Guidebook by Michael Spiro
5. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar: Vol. 1 by Neff Irizarry
6. Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar: Vol. 2 by Neff Irizarry
7. Decoding Afro-Cuban Jazz by Chucho Valdés & Rebeca Mauleón
8. Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section by Nelson Faria & Cliff Korman
9. Language of the Masters by Michael Spiro
10. Latin Bass Book by Oscar Stagnaro & Chuck Sher
11. Muy Caliente! by Rebeca Mauleón
12. Salsa Guidebook for Piano & Ensemble by Rebeca Mauleón
13. True Cuban Bass by Carlos del Puerto & Silvio Vergara

August Sher Music Sale!

For the month of August 2025 only, we are offering our Sher Music customers a free PDF of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" or "The Alan Pasqua Songbook" as a token of our gratitude if you buy 2 of any of our world-class jazz or Latin music physical books.

"The Jazz Theory Book" is the most trusted discussion of all aspects of jazz theory ever published. If it is not already in your library, now is the chance to get it free of charge — https://www.shermusic.com/1883217040.php.

If you already have Mark's masterpiece, we'd be happy to give you a free PDF of "The Alan Pasqua Songbook" instead. This digital-only publication includes 21 of Alan's favorite tunes, direct from his own lead sheets! More details here — https://www.shermusic.com/9737703181607.php.

After buying the physical books from www.shermusic.com, just send an email requesting one or the other of our free gifts to shermuse@sonic.net and it will be sent to you within 24 hours. Enjoy! — The Sher Music Team

March Sher Music Discount Sale!

For the month of March only, all of our newest Sher Music PDF books will be on sale at their lowest prices ever! If you missed out on any of these great publications, now's the best time to inspire your practicing by absorbing the teaching of some of the greatest minds in jazz!

1. Logic and Critical Thinking in Jazz Improvisation — Vincent Herring's best-selling jazz book. A masterpiece!
2. Randy Vincent's Major is Harmonic — one of the greatest jazz educators alive — with a new book for all instrumentalists.
3. Bob Mover's Jazz Lexicon — New & Improved Second Edition now available in treble and bass clef!
4. Chuck Israels' Bass Foundations — featuring 63 pages of his playing with Bill Evans, including Bill's reharmonizations.
5. The Jimmy Raney Book by Jimmy and Jon Raney — including a unique take on the rhythmic underpinnings of bebop.
6. Bob Sinicrope's Walking Bass Line Construction — separate books for F Blues, Bb Blues, C Minor Blues, and Perdido.
7. Neff Irizarry's Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar Vol. 2 — along with Vol. 1, the most complete books ever published on the subject.

Like all Sher Music Co. books, each one of these has been endorsed by multiple jazz luminaries, so you know they will greatly improve your musicianship!  

LEARN MORE at https://www.shermusic.com/sale.php

New Randy Vincent book just released!

Randy Vincent is perhaps the most respected author alive of jazz guitar instruction books. But his new book, MAJOR IS HARMONIC, is pure jazz theory, useful to any musician. I've played in bands with Randy for many years and am always amazed at his dedication and devotion to continually improving his musicianship. Between sets you'll often find him sitting in a corner working on his already formidable chops. This new book is designed for serious musicians only, as it delves into "the most underrated scale" - the Harmonic Major Scale, and how it is the best scale choice in numerous situations. If you are serious about being a complete musician, you'll appreciate all the work that went into creating this little gem of a book. See https://www.shermusic.com/9781883217105.php for more information, sample pages, etc. Happy Holidays! - Chuck Sher

Chuck Israels' "Bass Foundations" released!

 I'm a long-time, big Bill Evans devotee. His music touches me in a way no one else's does. So when Chuck Israels sent me the beginning of a bass method book, the lights bulbs went off big-time. I knew that combining Chuck's own wisdom with presenting his improvised bass lines on a bunch of songs he recorded with Bill would give people an invaluable insight into the workings of Bill's trio conception. In addition, it also allows people to play along with the recordings with Bill's changes there. An invaluable combination! I hope all the jazz bassists in the world pick up on this historic publication and have a ball with it. Peace - Chuck Sher

The Hits Keep Coming!

 Just released at the end of July are two more Sher Music books - Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar, Vol.2, by Neff Irizarry and The Jimmy Raney Book written by Jimmy Raney and his son Jon.

If you are familiar with Neff Irizarry's first volume, you won't need any encouragement to check out Vol.2 - it's even more amazing than his initial book and includes transcription and analysis of over 50 classic solos in the genre. 'Nuff said.

Jimmy Raney was a legendary bebop guitarist in the '50s and '60s, playing with Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer and many more. He wrote a book on his conceptions of what makes bebop such an exciting form of music but it was unfinished after his death until his son, pianist Jon Raney decided to complete, edit and expand the book earlier this year. Among other things, it is the most detailed look at the rhythmic aspect of creating fluid bebop lines that I've ever seen. Definitely worth your time to check it out. 

On a personal note, our local newspaper here in Petaluma, CA, the Argus Courier, did a feature article on me and the free, outdoor jazz concert series I started at the beginning of the pandemic - still going strong in our fourth season (many thanks to Jamey Aebersold and Music in Place for their crucial financial support) - Despite spinal injury, bassist Chuck Sher keeps the music playing - The Petaluma Argus-Courier (petaluma360.com). They spelled my name correctly but refused to put photos of Leonardo di Caprio in there instead of me - can't have everything! - Chuck Sher

P.S. The quartet with Michael Spiro, David Belove, Ken Cook and Kendrick Freeman will return on Sunday, October 6th - fantastic music!

Two More Great New Sher Music Books Released!

 It wasn't exactly planned but we now have four new books for 2024. Just released today are the following:

1. "The Bob Mover Jazz Lexicon" - veteran saxophonist and practicing buddy of Michael Brecker, Bob Mover has compiled in this Lexicon over 400 hip phrases to expand your musical vocabulary. Bob is an old school bebopper and the book can certainly be used in that style, but, like Mike Brecker, Bob is convinced that moving these phrases around by various intervals is an important key to musical freedom and his introduction spells out how to do just that. 

This book has some of the most impressive endorsements of any book I've seen, including ones by Tom Harrell, Kenny Barron, Jerry Bergonzi and David Berkman. As Eddie Daniels says, "I love it… it makes me think in a different way and gets me back to practicing! P.S. I hope that's enough… if not, I will say it a half step higher!!”

 

 2. "Logic and Critical Thinking in Jazz Improvisation" by Vincent Herring is a unique book that will give you a firm and logical foundation for your soloing. Take a listen here for an example of where Vincent's method can lead you - https://youtu.be/Ab58wusI_iw. Like Bob Mover's Lexicon, Vincent's book is also endorsed by some of the greatest players in jazz. I'm proud to be the publisher of this outstanding addition to jazz literature!

Keep it swinging! - Chuck Sher

Rest in Love - Michael Aragon

 For those of you who might not have heard, our brother Michael Aragon voluntarily left his body behind yesterday, heading on to Brighter Moments. We loved him like the brother he was - a real mensch, a loving friend and a superb drummer to boot. Thanks to the Universe for bringing him into our lives - Chuck

Two New Sher Music Books for 2024!

We are thrilled to have just released two cool new jazz books, "365 Days of Practice" by saxophonist Rick Margitza and "Walking Bass Line Construction - F Blues" by Bob Sinicrope. Both can be seen at www.shermusic.com and both have audio files on our website to accompany the books.

Rick's book is some high-level jazz educational material, consisting of short exercises for each day of a year. As Richie Beirach wrote: "This book is a great idea because it makes practicing a kind of ritual. It can be so interesting to practice using Rick’s method!" One of the valuable things in the book is that Rick has an 11-page introduction outlining in detail the practice method both he and Mike Brecker learned from their teacher in Miami, Gary Campbell. The examples themselves are often totally unique sounding and it will definitely open up your ears and musical mind to work on each one.

I have been friends with Bob Sinicrope for many years since he was one of the founders of the Jazz Education Network, JEN, and its past president. His book is part of a series of beginning methods for learning how to walk correct bass lines, starting from playing just roots up to sample choruses in the style of bassists from 'Pops' Foster to Ron Carter. Band directors will find this to be super useful in getting their rhythm sections up and running in a hurry.

I have to give a shout out to my webmaster and bandmate, Bob Afifi, who is crucial to Sher Music's ability to function in the modern world. I'm pretty much a technophobe but Bob is super conversant with that world. I couldn't function without his invaluable assistance. Thanks, Bob!

Finally, thanks to all of you who are supporters of our work here. I feel that we have been given a mission to keep jazz (and Latin Jazz) moving forward into the 21st century. There have been too many fortuitous events in the last 45 years for our successes to have been merely accidental. So a heartfelt thanks to the Universe for letting us serve the greater good by helping to keep our beautiful art form alive and well. Have a great 2024! - Chuck Sher

 

The Unsung Heroes of Sher Music Co.

Folks - it has occurred to me that there are multiple people crucial to Sher Music being the high-quality publishing company that we are, who do not see much of the public limelight. Nonetheless, without them we'd be hard pressed to function as we do. In no particular order they are:

1) Bob Afifi - Bob is our webmaster, which entails dozens of different tasks to keep www.shermusic.com up and running smoothly, to deal with customer questions, get the digital books ready for publication, make sure the email communications with our customers get out every month, and much more. He is super-knowledgeable about tech questions and I can't overstate his value to our company.

2) Attila Nagy - Attila is our in-house graphics person and is responsible for all our advertising graphics, and many of the graphics in our books, including many of our beautiful book covers. He and I go back many decades and it is a real boon to Sher Music that he is available to fix minor graphics problems on a moment's notice, as well as his more substantial work. 

3) Larry Dunlap - Larry has been our transcriber and musical editor for almost 30 years and our music engraver for the last 20 years. He is also my "go to" guy for all musical questions. All the fake books from The New Real Book Vol.3 on are his work and I am super blessed to have him be part of our efforts here. The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker is almost entirely his doing and a great job he did on that landmark publication!

4) Doug Morton - is my tech guru and creator of our spiffy new royalty system. A big help in many respects, as well as a superlative musician. 

5) Other important contributors to one book or another include David Demsey, Matt Heister, Rick Margitza, Art Khu, Ian Carey, Chris Volion, Dan Greenblatt, Ken Cook, Rebeca Mauleon, Kendrick Freeman, Gayle Fulton, Bonnie Comerford, Michael Aragon, Drake Bolt, Annalisa Sher, Ben Sher, Jonathan Sher and many more.

6) Of course, Sher Music wouldn't exist without the contributions of all the authors of our method books and the composers of the songs in our fake books. They are the meat and potatoes of Sher Music Co.

7) And lastly, my lovely and hard-working wife, Sueann Bettison Sher, is my rock and forever love and keeps me sane amidst all the ups and downs of keeping Sher Music Co. afloat.

 THANKS UPON THANKS TO ONE AND ALL! - Chuck Sher 

  

"The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker" is in the world!

After many months of hard work, today we finally released "The Practice Notebooks of Michael Brecker." As you might know, during his whole career Michael kept extensive notes on noteworthy things that came up during his practice regime. These notes were just for himself and were not publication-worthy in their original form. But after we graciously got permission to publish them from Michael's widow, Susan Brecker, we went ahead and re-engraved everything that we could from his original notebooks. So now they are supremely legible and easy to use to guide your own practicing. The url for the book's webpage is https://www.shermusic.com/9780991077359.php.

Michael was, of course, one of the greatest saxophonists in the history of jazz and his innate talent was linked with a serious work ethic, fueled by his conviction that he never sounded as good as he wanted to. There's a story in Bill Milkowski's wonderful bio of Michael, "Ode to a Tenor Titan," about the time Michael called Will Lee to come be the bassist in one of his early fusion bands. Will was from Tennessee and had never been in a big city in his life, so when he got to Manhattan he couldn't tell one street from another and all the buildings looked the same. But when he went out to the store, all he had to do was put his ear to the wind and he could get back home by following the sound of Michael's practicing!

In any case, everyone here at Sher Music did an incredible job on this project and big thanks to every one of them:

Larry Dunlap for his world-class music engraving and the musical intelligence to figure out ambiguous passages in the original notebooks. David Demsey and Tim Armacost for figuring out the saxophone fingerings from Michael's cryptic notes - now a "Saxophone-Specific Appendix" in our book. Art Khu for his expert proofreading. Our graphic artist, Attila Nagy, for making it all look as beautiful as it sounds. Matt Heister for great help getting the digital version to work correctly and Bob Afifi for everything under the sun. We sincerely hope you enjoy this real labor of love! - Chuck Sher

April Discounts on all Sher Music Digital Songbooks

Folks - continuing monthly sales on our digital books, here's the books that are on sale for the month of April - Enjoy! - Chuck Sher

- "The New Real Book, Vol.1 - Digital Edition"

- "The Digital Standards Songbook" (complete books only)

- "The Jazz Songbooks Series" - separate books of songs by Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Alan Pasqua, Carla Bley, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson and many more

- "The Digital Real Book" over 600 songs from all our fake books

- "Jazz Arrangements of Public Domain Songs" by Chuck Israels

Expand your iPad library with selections from the greatest jazz songbook collections ever created. 

Books endorsed by Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Mark Murphy, Maria Schneider, Jamey Aebersold, Down Beat magazine, etc.

Prices reduced to half the cost of the physical books (with equivalent savings on digital-only songbooks).

Discounts on all Sher Music piano books

 

For the month of March, all our world-class piano method books (digital versions only) will be discounted so that they are half the price of the physical book. (This is way below the industry standard!)

• Mark Levine's The Jazz Piano Book, The Drop Two Book, and How to Voice Standards at the Piano
• Rebeca Mauleón's 101 Montunos
• Jeb Patton's An Approach to Comping: Vol. 1, An Approach to Comping: Vol. 2 and Introduction to Jazz Piano: A Deep Dive
• Marius Nordal's unique treatise on pentatonics, The Wisdom of the Hand
• Mike Greensill's Playing for Singers, invaluable for piano accompanists
• Metaphors for the Musician by Randy Halberstadt - thought-provoking!
• The Jazz Solos of Chick Corea, transcribed by Peter Sprague
• Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section by Cliff Korman and Nelson Faria

We hope you will take a look at the webpages of each book to see how you can benefit from the expertise of these great jazz and Latin pianists! See www.shermusic.com. Enjoy! - Chuck Sher

Discounts on all of Sher's Latin Music books

 

For the month of February, all of Sher Music Co's world-class digital method books on Afro-Cuban Music, Brazilian Music and Latin Jazz will be on sale for half the price of the physical book! (This is way below the industry standard.) This includes:

• The Salsa Guidebook - by Rebeca  Mauleón
• 101 Montunos by Rebeca Mauleon
• Decoding Afro-Cuban Jazz by Chucho Valdes and Rebeca Mauleón
• The Brazilian Guitar Book by Nelson Faria
• Inside the Brazilian Rhythm Section by Nelson Faria and Cliff Korman
• The Conga Drummer's Guidebook by Michael Spiro
• Language of the Masters by Michael Spiro
• Music of the Arará Savalú Cabildo by Michael Spiro
• Contemporary Latin Jazz Guitar by Neff Irizarry
• The Latin Bass Book by Oscar Stagnaro
• Afro-Caribbean Grooves for Drumset by Jean-Phillippe Fanfant
• The True Cuban Bass by Carlos del Puerto
• Muy Caliente! Afro-Cuban Play-Along CD/Book

If you haven't been bitten by the Latin bug yet, here's your chance to learn this incredible, exciting music from the masters of the genre. And if you are already a pro, each of these books will be invaluable in teaching Afro-Cuban or Brazilian music to your students.

Sher Music Co. is also the creator of the only professional-level Latin Music fake book - THE LATIN REAL BOOK (https://www.shermusic.com/new/1883217059.shtml). If you buy this amazing 550-page labor of love from www.shermusic.com, just send the receipt to shermuse@sonic.net and we will send you a free PDF of any one of the Latin music books on sale. Gracias!

 

LEARN MORE

Sher Music sale on books for student musicians

Music Teachers take note! For the month of January 2023, Sher Music will be discounting our world-class digital books designed especially for student musicians. For this month only, they will all be half the price of the printed books! These prices are way below the industry standard. The sale includes:

• The Real Easy Ear Training Book
• The Blues Scales
• The Guitarist's Introduction to Jazz
• Rhythm First!
• Foundation Exercises for Bass
• Walking Bassics

With practical exercises and step-by-step progressions, these books will make music lessons more fun for you and your students both, and the prices will never be lower! Enjoy, and here's to a great 2023! - Chuck Sher