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Cecil McBeE Jazz Bassist COMPOSER
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Ple
ase take notice to following commentary of
Mr. JON DEAK
Associate Principal Bass
Creative Education Advisor
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
May 19, 2002
To Whom It May Concern:
Having read through Cecil McBee's vast and thorough work titled
Anthology of String Bass Improvisation
( Books I, II, III ), I can say
without hesitation that it is a unique and precisely valuable addition to the literature of the instrument, and a godsend to musicians in
general. Bassists everywhere these days are being called upon to be versatile in all the forms and styles of music and the standard
method of instructions received, while much improved over the last generation or two, still is glaringly weak or even absent all together
in the areas of improvisation, particularly those of Jazz and Blues.
Mr. McBee's opus contains virtually all the materials and fundamentals even a beginning student would require: Musical, Technical,
Physical, Theoretical.
The harmonic progressions and structure of improvisations will be a great benefit to the beginner, advanced student and professional
alike. In fact, I might emphasize how much this method can benefit and enhance the performance of professionals, who, like myself,
received thorough training in all areas save this all-important one. For the student. perhaps the works is best approached with the
guidance of a teacher, but even here, the work is designed to be used unaided, supplemented, of course, by listening , asking, and
playing with others.
An additional word of advice to professionals encountering this work: If you think you know all about a particular topic Mr. McBee is
discussing, don't skip it. Take an additional minute and consider. Even here, you may learn something.
My hope is that this Anthology of String Bass Improvisation will quickly find a major publisher a be available as soon as possible. We
need it, and we need it now.
JON DEAK
Cecil McBeE Jazz Bassist COMPOSER
Mr. JON DEAK
Associate Principal Bass
Creative Education Advisor
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
To Whom It May Concern:
Having read through Cecil McBee's vast and thorough work titled Anthology of String Bass Improvisation ( Books I, II, III ), I can say
without hesitation that it is a unique and precisely valuable addition to the literature of the instrument, and a godsend to musicians in
general. Bassists everywhere these days are being called upon to be versatile in all the forms and styles of music and the standard
method of instructions received, while much improved over the last generation or two, still is glaringly weak or even absent all together
in the areas of improvisation, particularly those of Jazz and Blues.
Mr. McBee's opus contains virtually all the materials and fundamentals even a beginning student would require: Musical, Technical,
Physical, Theoretical.
The harmonic progressions and structure of improvisations will be a great benefit to the beginner, advanced student and professional
alike. In fact, I might emphasize how much this method can benefit and enhance the performance of professionals, who, like myself,
received thorough training in all areas save this all-important one. For the student. perhaps the works is best approached with the
guidance of a teacher, but even here, the work is designed to be used unaided, supplemented, of course, by listening , asking, and
playing with others.
An additional word of advice to professionals encountering this work: If you think you know all about a particular topic Mr. McBee is
discussing, don't skip it. Take an additional minute and consider. Even here, you may learn something.
My hope is that this Anthology of String Bass Improvisation will quickly find a major publisher a be available as soon as possible. We
need it, and we need it now.
JON DEAK