Johnny Cash - American III: Solitary Man (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook) [Paperback] Review

For whatever reason, "American III: Solitary Man" is the only album in the American series that had a corresponding songbook published (excluding "My Mother's Hymnbook").While a great album on its own, as the only transcribed representation of the entire series, "American III" is a bit lacking.In the song list we find no dark humor as contained in "Delia's Gone" and "The Man Who Couldn't Cry," nor the raw power of "Rusty Cage" and "Hurt."All that being said, though, this book still has a lot to offer.

First off, the arrangement of "I See a Darkness" alone is worth the price of the book.Simple and beautiful, Will Oldham's words and music are haunting.Another notable arrangement is of the gospel standard "Wayfaring Stranger."Of all the versions I've come across, this is definitely my favorite.

The arrangement for "The Mercy Seat" is a bit of a disappointment, mainly because of it's oversimplification.The recording of this song has some of that "raw power" that I mentioned, but it just doesn't translate well in written form.I understand, though, how this kind of song would be difficult to pen for a lone piano or guitar.

Another song that doesn't quite capture the recording is "One."It's a bit awkward as it incorporates the melody. This and "Solitary Man" would have worked better as accompaniment arrangements.

"Nobody," "Field of Diamonds," and "Country Trash" are other songs that are very simple, but a lot of fun to play and to sing along with.

The verdict: For all piano- or guitar-playing fans of the American series, I would definitely recommend this songbook, but don't have too high an expectation.

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Product Description:
All 14 songs from The Man in Black's 2000 studio album of covers, featuring a mixture of the incomparable Cash singing solo with guitar, and of inspired duets with the likes of Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow. Includes: Before My Time * Country Trash * Field of Diamonds * I See a Darkness * I Won't Back Down * I'm Leavin' Now * Mary of the Wild Moor * The Mercy Seat * Nobody * One * Solitary Man * That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day) * Wayfaring Stranger * Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone).

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Alfred's Teach Yourself to Play Piano - Book and DVD Package Review

This book with DVD is absolutely fantastic!I never thought I would be able to learn the piano but this set makes it so much easier!The DVD follows everything in the book, page by page, with the benefit of the piano teacher providing a little more detailed information than the book provides.It's been a pleasure going from lesson to lesson always thinking that there's no way I can play what she just played.With a little time, I'm able to complete each lesson successfully and move on to the next one.The lessons are set out perfectly, growing your skills little by little.A+ in my book!! Not one regret with this purchase!!! The cost of this DVD far out weighs the cost of piano lessons.This is a steal!!!!!!!!

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Product Description:
Everything you need to know to start playing now! Whether you're a beginner with no prior musical training, or you "used to play" and are need of a refresher course, Alfred's Teach Yourself to Play Piano is the perfect resource to teach yourself piano, even though you have never taken a lesson. Complete with on-screen scrolling music, MP3 play-along tracks for every example, and iPod*-compatible video files, you will master how to make rhythms made simple, how to form the most important chords, techniques for playing with feeling and expression, and so much more. Upon completing Teach Yourself to Play Piano, you will be able to play in pop, blues, classical, folk, hymns, spirituals, and ragtime styles. The DVD includes exciting arrangements of "The Entertainer" and "Amazing Grace," and sets the stage for a life-long relationship with music and playing the piano.

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The Best Praise & Worship Songs Ever - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook Review

I was looking for an overall good collection of music to play and sing with the kids attending children's church, and this was a good choice.It had about 80% of the songs that I was searching for in one title - unusual that - and nice upbeat arrangements that can easily be played by someone who has achieved an intermediate level or higher on piano or keyboard. Recommended.

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Product Description:
80 all-time favorites: Awesome GodBreatheDays of ElijahHere I Am to WorshipI Could Sing of Your Love ForeverOpen the Eyes of My HeartShout to the LordWe Bow Downdozens more.

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Great Contemporary Pianists Speak for Themselves (Dover Books on Music, Music History) [Paperback] Review

It gives us a cross section of the views of the great ( some not so great ) artists as to how they see the piano, pianist(s) and piano music.
So Gilels never quite recognised Neuhaus as his teacher; Bolet had high esteem for Moiseiwitsch other than Rachmaninoff; Arrau was an admirer of Edwin Fischer; Kocsis upholding Richter while despising ( and he is not alone) Horowitz for he made use of music and composers instead of serving them, he also refers us to the music of Bartok; Pogorelich telling us the fixing of the piano competitions result; Ashkenazy touching on the Russian artists' soft spot and a lot more... Amusing as well as instructive. Almost a must for all serious pianist.

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Product Description:
Fascinating interviews with 25 renowned pianists: Ashkenazy, Badura-Skoda, Bolet, Brendel, de Larrocha, Gould, Horowitz, Ohlsson, Tureck, Watts, 15 more. Revealing, candid thoughts about themselves, their careers, music they play, life of a concert pianist. "Mach's interviews will enhance the pleasure of any concertgoer."-People. Introduction by Sir Georg Solti. 51 black-and-white photographs.

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Jazz Piano Collection (Music Sales America) [Paperback] Review

This is just a very nice piece of work by Mr. Pearl.The selection of tunes spans multiple styles and features some rich interworkings and extensions.So What, for instance, incorporates Bill Evans intro right into the arrangement, with an interlude that is brand-new but remains in keeping with the tune's feel.Other highlights for me are Manteca, with nice 13th chords and rhythmic accents, and the pure bebop of Anthropology.

Book is intermediate to advanced.Fingerings would have been nice in a couple of places, and why they can't sell it in spiral-bound, lay-flat binding is totally beyond me.

Where is Volume 2?

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Product Description:
A selection of great jazz songs arranged for intermediate/advanced solo piano with chord symbols. Original compilation. Arranged by David Pearl.

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Piano Wizard for PC Software & Sticker Only Review

I've enjoyed using the product thus far.My biggest gripe is that from the literature it seemed as if it would automatically progress you through to greater levels of difficulty as your skill improved, which doesn't seem to be the case.Also the difficulty level from one song to the next can vary drastically.Also although it has modes to show what fingering is supposed to be used, the numbers are generally illegible and there is no hint that I can find on what the fingering numbers are meant to constitute, etc.Other difficulties are that I have a fairly small midi keyboard (2 octave) and it seems to have moved the entire key range to the edge of the keyboard so I'm only getting the range usage for one hand, and the other hand seems to be pretty much ignored even in two handed mode.This is a good product, I just wish they had done some obvious changes such as progressing you as your skill improves instead of guessing when you should move on so it could be a great product.

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Tons of Runs: For the Contemporary Pianist [Paperback] Review

I'm not a big fan of lick and pattern books, but this one has my seal of approval... and more than that, I HIGHLY reccomend it.There are lot's of ideas in here, some powerful stuff. Really hands on Jazz language material, some that if you're a more experienced improviser you might be using instinctively already, and some you wonder why you haven't touched on all along. The idea is to take them and build upon them...Within hours of getting the book, I immediately tuned out the outside world and was having fun experimenting with it... Some other things I like about it :The licks are in more than one key, suggested fingerings for more difficult ones, they're over a nice variety of patterns, typography is nice, and they're stuff that real people actually play, not just text book prototypes.
I venture to say, that of the books I'm familiar with, this is the best one out !!! Great stuff for professionals as well as folks just getting into improv... and not just for pianists !

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Product Description:
TONS OF RUNS is a wide-ranging compendium of runs, licks, and lines found in the jazz vernacular, each written in three different keys, and presented in a straightforward style without ponderous analysis.This book contains useful phrases derived from chord tones, passing tones, resultant scales, and scale-tone chords that piano players can use right away as vocabulary enhancers. These are the raw material and tools that piano players everywhere can use to polish their performance and improvisation skills, and even create new and more interesting ways to play the music they already know!

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