Jazz Saxophone Etudes Volume 2

As an intermediate player I found the Jazz Sax Etudes No. 2 too advanced for me. Hence I returned the book and CD. The other books by Greg Fishman are excellent for a player of my standard.

I've got all Greg Fishman's sax etude books and they are excellent. I have been using them with my improvisation teacher Alan Barnes who rates them highly. I thoroughly recommend these books to all jazz students of any level. Greg's latest book is for Beginners and is also very good. It is endorsed by many fine sax players including Alan Barnes my teacher! Tony Riley

Adoro l'autore e sopra tutto la sua capacità' di insegnamento.L'Autore e' eccellente sia come insegnante sia come sassofonista,una combinazione ampliamento dimostrata. In questo libro.

Compared to the first volume, the second volume (this one) is an entirely different animal. Some argue Vol 1 is the most difficult - I have yet to give an opinion on all 4 as I only have Vol 1 & 2. However, I will say that Vol 2 has some etudes that are far harder (especially on the right side of the metronome wheel). I think that both Volumes contain licks & melodic lines that are easily memorized and carried to other tunes (for example, Irving Park Road in Vol 1 carries to Take the A Train), but what separates them is how complex the rhythm flows. You've got to be on your toes to get it spot on with Greg's playing in Vol 2 - because if you don't, you'll immediately hear it. Vol 1 has a little more margin for error - and maybe that's because there are fewer rests and fewer complicated rhythms. I could be dead wrong, but that's what it feels like.Here's my take with Vol 2:It might initially flow "easier" to players who have taste tested Vol 1, especially at the beginning. But it really isn't easier once you go through the book and begin to pick apart what Greg's doing. My sight reading skills and sight play speed have cranked way up since delving into Vol 2 (easily 160-180 sight reading, depending on what it is). Vol 1 is a breeze, when before I'd stumble and break down at the drop of a hat. After just STARTING Vol 2, I can literally zoom through the whole of Vol 1 with either play along or rhythm, one track after another without a single issue. Keep in mind, I haven't even touched the fast etudes yet in Vol 2. I think that's because once you start getting licks under your fingers from memorization, it all starts to come together - which is something Greg instructs at the beginning of the book. You've almost got to learn it, then forget it, if that makes any sense.My final ultimate recommendation is that Vol 1 is the place to start, even if you think you've got the chops. Before Vol 1, I thought this would be another Lennie Nielhaus Etude book or some other high school level "breeze book". I needed something new. Well Vol 1 supplied my demand. I was delightfully challenged! I made several initial discoveries along the way of Vol 1 - like my finger height was too high, my air was inconsistent and the right overtones were not coming out during playing (despite having been doing them for 4 years). I think these books are more about the discoveries you'll make about you and your saxophone, not necessarily the music you're playing - although that is central to the whole process. I believe the Vol 2 is the next step in making those discoveries

This book came highly recommended by my daughter's saxophone teacher; note that she is not a beginner. Don't be fooled by it's being the second one, it's harder than the third and is for advanced students and even professionals. He is a Berklee grad with stellar performance credits and still practices some of these for speed.Speed; that's the goal of this, and the tempos are very much up with how some jazz is played. But fear not; if you are ready to step into this book, you can do what my daughter had been instructed to do; learn each exercise slowly and then gradually work it up to the tempo on the recordings. She hasn't yet mastered every exercise in this book, but already is showing improvement in her playing

man i'm sure glad i added vol. 2 to 1 and 3.. this one's the best to me.. the other volumes have some really strong etudes but vol. 2 is great throughout.. and many of the best ideas from the 2 hip licks books are presented in context brilliantly here.. really some of the best classic jazz licks composed into really convincing, meaningful solos.. graphically refined as well.. the slightly smaller print type looks ellegant and the music flows, to my eye, more smoothly - highly recommended!

great book for your sax library!

Great book. Any level of saxophonist can learn something to up their performance level.