Learning the Notes Is Only the Beginning
Learning great jazz vocabulary is an important part of developing as an improviser. But learning the notes is only the beginning.
Once you've learned a phrase, there are bigger questions to explore.
➜ Why do those notes work over the harmony?
➜ What's creating the tension and resolution?
➜ What melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas make the line work?
And perhaps most importantly:
➜ How can you take what you've learned and use those ideas somewhere else?
That's why this became much more than just a collection of phrases.
Everything You Need to Study the Phrases in Depth
100 Major ii–V–I Jazz Phrases for Saxophone: Explained Note-by-Note combines a comprehensive digital book with 9+ hours of companion video instruction.
Here's what's included:
✔️ 667-page digital book featuring 100 complete phrase studies with detailed melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic analysis
✔️ 9+ hours of companion video lessons demonstrating and breaking down all 100 phrases note-by-note
✔️ Key Concepts essays that connect larger improvisational ideas across multiple phrases
✔️ Every phrase written in all 12 keys for transposition and practice
✔️ Phrase Index and Glossary to help you explore specific concepts and terminology
See What's Inside Each Phrase Study
Every Phrase is a Complete Lesson
Each of the 100 phrases is treated as a complete study, not just a line of music to memorize.
With each phrase, you will:
✔️ Follow the phrase note-by-note as it moves through the ii, V, and I chords
✔️ See how each note relates to the harmony and understand why those melodic choices work
✔️ Explore the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic concepts shaping the phrase
✔️ Discover ideas you can adapt and use in your own improvisation
Don't Feel Like Reading? Watch the Lesson.
Every phrase includes a companion video breakdown, with more than 9 hours of video instruction. Watch and listen to the lesson, then use the book to follow along or dig deeper.
With the companion video lessons, you can:
✔️ Hear every phrase demonstrated at an accessible medium tempo
✔️ Watch each phrase broken down note-by-note as the melodic and harmonic ideas are explained
✔️ Follow along with the book when you want the notation and analysis in front of you
✔️ Hear the concepts come to life as the written analysis is connected back to the sound of the phrase
Take the Ideas Beyond the Phrase
The Key Concepts essays connect larger improvisational ideas across multiple phrases.
Through the Key Concepts essays, you'll explore:
➜ Transferable improvisational ideas you can pull from each phrase and apply to your own playing
➜ Why specific melodic choices work and how they interact with the underlying harmony
➜ How concepts like voice leading, tension and resolution, and motivic development work in different musical situations
➜ Larger concepts that appear across multiple phrases, helping you recognize patterns instead of seeing each line in isolation
➜ Practical ways to experiment with the concepts rather than simply memorizing the original phrase
Find What You Want to Study
You don't have to study all 100 phrases in order. Go directly to the concepts you want to explore.
Study the book and videos your way:
➜ Use the Phrase Index to find phrases by concept, including enclosures, altered dominant language, sidestepping, triad pairs, voice leading, and more
➜ Use the Glossary to look up unfamiliar terminology and find clear explanations in context
➜ Practice every phrase in all 12 keys when you're ready to take an idea beyond its original key
Explore the Language Inside the 100 Phrases
Melodic Vocabulary
- Enclosures
- Chromatic Approaches
- Bebop Language
- Pentatonic Language
- Diminished Language
Harmonic Language
- Altered Dominant Language
- Tritone Substitution
- Triad Pairs
- Upper Structures
- Sidestepping
Developing the Line
- Motivic Development
- Voice Leading
- Sequences
- Digital Patterns
- Rhythmic Placement & Syncopation
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be an advanced player to benefit?
No. The material ranges from foundational jazz vocabulary to more advanced concepts, so you can work at the level that's right for you. If you're comfortable reading music and have some experience with jazz improvisation, you'll have plenty to explore. More experienced players can dig into concepts like altered dominant language, triad pairs, sidestepping, upper structures, and more.
What if I already know a lot of jazz phrases?
That's exactly where the deeper analysis becomes valuable. The goal isn't simply to give you 100 more phrases to memorize. Each study looks at how the phrase works, why specific melodic choices work over the harmony, and what ideas you can take from it and use somewhere else.
Do I need to work through all 100 phrases in order?
Not at all. Each phrase is designed as a complete, stand-alone lesson, so you can start anywhere. Use the Phrase Index to find concepts you want to explore, such as enclosures, voice leading, altered dominant language, sidestepping, triad pairs, and more.
What if I learn better by listening than reading?
That's one of the reasons I created the companion videos. You get more than 9 hours of video instruction demonstrating and breaking down all 100 phrases. You can watch and listen to the lesson, use the book to follow along, or move back and forth between the two.
Will this help me use jazz vocabulary in my own playing?
That's the goal. Rather than stopping at “here are the notes,” the lessons explore the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas behind the phrases. You'll also find practical ways to experiment with those concepts so you can begin adapting them and making them part of your own playing.
What about all 12 keys?
Every phrase is written out in all 12 keys, but that doesn't mean you need to practice every phrase in every key. You can work with the original phrase, try transposing it on your own, and then use the 12-key page to check your work or explore the phrase in other keys. It's there as a practice tool and reference, so you can take the material as far as you want.
Is there a physical version of the book?
At this time, the book is available exclusively as a digital edition. One of the advantages of the digital format is that I can integrate direct links to the companion video lessons right into the book, making it easy to move from a phrase study to its corresponding video breakdown. You’ll also receive immediate access to the complete book, with no shipping or waiting.
Did you use AI in creating this book?
Yes, but only during the editorial process. I used AI tools to help refine, organize, and format portions of the book and supporting materials. The musical concepts, analysis, exercises, demonstrations, and teaching are my original material. Think of AI here as an editorial assistant that helped me organize and present the material as clearly as possible.
100 Major ii–V–I Jazz Phrases for Saxophone: Explained Note-by-Note
Go beyond memorizing jazz phrases and discover what makes them work. Get the complete 667-page digital book along with more than 9 hours of companion video instruction.
✔️ 100 complete phrase studies with detailed melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic analysis
✔️ 9+ hours of companion video lessons demonstrating and explaining every phrase
✔️ Key Concepts essays, Phrase Index, and Glossary
✔️ Every phrase in all 12 keys
For less than a private lesson with many teachers, you get the complete 667-page book plus more than 9 hours of companion video instruction.
Don't just learn the phrases. Learn from them.