Timeless Jazz Standards (Paul Tobey Transcriptions) Music Book
$99.00 $119.00Price range: $99.00 through $119.00
📖 Read the Foreword ▾as written by the author and composer, Paul Tobey
FOREWORD
As I reflect on the journey that shaped this collection of improvisations, I’m reminded of the enduring pull of jazz piano—a craft that’s been my north star since my college days, when I first lost myself in the harmonic depths of standards like Body and Soul and the swinging vitality of Have You Met Miss Jones. This book gathers seven iconic transcriptions—Over the Rainbow (p. 3), The Shadow of Your Smile (p. 14), The Nearness of You (p. 23), Georgia on My Mind (p. 29), Body and Soul (p. 42), Have You Met Miss Jones (p. 52), and What Is This Thing Called Love (p. 61)—offered with pride to intermediate and advanced players as a profound study in jazz improvisation. Each transcription, recorded within the past two years, is a testament to the art of crafting music that balances tradition with bold, expressive exploration.
Every transcription was recorded in my home studio in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, either recorded live during one of my Saturday morning masterclasses on the Jazzmentl YouTube channel, or simply by sitting down, late at night, at my inspiring 7’ Ibach Grand with ivory keys and letting loose. I invite you to dive into the heart of jazz’s improvisational language, where chords don’t merely resolve but surprise and enchant. From the daring b5m7b5 opening of Over the Rainbow to the bebop-driven precision of What Is This Thing Called Love, each arrangement reimagines classic standards with a rich jazz vocabulary, including reharmonized turnarounds, tritone substitutions, locked-hand voicings, and soulful blues licks.
The Shadow of Your Smile challenges you with intricate drop-2 voicings, while Georgia on My Mind channels Ray Charles’ raw, bluesy spirit, a nod to the soul-stirring rendition that captivated me years ago. Have You Met Miss Jones bursts with virtuosic II–V–I progressions, inspired by Oscar Peterson’s electrifying performance I witnessed in Toronto, and Body and Soul unfolds over seven minutes of lush, rubato storytelling. The Nearness of You weaves delicate inner voices, inviting nuanced phrasing.
This collection is more than a set of charts; it’s a journey through jazz’s expressive possibilities, honed over countless nights shedding standards and gigs where these tunes came alive on the bandstand. Each transcription demands dedication—whether mastering the walking bass of Have You Met Miss Jones or navigating the chromatic modulations of Body and Soul—but the rewards are immense, offering insights into harmonic finesse and improvisational fluency. I encourage you to pair these arrangements with their original recordings, linked in each section, to capture their soulful essence.
Whether you’re drawn to the bluesy depth of Georgia on My Mind or the elegant simplicity of What Is This Thing Called Love, may these pages inspire you to explore, create, and swing with conviction.
—Paul Tobey
Listen to Paul play some of the tunes in this book:
Our most popular transcriptions book is available in a professionally full color printed coil bound book (shippped) OR by instant digital download. 62 pages of sheet music featuring 7 iconic jazz transcriptions for intermediate to advanced players: Over the Rainbow, The Shadow of Your Smile, The Nearness of You, Georgia on My Mind, Body and Soul, Have You Met Miss Jones, and What Is This Thing Called Love. Explore reharmonizations, tritone subs, locked-hand voicings, and soulful blues licks in these fresh, expressive arrangements—recorded on a 7’ Ibach Grand. Includes links to original recordings. A profound study in jazz improvisation.
Value: $160 if purchased separately. Printed on demand.
Timeless Jazz Standards: Paul Tobey Transcriptions is a premium music book designed for intermediate to advanced jazz pianists who wish to deepen their mastery of jazz improvisation. This exclusive collection features seven meticulously transcribed jazz piano solos by acclaimed pianist Paul Tobey, each recorded live in his home studio in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, or captured during intimate Saturday morning masterclasses on the Jazzmentl YouTube channel. The transcriptions, all performed within the last two years on a 7’ Ibach Grand piano, showcase Paul’s unique ability to blend timeless tradition with bold, expressive exploration.
The book includes seven iconic standards: Over the Rainbow, The Shadow of Your Smile, The Nearness of You, Georgia on My Mind, Body and Soul, Have You Met Miss Jones, and What Is This Thing Called Love. Each transcription is a profound study in jazz language, filled with reharmonized turnarounds, tritone substitutions, locked-hand voicings, drop-2 voicings, virtuosic II–V–I progressions, chromatic modulations, and soulful blues licks. From the daring b5m7b5 opening of Over the Rainbow to the bebop-driven precision of What Is This Thing Called Love, these arrangements reimagine classic standards with a rich and inventive harmonic vocabulary.
Paul draws inspiration from jazz legends such as Oscar Peterson and Ray Charles, channeling their spirit into his own performances. The Shadow of Your Smile challenges with intricate drop-2 voicings, while Georgia on My Mind captures Ray Charles’ raw, bluesy essence. Have You Met Miss Jones bursts with electrifying II–V–I progressions, and Body and Soul unfolds over seven minutes of lush, rubato storytelling. The Nearness of You invites delicate inner voices and nuanced phrasing.
This collection is far more than a set of charts; it is a journey through the expressive possibilities of jazz improvisation. Each piece demands dedication—whether mastering walking bass lines, navigating chromatic modulations, or capturing soulful phrasing—but the rewards are immense, offering deeper insights into harmonic finesse and improvisational fluency. Paul encourages readers to pair each transcription with the original recordings (linked in the book) to fully absorb their soulful essence.
The printed version is done in premium black and white on 80# coated white paper with a glossy cover and durable coil binding, the book is formatted in US Letter size (8.5″ × 11″) and contains 62 total pages (31 double-sided interior sheets plus foreword and cover).
Order now and begin exploring jazz piano with one of Canada’s most inspiring voices.
Listen to Paul play some of the transcriptions in this book:
📖 Read the Foreword ▾as written by the author and composer, Paul Tobey
FOREWORD
As I reflect on the journey that shaped this collection of improvisations, I’m reminded of the enduring pull of jazz piano—a craft that’s been my north star since my college days, when I first lost myself in the harmonic depths of standards like Body and Soul and the swinging vitality of Have You Met Miss Jones. This book gathers seven iconic transcriptions—Over the Rainbow (p. 3), The Shadow of Your Smile (p. 14), The Nearness of You (p. 23), Georgia on My Mind (p. 29), Body and Soul (p. 42), Have You Met Miss Jones (p. 52), and What Is This Thing Called Love (p. 61)—offered with pride to intermediate and advanced players as a profound study in jazz improvisation. Each transcription, recorded within the past two years, is a testament to the art of crafting music that balances tradition with bold, expressive exploration.
Every transcription was recorded in my home studio in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, either recorded live during one of my Saturday morning masterclasses on the Jazzmentl YouTube channel, or simply by sitting down, late at night, at my inspiring 7’ Ibach Grand with ivory keys and letting loose. I invite you to dive into the heart of jazz’s improvisational language, where chords don’t merely resolve but surprise and enchant. From the daring b5m7b5 opening of Over the Rainbow to the bebop-driven precision of What Is This Thing Called Love, each arrangement reimagines classic standards with a rich jazz vocabulary, including reharmonized turnarounds, tritone substitutions, locked-hand voicings, and soulful blues licks.
The Shadow of Your Smile challenges you with intricate drop-2 voicings, while Georgia on My Mind channels Ray Charles’ raw, bluesy spirit, a nod to the soul-stirring rendition that captivated me years ago. Have You Met Miss Jones bursts with virtuosic II–V–I progressions, inspired by Oscar Peterson’s electrifying performance I witnessed in Toronto, and Body and Soul unfolds over seven minutes of lush, rubato storytelling. The Nearness of You weaves delicate inner voices, inviting nuanced phrasing.
This collection is more than a set of charts; it’s a journey through jazz’s expressive possibilities, honed over countless nights shedding standards and gigs where these tunes came alive on the bandstand. Each transcription demands dedication—whether mastering the walking bass of Have You Met Miss Jones or navigating the chromatic modulations of Body and Soul—but the rewards are immense, offering insights into harmonic finesse and improvisational fluency. I encourage you to pair these arrangements with their original recordings, linked in each section, to capture their soulful essence.
Whether you’re drawn to the bluesy depth of Georgia on My Mind or the elegant simplicity of What Is This Thing Called Love, may these pages inspire you to explore, create, and swing with conviction.
—Paul Tobey
| Version | Printed Book Shipped, Digital Download |
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