In The Serious Jazz Book II: The Harmonic Approach, Barry Finnerty takes the next logical step beyond scale practice and dives directly into the heart of jazz improvisation: melodic mastery of harmony itself.
Picking up where The Serious Jazz Practice Book left off, this second volume focuses on understanding individual chords, how they function, how they connect, and how they unfold across real song forms. The goal is simple but profound: to help you move from playing patterns over changes to truly commanding the harmony from the inside out.
A recording artist with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers, and the Crusaders, Finnerty draws from decades of high-level experience to present a systematic, musical approach to harmonic fluency that applies to all jazz soloists — not just guitarists.
Key sections include:
What a “C” Can Be — An exploration of the many harmonic functions a single note can serve, and how to think melodically within shifting harmonic contexts.
Mastering the Changes — A deep dive into chord extensions, alterations, and common progression variations, building true melodic control over the full harmonic spectrum.
Playing on Tunes – The Harmonic Approach — Practical application of the book’s concepts within real song forms.
Harmonic Vocabulary — A wealth of melodic examples built from the chords and progressions studied throughout the book.
Rather than offering shortcuts or isolated licks, this volume develops a durable, flexible harmonic mindset — the kind that allows you to navigate standards, modern progressions, and complex forms with confidence and creativity.
Spiral-bound, 200 pages, Table of Contents.
Sample Pages:
Endorsements:
“An extremely thorough book. The exercises are concise, challenging and very much worth the effort. Highly recommended.”
— Jamey Aebersold
“A unique approach. Original and provocative.”
— Mark Levine
“Barry's unique artistry was evident during the years he spent in my group. This book is a testimony to his prowess.”
— Hubert Laws
“A profound effort to share and communicate the ideas Barry has been developing through his lifetime in music. Bravo!”
— Joe Lovano
Barry Finnerty began studying classical piano at age five before switching to guitar at thirteen. After professional work in Hong Kong and San Francisco, he attended Berklee School of Music and moved to New York City in 1973. He has collaborated with legendary artists including Miles Davis and the Brecker Brothers, released six solo albums, toured internationally, and authored the acclaimed “Serious Jazz” books published by Sher Music
