Front cover of The Jimmy Raney Book: A Complete Study of Melodic Lines with a black-and-white photograph of Jimmy Raney playing an acoustic guitar.

The Jimmy Raney Book

By Jimmy Raney and Jon Raney

The Definitive Guide to Jimmy Raney’s Timeless Bebop Guitar Concepts

Jimmy Raney was one of the pioneers of bebop guitar, having recorded with Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer, Duke Ellington, Kenny Burrell, and many more. The Jimmy Raney Book is a complete overview of Jimmy's essential lines across his whole career, and much more!

Completed (after Jimmy’s passing) by his son, pianist Jon Raney, it expands on Jimmy’s original manuscript and brings his concepts up to date.

It contains:

  • Jimmy's unique techniques for creating long lines and making bad lines into good ones!

  • A thorough deep-dive into Jimmy's subtle mastery of rhythm, with numerous examples of his polymeter, asymmetry, and displacement concepts. 

  • Analysis of the "big picture" of Jimmy's core concepts: multi-measure lines, evolving sequence, harmonic concepts, and compositional techniques.

Perhaps most importantly, it provides a practical method for creating your own original lines based on Jimmy's style and core vocabulary.

Spiral-bound, 134 pages, Table of Contents.

Sample Pages:

Endorsements:

“Jimmy Raney is undisputedly one of the greatest jazz guitarists in history. What his son, the great pianist Jon Raney has done here — by posthumously finishing his father's book while adding his own original analysis, transcriptions, theories and thoughts on the compositional process — is a great gift to all of us who love music and love Jimmy Raney. Bravo Jon!”
— Dave Stryker

“Jimmy Raney may be under-appreciated by many contemporary musicians, but he was extremely influential among such guitarists as Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Pat Metheny, and even Allan Holdsworth. My teacher would send me home with Jimmy Raney records that I couldn't find in Orlando, Florida as a young player and he was very influential on my development. Now Jon Raney has presented a detailed analysis of Jimmy's approach to improvised lines, especially the cross-rhythmic displaced accents that made the lines of Charlie Parker and Lennie Tristano so innovative. This book is a welcome addition for any musician seeking a deeper insight into what makes bebop really fly.”
— Randy Vincent

“Just checked out your book. It is brilliant. So sophisticated, and laid out in a way that is clear. I really like all the rhythmic concepts on phrasing, and the 'Things to Think About' at the end of each chapter. Congratulations — really a great book!”
— Jerry Bergonzi
Format: Print
$32.00
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Primary Instrument: All Instruments
Primary Instrument: All Instruments

“This book is an important addition to the jazz education library. Jimmy Raney was from the golden age of jazz music and was one of the most important musicians of his generation who happened to be a guitar player. It goes without saying that any materials relating to his concepts and methods is automatically required reading for guitarists and anyone who is interested in improvisation. The way he breaks down the construction of his linear concept in terms of harmonic and rhythmic choices is fascinating and a rare glimpse into the mind of a true genius.”
— Peter Bernstein

“Jimmy is one of my favorite jazz guitarists, he had his own style, a beautiful sound and a deep feeling for this music. If you want to understand more about Jimmy's playing, this book will give you that valuable insight! Beautiful work!!”
— Pasquale Grasso

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