Stride Piano Tricks

Book excerpt: Master the art of stride piano playing, using the never-before explained techniques of masters like Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and Donald Lambert to turn any song into a stride masterpiece. Stride piano stormed the New York jazz scene of the 1920s and 30s, growing from its ragtime and blues roots to become what many consider to be the fullest, most trick-filled and exciting jazz piano style ever invented. With over 50+ stride techniques and 150+ carefully explained examples plus performance tips, this book shows how to make your piano sparkle like never before. The book also includes Kast's highly acclaimed mini crash course in music theory, which serves as great background preparation for all musical styles. Audio recordings of all the tricks in the book can be heard or downloaded from the companion website at no additional charge.