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BOOK TITLE

JAVIER ARAU – Anatomy of a Melody: The Interactive Guide to Jazz Improvisation

PRODUCT DETAILS

ISBN ‏ : ‎ 979-8-9925346-2-7 (Hardcover) | 979-8-9925346-1-0 (Spiral bound)
979-8-9925346-5-8 (Paperback) | 979-8-9925346-0-3 (EPUB)
LCCN : 2025936089
Publisher ‏ : ‎ New York Jazz Academy Press
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Format : Hardcover | Spiral bound | Paperback | EPUB | Kindle‏
Page Count : ‎ 306 pages
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 1.04 x 11 inches
Publication Date : June 1, 2025

FORMATS AND PRICING

$59.95 Spiral Bound (Lie-flat Practice Edition, B/W interior)
$135.00 Hardcover (Library/Collector’s Edition, Premium color interior)
$59.95 Paperback (B/W interior)
$59.95 EPUB (Digital Edition, color interior)
$59.95 Kindle (Digital Edition, color interior)

Available through Amazon.com, direct from the publisher, and anywhere books are sold.

ORDER DIRECT

BUNDLES AVAILABLE (direct from publisher):
$79.95 Musician’s Bundle (EPUB + Spiral Bound)
$155.00 Collector’s Bundle (EPUB + Hardcover)
$180.00 Ultimate Bundle (EPUB + Hardcover + Spiral)

SHIPPING/HANDLING:
+ $12 U.S. Domestic
Contact NYJA Press for international shipping options.

School/Educator Bundles

School/Educator Bundles are available (10+ books per order).
Contact New York Jazz Academy Press for details.

Library/Bookstore Wholesale Orders

Library/Bookstore hardcover orders are available via Ingram.
Contact New York Jazz Academy Press for spiral bound orders.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Crack the code of jazz improvisation with a transformative, interactive roadmap that builds real musical fluency, confidence, and creativity.

Anatomy of a Melody: The Interactive Guide to Jazz Improvisation guides musicians step-by-step through the essential concepts, techniques, and creative tools needed to understand—and perform—the language of jazz.

What you’ll find inside:

A step-by-step roadmap for becoming a more confident, creative improviser
A complete reference guide to jazz melody, rhythm, harmony, and form
A highly visual manual for creating original melodic lines and developing jazz vocabulary
A comprehensive theory and harmony text that stays connected to real music-making
Designed for individual practice, private lessons, classroom use, and ensemble settings
Companion video examples, lessons, and interactive materials available online

This book is ideal for:

Jazz students seeking a clear, structured path into improvisation
Classical musicians who want to finally understand jazz vocabulary
Improvisers looking to deepen their melodic and harmonic mastery
Band directors and educators building meaningful jazz curricula
Adult learners and returning players who want a modern, organized guide

What you’ll learn:

Topics include foundational concepts in melodic and rhythmic construction, explorations of blues and classic jazz repertoire, and advanced techniques for adding chromaticism in bebop and contemporary styles. The book features hundreds of carefully curated musical examples spanning classic jazz, blues, bebop, modal jazz, contemporary idioms, and global influences—spotlighting a diverse range of artists, eras, and musical traditions to ensure broad relevance and representation. Throughout, Anatomy of a Melody supports musicians in their quest to crack the code of jazz improvisation and create informed, highly personal musical statements.

Available in four formats to fit every musician:

Spiral-bound practice edition (black and white interior) – Durable, lie-flat binding that stays open on the music stand or piano, perfect for daily practice, lessons, and rehearsals.
Premium hardcover (full-color interior) – Gorgeous, high-quality color printing ideal for collectors, libraries, studios, teacher reference copies, and anyone who wants a beautiful long-term edition.
Paperback (black and white interior) – A flexible and affordable option, especially convenient for musicians outside the continental United States who want to save on shipping while still getting the complete content.
EPUB and Kindle eBook (full-color interior) – Take the book anywhere: great for reading, studying, and referencing on the go, with full-color musical examples on supported devices.

Published by New York Jazz Academy® Press, a leading innovator in modern jazz education committed to clarity, accessibility, and artistic excellence.

Whether you’re just beginning your jazz journey or refining an advanced voice, Anatomy of a Melody gives you the tools to truly understand the music you love and to improvise with clarity, confidence, and personality.

Open the book, connect with the companion materials online, and start cracking the code of jazz improvisation today.

Look Inside!

View Purchase Options

JAVIER ARAU – All I Really Need to Know About Jazz, I Learned from THE LICK
($16.99 Paperback) NYJA members receive FREE SHIPPING; non-member shipping is $3 total.
Purchase directly from the publisher here. Also available on Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions).

Author’s Note: Genius, and an Apology

Dear Reader,

What you hold in your hands is the product of unparalleled expertise, deep contemplation, and—dare I say—genius. I, JAVIER ARAU, am honored to present All I Really Need to Know About Jazz, I Learned from THE LICK, a book meticulously crafted to guide you through the complex, intricate world of jazz as told through a single, majestic phrase: THE LICK. I approached this project with the utmost seriousness, dissecting every note, every rhythm, every syncopation, so that each page reflects my profound understanding of jazz.

Now, there is a small matter of collaboration. You see, this book was technically co-authored by an AI known as ChatGPT. While I myself am a beacon of jazz wisdom, able to expound upon complex harmonic substitutions with a mere snap of my fingers, ChatGPT is…well, a machine. To put it mildly, any passages you find lacking in depth, wit, or basic coherence should be attributed to my AI counterpart. Any insights of true value, any revelations that resonate with the soul of a jazz musician, are unequivocally mine. If, on the other hand, you come across a line that makes you think, “Well, that’s odd,” or worse, “Why on earth would anyone say that about THE LICK?”—you may confidently assign responsibility to ChatGPT. The machine did its best, but let’s be honest: one cannot expect brilliance from circuits alone.

Approach each page as a journey through my expertise, peppered (and occasionally sidetracked) by the quirks of AI. May THE LICK guide you, inspire you, and may you leave this book with a deep appreciation of jazz…and perhaps a small dose of sympathy for my noble, if somewhat misguided, co-author.

Sincerely yours, Javier Arau

Javier Arau – 365 Ways Of Practicing Major Scales In Thirds “365 Ways Of Practicing Major Scales In Thirds is a great book with an incredible number of ways to practice scales in thirds, the principles of which can easily be applied to working with other scalular material, such as modes. It is also not a book for saxophonists per se, but for all treble clef and treble clef reading musicians.” — Saxophone Journal Click to Purchase on Amazon