Foundations II: Monophony

This 97-page document is full of music examples in both sheet music and tablature, with chord charts, diagrams, and discussions, covering Dr Thomas Echols’ Labyrinth of Limitations approach to jazz improvisation, inspired by the great Barry Harris.

Foundations II covers the fundamentals of monophonic improvisation for single-note jazz solos. It includes a full catalog of Barry Harris’s methods for building bebop lines, with many examples of how to put them together to play beautiful improvisational lines. It will help you unlock the common challenge: “I’ve practiced jazz a lot, but I still can’t improvise freely over a tune.”

The text is divided into 2 sections: Theory and Practice. The Theory section provides you with the essential concepts and necessary context for monophonic improvisation. The Practice section provides guidance on the seven core skills to practice on daily basis, building up your linguistic muscle memory for fluid improvisation.

It is perfect for both beginners and seasoned players who have been following the labyrinth series from the beginning. Also included is a “level 1” daily practice routine for you to master the concepts in the book.

An accompanying YouTube video can be found here.

For those using the Labyrinth of Limitations app, the text also references lesson files that you can download and use for audio guidance along the way.