The Blues Cookbook

The Blues Cookbook is for piano students everywhere who want to learn how to play in the Blues style. The book is user friendly and is written by Laura Hoffman, a Chicago born Jazz and Blues veteran. This book is divided into five chapters separated by cardboard tabs, and can be started at any point the reader wishes to focus on. There is a chapter on licks, one on musical tools, and another one on arranging songs in a Blues style. The author has included a CD and copious examples of styles such as Shuffle Blues, Boogie-Woogie, and even stride bass. The songs are purposefully written in a variety of keys, and there are musical nods to notables such as Mary Lou Williams and Bessie Smith. The Blues Cookbook is engaging and contains instructional text. The CD really helps aspiring students, and a companion DVD is in the works.