Book excerpt: Playing Guitar in Jazz Band is for beginning to intermediate guitarists who are interested in playing in a jazz big band. Playing this style of guitar can be challenging, as the chord changes are often complex, yet the guitar parts should remain simple enough to avoid detracting from the overall sound of the band. This book breaks down that process by substituting difficult chord shapes with more flexible voicings that are designed to sound good on the guitar. Learn a wide variety of rhythmic patterns and work with authentic chord charts that are exactly like the ones you will encounter in real-life situations. This is the perfect crash course for students who have just joined their first jazz band and the ideal companion for music teachers who want to better understand the role of the guitar in their ensemble. A CD demonstrating the examples from the book is included.