I'm fairly new to PianoWorld and hope its OK to combine questions.
I am still working a number of months overseas so I use DVD piano instruction quite a bit. Is it advisable to go from blues rifts to jazz improvisation to Fake book practice as you go through these courses or should one stay with one genre until you are at least somewhat proficient in one area? I really enjoy the learning but notice my hands are always way behind my understanding of the material and techniques. Does anyone have any advice on how best to approach the material so you can stay motivated and interested? I really do want to learn to improvise but it is such a lengthy process that I need to play and hear something nice on the piano every so often to keep me motivated so I switch back to the Fake book.
Also, does anyone have any books they can recommend that are interesting and inspirational? I enjoyed Grand Obsession, Piano Lessons, and few others but overseas I could use some new books to read.
