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I'm interested in getting some books that will help guide me along the path of learning contemporary music. It's one thing to read a book and try to understand concepts. It's an entirely different animal to then take this information and apply it at the keyboard. I really wish that someone would formalize some drills and practice procedures that would facilitate the incredible learning curve. Does anyone know any books that can help guide a beginner such as myself? Or should a person really just try to make up his/her own practice routines based on what they learn?

Check out the topic Blues books as intro to jazz. from a couple of days ago. These two books may do the trick but you need some reading skills. The book "Improvising blues piano" by Tim Richards is set up so each chapter takes a concept and creates an easy piece to go with it. If things get too difficult for you to play as you go through the chapter head for the next chapter and it will start with a simple tune on the next topic. The other book I use in my teaching Blues Piano by Mark Harrison is great if you have some intermediate reading skills. No book in the world would work as well as a good teacher.
Another suggestion is check out www.playpianotoday.com and check out the free lessons.

Hi,
My book "The Blues Step by Step" is becoming more and more successful at helping people understand blues and jazz. You can check it out at my website.