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ecca

While you're buying books, try Ivor Maraints and Mickey Baker's 'jazz' chord books too.

This Eric Kershaw book was the very first book I had that I had with my first cello type guitar in 1960.
I still have most of the original, in tatters, and I've been looking for its replacement for decades.
First published in 1946.
This is purely nostalgia, I haven't the slightest interest in chord books per se.

Eric, those flattened fifths, augmented ninths and diminished sevenths are well known as having an unintended aphrodisiac effect, so be very careful down at the Hankies.

As Stevie Wonder once wrote: "A jazz chord to say 'I love you'..."...

JN

Having failed to master Keith Papworth's "500 chord shapes..." (a slimmer and cheaper alternative to Kershaw), I went ahead and bought the other one. Both still prove useful, if only to confirm that I still can't get my wee fingers round some of the shapes!

George

I remember those early chord books, e.g. Ivor Mairants, etc and I nearly gave up but for most complex chord you can usually wing it with an easier substitute.
Anyway, Bert came along soon afterwards with "Play In A Day" and saved us all!

Eric

I've still got my original 1946 copy titled" Dance Band Chords for the Guitar by Eric Kershaw" - in pristine condition - obviously not well used!
Reading your post reminded me of the time we booked Eric Kershaw for Stoke Guitar Club - it was an upstairs room in the Red Lion Pub opposite the Victoria Theatre in Stoke-on Trent - circa middle to late 70's.
Eric asked us to provide a Bass/Bass Guitar player - my old guitar teacher, Bill Wheatley, an ex pro who was a very good double bass and bass guitar player offered to do it for nothing, just for the privilge of playing with Eric.
I was taken aback when Eric turned up with a nylon strung classical guitar without an amp! I need not have worried the evening was very entertaining due to Eric's excellent playing, his anecdotes and banter.
Incidentally Eric wrote a little known book called "Improvisation for the Guitar" which he completed just before he died in 1983- again my copy is in immaculate condition due to very little usage!

Best wishes

Tony

The book is impossible to get.
I've been after it for decades.
I got it for a massive £6 .
It's got proper chords like 13ths and none of this modern E2 nonsense.

I've got the 2 K P books (blue) 500 chord shapes and (red) 500 advanced, originals from 1960 , I've just mastered A Major !!. On the back of the advanced it advertises Jazz for guitar by Eric Kershaw

Eric's equally distinguished guitarist son, Martin, is currently regaling Facebook friends with reminiscences and memoirs from his studio playing days...

JN