Robin Nolan is one of the premier players of gypsy jazz in the world, and has become one of the most prolific and important teachers as well. His Gig Book has been a standard for as long as I have been playing, as my well-worn copy will attest. His previous books and his many on-line videos are among the best out there, and I find Beginner Gypsy Jazz Guitar to be the written culmination of Robin's decades-long quest to share what he's learned with students everywhere.I have just about every gypsy jazz guitar method written, and each has some very good things about it. Where most of them fall short is giving beginning gypsy jazzers an easily understandable approach to improvisation, and this is where Robin's book excels. Rather than twenty pages of scales and arpeggios and then "you're on your own," Robin hands you a smaller tool kit to begin with, but shows the prospective player how to employ those tools to create great solos immediately. I haven't seen a better book in the gypsy jazz world for assembling musical components into rhythm and solos that any player can be proud to play. Best thing is that each example comes in notation and tab, so the student gets the benefit of both. You don't need to be an expert player to start your journey, just reasonable finger-wiggling ability and a willingness to practice.The book is divided into five sections: gypsy rhythm, soloing, getting gig ready, playing well with others, and finally Robin lights the runway so any player can take the tools that were learned and take flight. All along the way, Robin offers guidance and insights that help the student employ each exercise in musical ways. But where the book excels is in the coaching between exercises. Robin doesn't just throw notes and chords at you. He takes you by the hand and explains the how's, when's and why's of each musical exercise or example. I've known Robin for many years, and reading his written coaching feels like sitting next to him in a room getting tips from a master.The Gypsy Rhythm Section is well thought out. Robin begins with the chord shapes that he finds most useful, explains how to finger each chord, and then how to immediately employ that chord in a common jazz progression. Each new tool is immediately employed in a musical, easy-to-understand way. He then runs through all of the major rhythm styles , breaking down how to play each, and offers some of the best developmental exercises I have come across. In gypsy jazz, proper rhythm playing is everything. Without an understanding of gypsy rhythms, good soloing is impossible, no matter how good the chops. Robin breaks down each style and takes the student step-by-step through how to play them in real musical examples. When you are done with this section, you will have an hands-on understanding of every important rhythm used in gypsy jazz.The second section covers soloing. No twenty pages of scales and arpeggios here. Robin shows the player a couple of "G" scale options, then immediately teaches you how to connect the scale notes chromatically to sound jazzy right away. Then on to arpeggios, where the same rules apply: learn the arpeggios, then immediately learn how to "jazz it up" into something that a pro player would use. Then on to mixing scales and arpeggios into great musical licks. What raises Robin's book above so many other methods is that he then devotes quite a bit of time offering insights and examples of how to approach soloing. Robin is one of the most original solo stylists in gypsy jazz and he shares thoughts at every step on how to play simply in an exciting , musical way. His "bouncing" idea is both fun musically, but gives the beginning player a simple path to creating solos that listeners will admire. His "ear training" approach uses a simplified version of an old Joe Pass teaching tool to help the new player understand how to solo over any chord progression. Do what Robin says, put in the time, and you, too, will be a player people want to listen to. His sample solos are really great and immediately usable by any player. But Robin doesn't stop there. He gives the student an understanding of how to approach soloing, so that you can go move forward beyond the book.The rest of the book teaches intros, outros, and then tips on which songs to know, putting together a set list, conquering stage fright (you think you have problems? Try having Bill Wyman call you to play in an all-star jam at the Royal Albert Hall!), memorizing songs, and working with other musicians, all with examples from Robin's own career. Robin covers everything from playing with dynamics, practicing tips, writing your own songs and finding your own style. All the while he gives you links to his many on-line study resources to supplement the book and help you continue your journey beyond it. The book is chock full of great advice from a guy who has played everywhere with everyone and is willing to share what he's learned. It doesn't get better than that, and no other method I have seen does it as well.No book can cover everything, and there is one thing Robin does not cover. 99% of gypsy jazzers use a specific style of picking that takes some time to learn. Robin is one of the few who doesn't and he is the living proof that you can do you own thing and still reach the pinnacle of gypsy jazz playing. If you want to learn Gypsy Picking, Michal Horowitz has written the definitive book on the subject, and it is another foundational tool. In the meantime, Robin will get you playing the music in an authentic way faster than any other method I know.I took a couple of weeks and played through every page of Robin's book before writing this. Every exercise made sense. Robin's explanations and guidance give the student an understanding of each page in a way I haven't seen before. To say that I am hugely impressed would be understating it. Gypsy Jazz has been waiting a long time for someone to make it accessible in a usable, musical way. It doesn't need to wait any longer!