I'm not sure if I would have bought these 3CDs, had I know that only 60% of the L-R songs in the REAL BOOK were recorded. Many of the songs I was looking forward to playing are omitted, namely those by MINGUS, Chick Corea's LITHA, all the Keith Jarrett songs including MEMORIES OF TOMORROW, THE MAGICIAN IN YOU, MOONCHILD, most of the Wayne Shorter/Weather Report songs (MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER, ORBITS,PINNOCHIO, PRINCE OF DARKNESS,) and the song by Pat Matheny (MIDWESTERN NIGHTS DREAM), Herbie Hancock's OLILOQUI VALLEY and ONE FINGER SNAP, plus Joe Zawinul's MAN IN THE GREEN SHIRT. I dont have to point out that these are mostly the fusion songs. Mingus isnt a fusion artist tho, so i cant figure removing his songs, unless they were too difficult for the CD band to arrange. Nevertheless, I do enjoy what IS on these CDs. What you have here is a piano trio, with guitar on some of the latin songs. They play NO HEAD MELODY on the songs, just the rythym. I dont know why that reviewer said there were no intros....there are intros on very song composed with one. Each song is about 3-4 minutes long, consisting of the HEAD, some jamming room, the HEAD REPEAT, and an ending. They were recorded for LEAD instrumentalists, ie, guitar, sax, marimba, flute, etc. I'm a pianist, so I just played the heads, and then jammed over the open areas, without any left hand work. My disappointment doesnt lay in the excellent quality of the songs performed on these CDs. I'm let down that the Mingus and fusion songs were removed, since those were the numbers I most wanted to jam upon. One last thing: You had better be a very good reader, and have some solid music theory on how to improvise, to use these CDs with their intended purpose. Just incase you wonder what's inside that "THE REAL BOOK PLAY-LONG" book, its just three CDs in plastic and cardboard slip cases, connected to the binder. The "book" consists of two pages that lists the songs on each CD, and their track numbers. You wont find information on who originally recorded the songs, or who wrote them. In conclussion, if you are playing a lead jazz instrument, and dont want to play Mingus, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, as well as various other numbers, you'll really enjoy this book.