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The Jazz/Pop symbols in the fakebook can be easily translated to piano. An Am7-5 is the same chord whether it's on guitar or piano. How you voice that chord is entirely up to you. Welcome to Jazz.
Improvisation is something that comes with time and practice. You mentioned that you can't improvise in "Jazz style." Can you improvise at all?
Forget books if you want to learn Jazz. Watch videos (including interviews) and listen to the music of Jazz pianists that you admire. Then figure out what they are doing and do it yourself. Train your ear ... not your eyes.
Then figure out WHY they are doing it. If you can figure out WHY then you'll be able to form your own opinions and maybe even your own style. I don't mean WHY in an existential sense ... I mean why did the musician choose to play that particular chord voicing or passing tone ...
I played in a jazz/gospel/r&b/swing group for many years. I don't play it much anymore, but it certainly influences my current project.
Doug
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