Alfred Jazz Play-Along Series, Vol. 5: Freddie Hubbard & More: C, B-flat, E-flat, & Bass Clef Instruments Book & DVD

This volume anchors the Jazz Play-Along series with genuinely playable standards arranged at a medium difficulty level that doesn't talk down to your students. The written-out solos give learners a concrete reference for phrasing, articulation, and harmonic navigation, turning abstract improvisation lessons into something they can actually hear and internalize before they step up to create their own lines.

Freddie Hubbard's catalog captures the buoyant confidence of hard bop and the exploratory spirit of modal jazz. These standards breathe with the warmth of a live session, inviting your students into a world where melody and rhythm conversation feel natural and the changes sound logical rather than theoretical.

This is built for jazz students in secondary school or college settings who are ready to move beyond reading melody lines and into improvisation. Your ensemble will benefit whether you're working with a full jazz band, a smaller combo, or mixed-instrument classes where transposition flexibility is essential.

• Study the written-out solo for each tune before you attempt improvisation. Notice how the horn player lands on chord tones, approaches the changes, and uses space; these details are your roadmap for building your own solos.
• Use the TNT2 software to loop challenging chord progressions and practice your solo phrasing at a slower tempo first, then gradually increase speed once the changes feel natural.
• Listen closely to the rhythm section's pocket and how the horns sit within it. Pay attention to the breathing, the note length choices, and the way articulation shapes the melody—these are details that separate competent playing from genuinely swinging playing.

Reserve this for your jazz ensemble or combo rehearsals where improvisation is a stated learning goal. It works particularly well mid-year when students have developed basic solo skills and are ready to tackle transcription, call-and-response solos, or prepare a jazz concert that showcases both ensemble work and individual voices. The flexibility of parts means you can use it whether your group is fully instrumented or has gaps you need to cover.

• Jazz improvisation using written solos as models
• Transposition and part-reading across C, B-flat, E-flat, and bass clef
• Articulation, phrasing, and swing interpretation
• Harmonic navigation and chord tone targeting
• Listening to and responding to a rhythm section
• Solo construction and development over jazz standards