Alfred's Easy Piano Songs: Standards & Jazz: Easy Hits Piano Book

Stepping into a smoky jazz club or a 1930s ballroom. These arrangements deliver the sophisticated warmth of standards and the rhythmic swagger of jazz in forms that feel achievable, letting pianists experience the style and elegance of the Great American Songbook from the very first page.

Beginning pianists who want immediate access to beloved jazz and standard repertoire, and intermediate players seeking a curated source of arrangements that sound polished without excessive technical demands. This collection works equally well for self-taught students building a repertoire and for teachers seeking engaging material for recitals or informal performances.

• Pay attention to the swing notation and rhythmic feel in jazz tunes like "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "It Don't Mean a Thing." Even though the notes are accessible, the groove matters.
• Use the chord symbols as a guide to understanding harmonic movement, especially in standards. This builds awareness of jazz harmony without requiring complex voicings.
• Pedal thoughtfully in ballads such as "Misty" and "My Foolish Heart." The arrangements are lean enough that careless pedal will muddy the sound.
• Listen to recordings of these standards before learning them. Hearing the original interpretations helps you understand phrasing and style choices that sheet music alone won't convey.

Feature a single standard or jazz tune in a student recital as a stylistic contrast to classical repertoire, or program several selections back-to-back as a dedicated jazz or standards set. For studio teachers, these arrangements serve as perfect stepping stones between method-book materials and more demanding jazz literature.

• Reading swing rhythms and jazz notation conventions
• Interpreting chord symbols and understanding jazz harmony
• Recognizing and executing jazz articulation and phrasing
• Developing comfort with jazz standards vocabulary and style
• Building independence between hands in accompaniment patterns