Authentic Jazz Play-Along: It Don't Mean a Thing: Trumpet Book & CD

Swinging, sophisticated, and deeply rooted in the American songbook. These melodies feel familiar yet fresh, anchored by the warmth of a piano trio that plays with real swing feel and musical conversation.

Intermediate trumpet players ready to explore jazz idiomatically, whether in a studio setting or as part of a jazz ensemble curriculum. This book works equally well for self-directed learners and students in group lessons or jazz band classes.

• Listen to the recorded trio several times before playing along. Pay attention to how the piano comps and where the bass walks; this informs your phrasing choices.
• Practice the melody without the CD first to lock in the written articulations and chord tones, then layer in the accompaniment gradually.
• Sit with the slower ballads like My Funny Valentine and Someone to Watch Over Me long enough to develop vibrato control and breath placement between phrases.
• Use the up-tempo standards (How High the Moon, I Get a Kick Out of You) to work on clarity and articulation when the trio is moving quickly behind you.

Insert individual selections into jazz band repertoire, or use the complete set as a semester-long improvisation study where students master melody and learn to comp changes. Shorter ballads work well as recital openers or concert breaks between larger ensemble pieces.

• Jazz articulation and phrasing (legato, swing eighth notes, syncopated rhythms)
• Reading melody with chord symbols and lyrics
• Listening to and locking with a rhythm section
• Breath placement and vibrato control in ballad playing
• Recognizing and executing jazz idioms (swing feel, syncopation, rests for musical space)