Avalon: E-Z Play Today

Jolson's arrangement captures the elegance and swagger of a classic jazz standard in a form that pianists can actually play. The two-page format makes this accessible without sacrificing the harmonic sophistication that defines the piece, giving students a genuine taste of 1920s popular music rather than a watered-down version.

Nostalgic but never sentimental. There's a sophisticated ease to the harmony, a hint of blues coloring beneath the surface, and the unmistakable confidence of an artist who owned every room he stepped into. You're playing something that audiences once crowded theaters to hear.

Students who are ready to move beyond lead sheets and play actual composed arrangements with stylistic demands. This works equally well for pianists exploring jazz standards or for those in a classical program who need touchstones in American popular music.

• Balance the melody line so it sings above the accompaniment; this is a vocalist's song at heart, so treat the right hand as the voice even when playing solo.
• Shape the phrases with subtle tempo rubato rather than metronomic precision. The standard allows for breath and flexibility that mirrors Jolson's own expressive delivery.
• Keep the left-hand chords lean and conversational. Jazz pianists of this era didn't fill every beat with sound, so let the harmony speak rather than overwhelm.

Pair this with other early jazz standards to build a unit on American songbook traditions, or use it as a solo in a recital program that explores music from Jolson's era. It also serves pianists preparing auditions or portfolio pieces that demonstrate stylistic range.

• Comping with jazz-influenced chord voicings
• Balancing melodic expression with accompanying figures
• Interpreting rhythmic freedom and swing phrasing in written notation
• Understanding the harmonic language of early 20th century popular music