Christmas Jazzin' About for Clarinet: Clarinet and Piano Book

Wedgwood's arrangements respect the clarinet's voice while giving students genuine jazz vocabulary to work with. The collection hits a sweet spot between accessibility and musicality: nothing here is condescending, and the syncopated figures feel idiomatic rather than imposed.

Contemporary jazz in a holiday wrapper. The pieces range from groovy and uptempo to wistful and nostalgic, all delivered with the sophistication of Wedgwood's harmonic language. You get real jazz colors here, not watered-down simplifications.

Intermediate clarinet students with solid note-reading skills who are ready to explore jazz phrasing and contemporary style. This book works well for players in their second or third year of study who want to stretch beyond classical repertoire.

• Anchor the syncopation to the piano's pulse rather than fighting against it. These rhythms sit on top of the accompaniment, not underneath it.
• Treat the riffs as conversational rather than mechanical. Add slight air between notes to let the funk breathe.
• Listen closely to where Wedgwood places the melody against the piano's voicings. Your phrasing should respond to, not ignore, the harmonic movement.

Program one or two pieces as a set in your winter concert to showcase what your students are capable of beyond standard holiday fare. The collection also works beautifully as a teaching tool throughout the year: pull out individual pieces during units on jazz style, syncopation, or contemporary tonality.

• Reading and performing syncopated rhythms in jazz contexts
• Phrasing over piano accompaniment rather than against it
• Articulation choices that support groove and style
• Swing feel and triplet-based syncopation
• Responding musically to contemporary harmonic movement