Cissy Strut: E-Z Play Today

This E-Z Play arrangement gives pianists direct access to one of funk's most distinctive grooves without requiring jazz chops or years of improvisation experience. The two-page format respects the song's structural simplicity while capturing what makes it endure: a relentless, infectious pocket that makes students feel the beat in their hands.

Propulsive and infectious. The groove sits in your chest and compels physical response; even when played simply, the arrangement captures the tight, economical feel that made the original a staple of New Orleans funk. There's joy in the simplicity and power in the restraint.

Pianists seeking a genuine funk piece that works at beginner and early intermediate levels. This is ideal for students who want to explore contemporary grooves beyond classical training or for anyone needing a high-energy opening number that connects with modern listeners.

• Lock into the rhythm early by tapping your foot on the beat before you play; this groove demands a rock-solid internal pulse.
• Keep the left hand groove consistent and mechanical, resisting the urge to add fills until you're completely comfortable with the basic pattern.
• Listen to the original recording multiple times to absorb the spacing and articulation that makes this groove breathe rather than plod.

Open a casual concert or community event with this piece to set an immediate, celebratory tone. It works equally well as a palate cleanser between classical selections or as the centerpiece of a program exploring funk and popular music roots.

• Executing syncopated rhythms in both hands simultaneously
• Maintaining a steady funk groove under varying musical textures
• Understanding left-hand bass line patterns typical of keyboard funk
• Developing touch and dynamics that support pocket-playing rather than melody-driven approaches