Easy Jazzin' About: Fun Pieces for Piano/Keyboard Duet: Piano Duet (1 Piano, 4 Hands) Book

Wedgwood writes duets that feel genuinely collaborative, not like a student part tacked onto a teacher part. Each piece has its own character and groove, and the range of styles (from 'Straight Talking' to 'Canary Walk') keeps both players engaged without requiring one partner to carry the musical weight. The collection proves that fun and musicianship are not opposites.

These pieces swing. Even at an intermediate level, Wedgwood's rhythmic language gives players permission to be playful and loose. You'll hear blues flavors, syncopation, and conversational exchanges between the hands and between the two players—music that makes you want to tap your foot and smile.

Young pianists at the intermediate level who want to explore jazz idioms and experience genuine ensemble playing without classical virtuosity as a prerequisite. Teachers and parents looking for fresh repertoire to keep students engaged will find pieces that work equally well in studio lessons, informal recitals, or just a fun afternoon at the piano.

• Keep the tempo conversational rather than metronomic. These pieces thrive when the two players listen and respond to each other, especially in the jazz-styled passages where slight rhythmic flexibility can enhance the groove.
• Clarify your role before playing. The primo and secondo parts have distinct characters; establishing who carries the melody and who anchors the rhythm helps both players commit to their part with confidence.
• Experiment with touch and articulation to differentiate the pieces. A crisp staccato in 'Hot Potato' and a loose, swung feel in 'Free and Easy' will help younger pianists understand that the same instrument can have many voices.
• Practice hand independence separately if syncopation or cross-rhythms feel tangled. Tapping one line while singing the other often clarifies how the parts fit together.

Use this collection to introduce jazz vocabulary and style in a low-pressure setting, or program individual pieces in a studio recital to showcase versatility and musical personality. Duets also work beautifully in a spring concert focused on ensemble playing, offering audiences a refreshing change of pace from solo repertoire.

• Swing rhythm and jazz articulation
• Syncopation in both hands and across parts
• Listening and responding to another player in real time
• Stylistic flexibility beyond classical legato and phrasing
• Balance between ensemble coordination and individual musical expression