Easy Jazzin' About: Fun Pieces for Recorder: Recorder Book

Wedgwood writes jazz vocabulary that sits beautifully on the recorder without requiring extended technique or extreme range. Each piece in this collection stands alone musically; they're not simplified versions of jazz standards, but original compositions that respect both the instrument and the listener's ear. Students encounter swing rhythms, blues tonality, and syncopation naturally through playing, not through explanation.

These pieces radiate energy and contemporary flavor. Blues riffs sit alongside rock grooves, and each melody bounces with a personality distinct from the next. Whether you're cruising on Riding out West, prowling through Cat Walk, or cooling down with Crystal Spring, the music feels immediate and modern, not didactic.

This collection is designed for recorder students in Grades 1-3 who are ready to expand beyond traditional classical fare. Players with roughly 1-2 years of experience will find pieces that challenge their reading while staying within a comfortable range and technical scope. It works equally well for solo study and for group performance.

• Let the eighth-note patterns breathe in the swing pieces. A light, forward articulation on offbeats creates the groove rather than precisely metronomic playing.
• Attend to the dynamic range marked in each title. Pieces like Smooth Operator and Buttercup rely on subtle shading to convey their character.
• Treat the blues-based pieces (Hot Chilli, Easy Tiger) as a chance to explore blue notes and bent pitches appropriate to the style. Wedgwood's notation guides you, but expressive phrasing elevates the performance.
• Use sectional rehearsal to lock in rhythmic patterns, particularly in pieces with repeated syncopated figures. Once the rhythm section feels secure, the melody sits naturally on top.

Sprinkle individual pieces throughout a concert to lighten the mood after heavier classical works, or program 3-4 together as a jazz set that shows variety in style and texture. These titles also work well in informal café-style performances or as demonstration pieces for student recruitment, since they instantly signal that learning recorder can be contemporary and fun.

• Reading swing rhythms and syncopated phrasing
• Interpreting jazz articulation and light tonguing
• Playing blues scales and bent pitches idiomatically
• Maintaining groove in repeated rhythmic patterns
• Responding to dynamic shading and expressive phrasing
• Understanding blues and rock harmonic language