From Hanon to Jazz: Piano Book

This book succeeds because it doesn't treat jazz as separate from traditional piano study; instead, it builds directly from the technical foundation Hanon provides. Konowitz writes with genuine pedagogical clarity, balancing newly composed pieces alongside recognizable standards so students encounter jazz vocabulary in familiar contexts and original settings alike.

The collection balances disciplined technical work with the spontaneity and swing that make jazz compelling. Opening pages feel structured and familiar; as you progress, the pieces grow more animated and expressive, inviting your personal interpretation and style to emerge naturally.

This book is designed for intermediate pianists with solid classical training who are ready to explore jazz but lack experience in its language and style. Students working through traditional method books will find the bridge from classical to jazz technique both logical and deeply musical here.

• Spend time with the Hanon-based exercises before moving to the full jazz pieces; they establish the finger independence and evenness jazz demands.
• Listen to recorded versions of the standards included in this book. Hearing how the melody breathes and swings will inform your own interpretation far more than notation alone can show.
• When working through the original compositions, isolate left-hand voicings first. Jazz comping requires independence that classical training doesn't always emphasize, so practice the accompaniment patterns until they sit naturally under the melody.

Introduce this book to intermediate students during a unit on jazz history and style, using it alongside or following their completion of standard classical repertoire. The combination of technical studies and accessible standards makes it ideal for pianists preparing for jazz ensemble auditions or developing broader musical literacy beyond classical convention.

• Jazz swing rhythm and articulation
• Chord voicing for jazz accompaniment
• Left-hand independence in comping patterns
• Interpretation of jazz standards
• Reading jazz notation and lead sheets
• Connecting classical technique to jazz vocabulary