How to Play Jazz Piano: Keyboard/Piano Book & Online Audio

Wedgwood meets students exactly where they are. Rather than overwhelming young pianists with jazz theory, she threads improvisation and harmonic concepts into actual playing from the start. The online audio support means students hear exactly how these pieces should swing, removing the guesswork that often derails early jazz study.

Stepping into a jazz practice room with an encouraging mentor. The pieces have genuine swing and character; they don't sound like classical etudes in jazz clothing. You'll encounter syncopation that sits in your hands naturally and chord progressions that teach you how jazz thinks about harmony.

Young pianists with solid foundational technique (around Grade 2) who are curious about jazz but have never explored it formally. This book works equally well in private lessons or small group settings where students want to move beyond classical exercises into a different musical language.

• Listen through the audio tracks before tackling each piece. Your ear will absorb the swing feel and rhythmic placement in ways reading alone cannot.
• Approach chord symbols as tools for understanding harmony, not obstacles. Block the chords first to feel their function, then integrate them into melodic playing.
• When improvising over the accompaniment tracks, start with the scale patterns in the book. Constraint before freedom produces better results than jumping directly into freestyle invention.
• Record yourself playing along with the audio. Hearing your own timing against the accompaniment reveals rhythmic habits you'd miss in the moment.

Assign this book to any pianist ready to expand beyond their classical track, or use it as a summer project that keeps students engaged when traditional lessons pause. The short, focused pieces work well as recital fillers for students seeking programming alternatives to standard classical repertoire.

• Reading and playing swing rhythms and syncopation
• Understanding chord symbols and basic jazz harmony
• Improvisation over chord progressions
• Playing from jazz scale patterns (major, minor, pentatonic)
• Recognizing and performing modal sounds
• Accompanying themselves while improvising