I Got Rhythm for Alto Saxophone: Alto Saxophone Book & CD

Sophisticated but never pretentious. These are tunes that swing naturally, with chord changes that feel purposeful rather than convoluted. Playing along with a live trio transforms practice into something that sounds and feels professional.

Intermediate alto saxophonists ready to play with a jazz ensemble sound but still building improvisational confidence. This collection works for students who've mastered basic swing articulation and want to apply it to real repertoire.

• Spend time with the biographical notes and performance guides before rehearsal; they ground the musical choices Hampton made and give your students context for the phrasing and articulation you'll want.
• Work the suggested solo phrases as written first, then use them as a template for student improvisation. Have them identify which phrases sit over which chord types so the connection clicks.
• Balance the saxophone line against the piano, bass, and drums on the playalong. These are conversational tunes, not showcase vehicles, so lock in rhythmically rather than sit on top.

Drop a tune into a spring concert to showcase your jazz program alongside concert band repertoire, or use the full collection as a short unit in your jazz ensemble rotation. The variety across composers and styles means you can program individual tracks across the year without exhausting the book.

• Swing articulation and phrasing specific to jazz ballads and uptempo standards
• Reading and executing from chord symbols during notated solo sections
• Listening and responding to rhythm section members in an ensemble setting
• Building improvisation skills from provided model phrases
• Interpreting historical performance practice across different songwriting eras