Jazz, Rags & Blues, Book 3: Piano Book & Online Audio

Mier's harmonic language sits squarely between classical training and authentic jazz idiom, which means students encounter real jazz vocabulary without needing years of improvisation experience first. Each piece builds on the previous book while standing alone musically, so your students move from blues basics into swing feels, stride figures, and genuine ragtime rhythms that reward careful listening and smart fingering.

You move between the languid blue notes of a slow blues, the rhythmic snap of ragtime syncopation, and the swinging ease of a jazz standard, each piece rooted in American musical history. The writing is transparent enough that technical passages feel manageable, yet the harmonic shifts and rhythmic independence between hands create sophisticated musical moments that reward expressive playing.

Intermediate to late intermediate pianists ready to venture beyond classical repertoire into distinctly American styles. This book serves students preparing for exams (like the ABRSM 2025-2026 syllabus), those exploring jazz informally, and anyone looking to broaden their stylistic range with music that is both accessible and genuinely musical.

• Let the swing eighth notes breathe in the jazz selections; resist the urge to rush or mechanize the feel, even in slower practice tempos.
• Study the left-hand stride patterns as their own distinct material, not as accompaniment filler; Mier's bass lines carry melodic weight and character.
• Balance the ragtime syncopations against a steady pulse in your practice; these pieces sound effortless only when the underlying beat is rock-solid.
• Use the online recordings as a model for phrasing and touch, but find your own tempo and interpretation within the style.

Book 3 works beautifully as a recital set, either as standalone pieces or in sequence, and its lighter character makes it ideal for the second half of a student recital. Include one or two pieces in an Americana or 20th-century American music concert alongside chamber works or vocal selections; the familiar idioms will engage listeners while showcasing your students' stylistic versatility.

• Swing eighth-note rhythm and jazz feel
• Blues harmonic progression and blue notes
• Stride bass patterns and left-hand independence
• Ragtime syncopation and syncopated melody lines
• Stylistic interpretation beyond classical articulation and phrasing
• Sight-reading in jazz notation and harmonic symbols