Lennie Niehaus Plays the Blues: C Instruments Book & CD

These etudes work because Niehaus writes the way players think. Rather than present abstract blues exercises, he creates genuine solos that swing, with the kind of melodic logic and harmonic awareness that students can study and absorb. The pairing with Volume 42 accompaniment tracks means students hear professional rhythm section playing from day one, which shapes their feel far more effectively than playing alone.

Hip and modern, with the kind of swing that makes you want to move. The solos breathe with the relaxed confidence of a player who knows the blues inside out, never straining or sounding academic. Each key brings fresh melodic ideas while maintaining that cohesive, genuine jazz voice throughout.

Intermediate and advanced jazz students ready to move beyond basic blues vocabulary into authentic bebop language. Band directors looking for sight-reading material that teaches jazz style simultaneously. Anyone working toward jazz proficiency across all twelve keys.

• Listen to Lennie's recorded solos multiple times before playing your own version. Notice where he breathes, where he sits behind the beat, and how he handles the form.
• Work through the keys in order rather than jumping to the ones you're comfortable in. Transposition facility is the entire point of this book.
• Play along with the rhythm section tracks at a slower tempo first, then gradually increase speed as the changes become automatic.
• Sing the lines before you play them. This forces you to hear the jazz phrasing and articulation rather than relying on fingering patterns.

Assign one key per week in a jazz ensemble or combo setting, using these as warm-up material that doubles as serious repertoire study. For intermediate soloists preparing for jazz festivals or competitions, these provide both performance-ready pieces and a master class in how to construct an effective solo. The book also works well as summer practice material for students transitioning into advanced jazz studies.

• Reading and performing swing rhythms and syncopation patterns
• Blues harmony navigation across all twelve keys
• Bebop melodic phrasing and articulation
• Transposition facility and tonal consistency
• Internalization of jazz feel through repeated listening and playing with rhythm section