Let's Play Jazz!: E-flat & B-flat Saxophone Book

Jacobsen cuts through the mystery of jazz pedagogy by treating chords and scales as practical tools rather than theoretical abstractions. The dual-tempo play-along tracks let students control their own learning pace, and the progression from simple note choices to full solo construction keeps motivation high while building real skills.

Opening this book feels like gaining access to a patient mentor who understands how improvisation actually clicks in your mind. The music swings with the ease of conversation, building from simple, confident statements into the kinds of lines that make jazz singers and composers sit up and listen.

Saxophonists at the intermediate level who are ready to leave behind traditional method book exercises and start making real jazz lines. This works equally well for students in a jazz ensemble context or those seeking focused solo study outside of ensemble rehearsals.

• Start with the slower tempo versions of the play-alongs to establish secure chord-tone relationships before attempting faster articulation or phrasing.
• Use the listening tracks to internalize the harmonic feel before playing over the accompaniment; hearing the sound in your ears first sharpens your improvisation choices.
• Work through the written examples multiple times in sequence rather than jumping ahead; each step builds muscle memory and harmonic awareness you'll need later.
• Record yourself on the play-alongs at regular intervals to track how your phrasing and rhythm section interaction improve over time.

Pair this with your jazz ensemble repertoire as a targeted study text; students will directly apply concepts they're learning here to the solos they're working up for concert pieces. It also serves well as a summer practice guide or independent study resource for students who want to deepen their improvisational vocabulary without waiting for the next ensemble workshop.

• Chord-tone navigation and selecting guide tones within progressions
• Translating scale patterns into coherent melodic lines over changes
• Rhythmic phrasing and swing articulation in an improvisation context
• Building solo structures that move from simple statements to developed ideas
• Listening and response skills using multi-tempo play-along accompaniments