Listen and Play Blues Keyboard: Keyboard/Piano Book & CD

This book solves a real frustration in blues keyboard instruction: students can read the notes but sound stiff because the notation doesn't capture the subtle timing, articulation, and feel that defines authentic blues playing. By pairing written examples with recorded models at multiple tempos, Konowitz gives pianists a direct path to hear the difference between correct reading and correct sounding.

The blues unfolds with a laid-back swing, full of bent notes, ghost notes, and rhythmic flexibility that sheet music alone can't fully express. This approach lets you hear the music breathe and swing before attempting to recreate it yourself.

Pianists and keyboardists at the intermediate level who read music fluently but want to understand how to play blues authentically. This works well for students transitioning into jazz studies or musicians who have classically trained ears but need guidance on blues idiom.

• Listen first before playing each example. Hear the phrasing and rhythmic flexibility before your hands touch the keys; this trains your ear to absorb the style.
• Use the slower practice tempo to isolate the specific techniques being taught, then match your performance to the full-speed version.
• Pay attention to how the recording handles syncopation and swing eighth notes; these details won't live entirely on the page.
• Repeat sections until your sound matches the recording, not just your note sequence. Blues feel is learned through imitation and repetition.

Integrate this into your jazz or American music curriculum as a listening-based supplement to technique study, or use it in elective keyboard courses to build blues literacy alongside repertoire study. The book's modest length makes it ideal for a focused unit rather than semester-long study.

• Translating notation into authentic blues articulation and phrasing
• Hearing and reproducing swing eighth notes and shuffle rhythms
• Recognizing bent notes and grace note techniques through listening
• Matching recorded models for intonation and timing nuances
• Understanding the gap between correct reading and stylistically accurate performance