Maiden Voyage Jazz Solos: Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Clarinet Book & Online Audio

Pairing Niehaus's writing with Greg Fishman's playing creates a masterclass in real time. Your students hear exactly what the solo should sound like from someone who lives this music, not a synthetic approximation. The fact that these work directly with Jamey Aebersold Volume 54 means zero setup friction and immediate access to the exact accompaniment sound the solos were conceived around.

Nimble, conversational, and thoroughly swinging. These solos sit naturally in the intermediate-to-advanced range without demanding pyrotechnics; instead, they reward attention to tone, phrasing, and the subtle rhythmic push that separates competent jazz playing from genuine musicality. The swing is earned through intention, not acrobatics.

Intermediate and advancing tenor, soprano, and clarinet players ready to build their jazz vocabulary beyond basics. These solos work equally well in a jazz ensemble setting or as solo practice material for students preparing recitals, jazz combos, or auditions.

• Study the Greg Fishman demonstration tracks first without your instrument. Lock in his phrasing choices, breath points, and how he interprets the swing feel before you touch your horn. This saves weeks of guessing.
• Pay attention to how Fishman handles space and silence. Jazz solos live as much in what you don't play as in what you do. Use the recording to internalize the rhythmic architecture beneath the melody.
• Record yourself alongside the accompaniment track and compare your sound, intonation, and time placement to Fishman's. Specificity matters at this level, and self-recording reveals what your ear might miss in real time.
• Work through the solos slowly with the backing track at reduced tempo (if your playback system allows) before attempting full speed. Nail the articulation and note accuracy first; swing feel follows.

Use individual solos to anchor rehearsals of Volume 54 in your jazz ensemble or combo setting. Have your saxophonists prepare a solo over the first few weeks of the unit, then rotate feature solos through your big band charts so every player gets a turn. These also serve as ideal solo recital material for students seeking to develop their jazz chops outside ensemble time.

• Phrasing and articulation in jazz idiom
• Interpretation of swing feel through demonstration and imitation
• Reading chord changes and navigation of standard jazz forms
• Call-and-response conversation with the rhythm section
• Tone production and intonation in jazz context
• Building solos that tell a musical story rather than fill space