On Broadway: E-Z Play Today

This arrangement captures the infectious groove and sophisticated chord changes that made the original a crossover hit, while keeping the piano part accessible enough for intermediate players to nail the style without getting bogged down. The two-page format works beautifully for students developing jazz voicing awareness and pop sensibility in the same practice session.

Confident and cool, with an urban swagger that never loses sight of melody. The rhythm pulses forward with a walking energy while the harmony stays sophisticated enough to keep your ears engaged.

Intermediate pianists comfortable with jazz vocabulary and wanting to expand their standards repertoire with a genuinely fun, ear-friendly tune. This also works well for students building skills with pop and R&B stylistic elements on the piano.

• Lock into the syncopated rhythmic feel early; this tune lives in the space between the beat rather than on top of it.
• Color your chord voicings by listening closely to jazz recordings of the tune. Small adjustments in voicing can shift the whole energy of the arrangement.
• Keep the left hand light and supportive. The swing comes from rhythmic placement, not from heavy comping.

Pair this with other standards arrangements to show students how the same tune lives across different genres and eras. It also makes an ideal standalone piece for a jazz or popular music unit, where students can explore the difference between playing the changes accurately and playing them with actual style.

• jazz voicing and chord substitutions
• swing rhythms and syncopation
• listening and imitating recorded arrangements
• left-hand comping patterns in a groove context
• phrasing and style in pop and R&B idioms