On Green Dolphin Street Plus 12 Jazz Classics for Piano: Piano Book

Schultz's arrangements strike a rare balance between accessibility and sophistication. These aren't watered-down versions of standards; they preserve the harmonic richness and improvisational spirit of jazz while remaining playable by advancing students who are ready to move beyond simplified lead sheets.

These thirteen standards carry the warmth and lyrical depth that made them classics. Schultz's arrangements honor the melodies while inviting you into conversations with the harmony, creating a blend of comfort and creative possibility that makes each piece rewarding to sit with and discover over multiple practice sessions.

Intermediate to advanced jazz pianists who have moved past beginner lead sheets and are ready to engage with more sophisticated voicings and arrangements. This collection serves both the advancing student building a jazz standard repertoire and the semi-professional pianist looking for performance-ready material that still offers room for interpretation.

• Treat the chord changes as your dialogue partner, not just accompaniment. These voicings are voiced thoughtfully; lean into them rather than rushing through them.
• Study the lyrics even though you're playing solo piano. Understanding the text shapes your phrasing and emotional choices in ways that pure notation can't convey.
• Balance comfort with risk. Use the recorded accompaniment (if available separately) during practice to lock in tempos, but eventually play without it to develop interpretive freedom.
• Layer in embellishments gradually. The arrangements provide a solid foundation; once you master the written notes, add passing tones and comping variations that reflect your own voice.

Feature individual selections in jazz combos, student recitals, or salon-style concerts where jazz standards feel at home. The variety of moods and styles within the collection makes it ideal for a solo jazz recital or as a source for selecting pieces that pair well with both classical and contemporary jazz repertoire.

• Reading and realizing jazz chord voicings at intermediate to advanced levels
• Balancing melody, harmony, and comping within a single-instrument context
• Interpreting song lyrics musically through instrumental phrasing
• Understanding harmonic function in popular jazz standards
• Building a core jazz repertoire of time-honored compositions