Piano a la Jazz: Easy: Piano Book

Strommen writes jazz solos that actually sound like jazz without overwhelming young pianists with complex harmony or impossible technical demands. The collection balances genuine musical style with accessibility, giving students real jazz vocabulary to internalize while their hands and ears are still developing.

These solos have the relaxed, conversational quality of real jazz, full of rhythmic lift and harmonic color without baroque counterpoint or romantic virtuosity demands. Playing them feels like learning to speak a new musical dialect, one where swing, syncopation, and personal expression matter as much as note accuracy.

Early intermediate to intermediate pianists ready to explore jazz language with pieces written specifically for their level. Students in private study or group piano settings who want performance material that builds technical skill while introducing authentic jazz style and rhythm.

• Treat the rhythmic figures as conversation starters. Strommen's original melodies often sit on jazz-inflected grooves, so lock into the pulse early and let syncopation settle before pushing tempo.
• Voice the comping suggestions (if included) to match your hand size and strength. Beginning students sometimes rush or tense up when reaching across multiple octaves; simplify voicings to maintain musicality and flow.
• Record yourself and listen back for swing feel. Jazz solos on piano require a different relationship to timing than classical pieces; even small adjustments to note duration and articulation shift the groove significantly.
• Spend time away from the page once you know the notes. Jazz thrives on interpretation and personal touch, so leave room to discover your own phrasing and dynamics.

Feature individual pieces in student recitals to showcase stylistic diversity beyond classical repertoire. Jazz collections like this also work well as supplementary performance material in group piano classes or as bridges between technique-focused work and public playing experience.

• Reading and interpreting jazz rhythms and syncopation
• Swing feel and triplet-based timing
• Comping and chord voicing at the keyboard
• Jazz articulation and phrasing distinct from classical style
• Improvisation foundations through performance of composed solos
• Left-hand groove and walking patterns in jazz contexts