Playing Through the Blues: Clarinet Edition (B-flat): Clarinet Book & CD

Lipsius has crafted a book that treats blues soloing as a learnable skill, not a mystery. The accompanying CD lets students hear what good phrasing sounds like, then immediately put it into practice with play-along tracks at sensible tempos. The melodic focus means students grasp the language of blues playing through their ears and fingers simultaneously.

The 12 tracks span genuine blues moods: some swaggering and funky, others introspective and late-night quiet. You'll hear the difference between straight blues feels and the rhythmic twists in pieces like "Four in Three" and "Shuffle Them Blues," giving your ears a real education in style variety.

Intermediate clarinet students ready to explore jazz soloing beyond technique exercises. This book works equally well for band clarinetists curious about improvisation and for students in jazz ensemble settings who need confidence with blues language and phrasing.

• Listen to the full performance track first to hear the shape of the line and how it sits over the chord changes. Your ears need the reference before your fingers can follow.
• Use the play-along tracks to lock into the groove at your own pace. Start slower than the recorded tempo if needed; the book's range of feels gives you options.
• Study the chord symbols provided for improvisation work. Knowing what harmony supports each lick teaches you why those notes work together.
• Sing the blues lines before playing them. This bridges the gap between how a vocalist phrases and what works on your instrument.

Use this book in a jazz elective or as supplemental material for advanced band clarinetists who want exposure to jazz soloing in a structured, playable format. It also pairs well with jazz combo settings where students need to understand how to navigate chord changes in real time.

• Blues phrasing and rhythmic figures characteristic of jazz
• Reading and playing over chord changes in multiple keys and tempos
• Improvisation over play-along tracks using provided harmonic frameworks
• Listening comprehension of jazz articulation, tone, and swing feel
• Recognition of blues subgenres and stylistic variation (shuffle, funk, swing, modal)