Smooth as Silk - Piano Solo: Piano Solo

Alexander writes jazz for students who need clear harmonic anchors and playable rhythmic patterns, never sacrificing genuine style in the name of simplification. The variety across these eleven pieces means you can assign something that matches each student's strengths, whether they gravitate toward lyrical expression or rhythmic drive. This collection earns its Federation Festivals selection precisely because it sounds contemporary and alive rather than pedagogically cautious.

Relaxed, groovy, and genuinely fun. You're playing music that swings and breathes rather than strictly counts, with moments of soulfulness and rhythmic sparkle that keep your hands engaged. There's a warmth to Alexander's harmonies that makes learning jazz feel inviting rather than academic.

Students ready to explore jazz as a serious musical language rather than a novelty. These pieces work well for pianists who can manage early intermediate technique but benefit from repertoire that sounds sophisticated beyond their current reading level.

• Let the jazz phrasing breathe. Early intermediate players often rush swing rhythms out of nervousness, but Alexander's mellower tempos reward a patient touch and cleaner articulation.
• Anchor the left hand first. These pieces layer sophisticated harmonies, and locking in the bass movement gives your right hand room to explore the melodic subtleties without guessing.
• Experiment with the pedal as part of your color palette. The harmonies shimmer when you're deliberate about when to blur and when to clear, especially in the slower ballad settings.
• Record yourself and listen back. Jazz inflection is harder to assess while playing; hearing playback reveals where your phrasing lands naturally and where you're fighting the style.

Pull individual pieces into spring recitals to show your students' stylistic range, or program the whole collection as a jazz-themed studio concert where each student learns a different title. These pieces also work perfectly for summer jazz intensives or as supplements to group class when you want to make the transition into improvisation feel natural and achievable.

• Swing rhythms and syncopated phrasing
• Seventh chords and jazz chord extensions (9ths, 13ths)
• Left-hand jazz comping patterns and walking bass foundations
• Pedal control for harmonic color and clarity
• Listening to and recreating jazz articulation and phrasing
• Reading from lead sheets or chord charts