Taking A Chance On Love (from Cabin in the Sky): E-Z Play Today

This standard sits at that perfect intersection of accessibility and musicality that makes E-Z Play arrangements so effective for developing pianists. The song's sophisticated chord changes and jazz vocabulary give students real harmonic content to navigate, while the two-page format keeps the commitment manageable for students building confidence at the keyboard.

The song carries a buoyant optimism, built on jazz changes that shimmer with possibility and a melody that sits warmly in the middle register. There's a lightness in the way the harmonies move, the kind of sophisticated ease that defines the best songs from the swing era.

Intermediate pianists with some exposure to jazz chords and song forms will find this arrangement both challenging and rewarding. It works well for students exploring the Great American Songbook or for those developing fluency with standards in a jazz or popular music context.

• Shape the melody with legato phrasing and let the underlying swing feel breathe naturally; resist rushing the syncopated rhythmic figures.
• Pay attention to any chord voicings notated in the arrangement and voice them smoothly between changes to preserve the jazz character.
• If an accompaniment track is included, use it to lock into the groove, but practice the piano part independently first to own the harmonic progression.

Slot this into a jazz or American songbook recital, or use it as a bridge between classical training and popular music study for students exploring multiple repertoire areas. It also pairs naturally with other standards from the same era, making it useful for a "Songs of Broadway" concert segment or informal student performance.

• Reading and voicing seventh chords and jazz chord extensions
• Navigating swing rhythms and syncopated accompaniment figures
• Balancing melody and harmony awareness in a single-staff arrangement
• Interpreting chord symbols and making musical choices within a framework