The Giants of Jazz Piano: Piano Book

Elegant swing mixed with harmonic complexity. These pieces breathe with the intelligence and restraint of their composers; they ask you to listen as much as play, to find space within the changes rather than fill it, and to honor both the written notes and the tradition that made them matter.

Advanced pianists ready to engage with real jazz standards and the harmonic sophistication they demand. This book suits students preparing for RCM and Conservatory Canada exams, jazz ensemble pianists seeking solo repertoire, and classical pianists exploring how jazz pianists voice chords and shape phrasing.

• Treat the interpretive markings as guides rather than constraints. These arrangements honor the improvisational spirit of their sources; your touch and tempo flexibility shape how the music breathes.
• Study recordings by the original artists before you begin. Hearing how Brubeck voices 'Take Five' or how Evans approaches voicings will inform your own choices far more than notation alone.
• Balance solo lines with accompaniment textures. Many pieces shift between melody-forward passages and moments where the left hand carries harmonic and rhythmic weight; let that interplay drive your interpretation.

Draw recital selections from this book when programming jazz alongside classical repertoire. For students working toward RCM certification, the four repertoire list pieces provide both challenge and structure. In jazz ensembles, soloists can claim individual tunes for featured spots while the rhythm section explores the same arrangements.

• Reading and interpreting jazz chord symbols and voicings
• Comping with left-hand independence while maintaining harmonic awareness
• Balancing rubato and swing feel in solo passages
• Managing complex harmonic substitutions and reharmonization
• Sight-reading advanced jazz piano arrangements