"Jazzed about Jazz" workshop

I recently did a workshop at Bountiful Music, a music store in Bountiful, Utah (www.bountifulmusic.com/), on my latest book, "Jazzed about Jazz (jazz, blues, and boogie woogies for the intermediate piano student)". Two of my piano students, Steven Ward (age 14) and Nate Campbell (age 12), played my compositions from the book for those attending the workshop.

This is a sample page from the first page of the first song, "Boomerang Boogie", in the book "Jazzed about Jazz". It's a fun upbeat song.

This is the clip of one of my piano students, Steven Ward (age 14) playing, "Boomerang Boogie". I wrote "Boomerang Boogie" to help students learn left hand boogie woogie patterns. The right hand plays several variations of the blues scale, and various 7th and 9th chords in different inversions.

This is a sample page from the first page of the second song, "Skippin' Along", in the book, "Jazzed about Jazz".


This is the clip where I play the song, "Skippin' Along" (one of my piano students, Nate Campbell, age 12, demonstrates the lesson that preceeds the song). I wrote "Skippin' Along" to present a progression of 7th chords descending in 5ths and played in root 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inversions.

This is a sample page from the first page of the third song, "The Sidewalk Shuffle", in the book, "Jazzed about Jazz".

This is the clip of Nate Campbell (age 12) playing, "The Sidewalk Shuffle". I wrote "The Sidewalk Shuffle" to help students learn three left hand shuffle patterns and the chromatic scale (the half step scale).

This is a sample page from the first page of the fourth song, "Summer Skies", in the book, "Jazzed about Jazz".

I wrote "Summer Skies" to teach all of the 7th chords moving up diactonically (according to major scale) in any given key signature. I named the song after my little girl, Summer. I didn't film anyone playing this song at the workshop so there isn't a video of the song being performed. I will post one soon.

This is a sample page from the first page of the fifth song, "Railroad Ruckus", in the book, "Jazzed about Jazz".

This is the clip of Nate Campbell (age 12) playing, "Railroad Ruckus". I wrote "Railroad Ruckus" to help teach the left hand blues pattern of a perfect 5th, major 6th, minor 7th, and returning back to the major 6th interval, and the blues scales beginning on C, F, and G.

This is a sample page from the first page of the sixth song, "The Big Bad Blues" in the book, "Jazzed about Jazz".

This is the clip of Steven Ward (age 14) playing, "The Big Bad Blues". I wrote "The Big Bad Blues" to introduce students to a blues left hand pattern, crushed notes (played simultaneously with the following note and released immediately), and the tremolo (alternating rapidly between two notes or chords).

If you would like to purchase "Jazzed about Jazz - jazz, blues, and boogie woogies for the intermediate piano student", visit your local music store. The book is $11.95. If your local music store is not yet carrying Music Motivation® products they may contact my company Music Motivation® at info@musicmotivation.com for the distributors' contact info. Or, if they would like to contact the distributor directly, they may contact Chesbro Music Co. at 1.800.243.7276. The product number for "Jazzed about Jazz" is MM00001004. The ISBN is 978-0-9790716-3-8.

Written by Jerald M. Simon
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