Cool Cats

What could be nicer than a cat nap on a lazy afternoon? This laid-back jazz piece by Chrissy Ricker is sure to be a hit with early intermediates of all ages!

Top Cat Boogie, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is a fast 1950s rock-style solo for late beginners. This piece is part of the Easy Cool Cats songbook.

Easy Cool Cats, is a collection of twelve easy showcase solos composed by Chrissy Ricker. These jazzy solos represent a variety of genres and will appeal to late beginners and early intermediates of all ages!

Dog Days songbook is a set of intermediate showcase solos by Jennifer Eklund that chronicles a day in the life of her rescue dogs.

Backyard Bash is a collection of solos written for beginning pianists who enjoy playing music with lyrics. With the exception of three pieces, Crazy Cat, Old Dog, and Tree Swallow, these songs describe actual events that have happened in my suburban backyard in Southwest Virginia. Crazy Cat combines the personalities of two of our family cats, Calhoun and Casper, into one. Old Dog is about our Golden Retriever, Clyde, who lived with us when we started our family and was the kindest and most gentle dog I’ve ever known. Tree Swallow is about a male tree swallow who behaved exactly as described in the lyrics, but in my father’s backyard rather than in mine. I have found that my students love playing these songs because they sound more difficult than they are, and they are fun to sing along with! I hope you enjoy these musical nature studies and learn to play them all! - Sarah O’Brien

“A” is for Ant is a jazzy, minor-key primer level solo, from Roadtrip: Rockstar Rally, and includes a teacher duet part. Music and lyrics by Jennifer Eklund and Kris Skaletski.

Put a little funk underneath your fingers with this showcase solo composed by Ron Levy. Ideal for early intermediates of all ages. This piece is part of the Jazz Salad songbook.

On the Trail is a slow bluesy solo for early intermediates that is part of the Dog Days Songbook. Music by Jennifer Eklund.

Spotlight Solos features 10 of Jennifer Eklund’s most popular original compositions for late beginners through early intermediates.

Spotlight Solos Volume 2 features 12 recital-ready fun solos by Jennifer Eklund for students at the late beginning through early-intermediate levels.

Composer Ron Levy sets the table with eleven delicious salad courses. Sometimes crunchy, always funky! Chock full of sweet rhythms and savory melodies for intermediates of all ages. You will want your musical menu to begin with a nutritious helping of Jazz Salad!

Night Owl is a swinging’ jazzy solo for early intermediates composed by Gary Johnston.

Spotlight Solos PLUS features 10 showcase solos in varying styles and tonal centers. These solos are ideal for late beginners through early intermediates of all ages. This book contains selections for the NFMC Festivals Bulletin, 2020-2024.

Under the ‘C’ is an engaging collection of bass clef rote pieces that are approachable for all learners, with titles and lyrics inspired by the deep sea and its creatures. These pattern-based pieces are well-suited for developing technique, establishing an inner pulse, and supporting on-staff reading while building skill and confidence. Music and lesson plans by Kris Skaletski with teacher duets composed by Jennifer Eklund. Super Soundtrack includes orchestrated backing tracks and teacher duet parts with and without the student part.

To feed students’ cravings for playing in minor keys, Minor Marvels features twelve showcase-style piano solos, four solos with optional teacher duet parts, and two duets. These selections are ideal for late beginners through early intermediates and will gloomily gleam at a Halloween recital or whenever a minor mood strikes!

March of the Red Ants, composed by Kevin Costley, is an showcase solo for late beginners. This piece serves as a great opportunity for students to work on playing a steady bass line, triplets, and shifting between major and minor modes.

Songs I Love to Play Volume 1 features fun and motivating solos for late beginners of all ages. Recital-ready arrangements of popular themes and original compositions by Piano Pronto author Jennifer Eklund.

Hummingbird, composed by Rick Robertson, is a rapid-fire late-elementary piano solo. It is an excellent velocity etude or encore piece.