Easy Cool Cats

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.

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!

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

Backyard Bash, Volume 2, is a collection of solos written for late beginning pianists who enjoy playing music with lyrics. It is the sequel to Backyard Bash and offers just enough additional difficulty to challenge and delight students. These pieces were written about actual creatures which inhabit our Southwest Virginia backyard, and the lyrics are intended to facilitate study of the music while also amusing the performer. 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!

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

On the Prowl is a easy minor-key showcase solo composed by Chrissy Ricker. This piece is part of the Easy Cool Cats songbook.

Spiders In My Bed is a showcase piano solo by Canadian composer Lisa Frederick that is ideal for late beginners and early intermediates. It’s a light-hearted homage to our arachnid friends with a dash of Johannes Brahms!

Lucky, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is a smooth jazzy solo for late beginners that serves as a great introduction to syncopated rhythms. This piece is part of the Easy Cool Cats songbook.

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.

Chasing the Paints is an early intermediate showcase solo composed by Jane Tate. This fun and silly song is a showdown between horse and owner trying to catch her in the field.

Flying Dragons, composed by Lisa Donovan Lukas, is a fast & flashy showcase solo for late beginners and early intermediates. This piece is part of the Fantasies & Fairy Tales songbook.

Oh Snap! is an easy jazz style solo that incorporates finger snapping throughout. Ideal for late beginners of all ages. Music by Jennifer Eklund and part of the Spotlight Solos Volume 1 songbook.

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.

Simply Purr-Fect, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is a joyful jazzy solo for late beginners that serves as a great introduction to swing rhythms. This piece is part of the Easy Cool Cats songbook.

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

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.

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

Perfect Patterns is a collection of twelve exciting showcase-style solos by Chrissy Ricker. These pattern-based pieces are ideal for early intermediates and cover a wide array of styles.