Take It Easy

Minuet in Gee! is a light-hearted ragtime spin on Beethoven’s classic Minuet in G. This solo, composed by Ron Levy, is ideal for intermediates of all ages. Cover photo is an original painting entitled “Dancers” by Carol Julien.

Too Much Sugar Blues is a lethargic jazzy tune about eating too much candy composed by Stacy Fahrion. This blues showcase solo is ideal for intermediates.

Sideways Blues is a strange blues by Stacy Fahrion based on an eight-note scale containing these notes: E-F-G-A#-B-C-C#-D-E. Since it’s based only on that scale, most of the chords are not typical blues chords, although it follows a typical 12-bar structure. Students have the option to repeat measures 13-24 and improvise with the right hand over the chords that are already there.

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

Rockin’ the Classics is a collection of ten pop, rock, and jazz inspired arrangements of well-known classical favorites by Chrissy Ricker. These fun and flashy intermediate level solos will excite students of all ages!

Walkin’ Tall is an intermediate level jazz style piano solo with a walking bassline that is part of the Dog Days Songbook. Music by Jennifer Eklund.

City Jazz Club, a selection from Sarah Reaser O’Brien’s Star City Solos songbook, is an upbeat jazzy solo ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Rock On! Volume 3 features ten showcase-style pop, rock, and blues solos composed by Chrissy Ricker. Ideal for intermediates of all ages.

Who doesn’t love gummy bears? Gummy Bear Shuffle, composed by Rick Robertson, is an intermediate level solo in a playful shuffle style. Its bouncy rhythms make it fun to listen to and play. It also could be used as a “non-scary” Halloween piece, or for any performance occasion.

Boogie-Man Blues is a jazzy jaunt in A minor composed by Stacy Fahrion. This swinging showcase solo is ideal for intermediates.

Enigma, composed by Chrissy Ricker, is a sassy jazz waltz for early intermediates and up. This piece is part of the Cool Cats songbook.

The Very Blue Danube, is an intermediate level jazzy remix of the famous Strauss waltz arranged by Chrissy Ricker. This piece is part of the Rockin’ the Classics songbook.

New Kid on the Block is a jazz-style showcase solo perfect for early intermediates of all ages. Music composed by Jennifer Eklund and is part of the Spotlight Solos Volume 2 and Dog Days Songbooks.

Jabberwocky is a playfully galumphing late-intermediate solo in D minor with a lilting swing. Adventurous pianists can even sing the words to the famous nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll whilst they play this whimsical version by Stacy Fahrion.

The original version of this piece is part of the Once Upon a Time songbook.

While the ragtime genre really did not exist during the California Gold Rush, this collection of evocative ragtime solos by Barbara Becker, offers a musical glimpse into that wild time as San Francisco appeared and then boomed with activity. Picture a gentle dance late at night in a saloon; the joyous hope and the frequent disappointment associated with prospecting for gold; Lola Montez’s moaning about some so-and-so who did her wrong; “Mr. Moneybags” John Sutter preening in the city; and tired miners drowning their sorrows on Saturday night, then shuffling off to bed. These fun pieces fit right in with the period’s expectations of instant wealth, juxtaposed against the back-breaking work, often for little return.

Journeys is an engaging collection of twelve contemporary solos by Lisa Donovan Lukas featuring an array of tonal centers and styles. These selections are ideal showcase pieces for intermediates of all ages.

Innuendo is a Latin-flavored jazz piece in a minor key composed by Gary Johnston. The chord symbols are included for those who wish to improvise.

Walkin’ the Dawg is a bright jazzy swing piece with a bluesy feel by Gary Johnston. Great introduction to learning walking bass lines for the intermediate pianist.