Jazz Pop: Jazz Piano Solos Series Volume 8 (Jazz Piano Solos (Numbered))

I've purchased a half dozen titles from this series. They are a valuable resource of easily readable arrangements for casual performance (think wedding reception/retail ambiance/garden party). This is not one of the stronger entries, although I don't fault the arranger(s). These songs just don't translate well to the light jazz treatments offered here. The plus side is that there are 22 songs. The negative (IMHO) is that only a few, such as those by Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Carpenters, Bobby Hebb, Michael McDonald, Louis Armstrong and Joe Cocker, actually work. The rest just can't be translated successfully into an idiomatic jazz reading. (For example, I'm talking about "I Shot the Sheriff", "Fields of Gold" and "Oye Como Va"). It's still probably worth $10, just beware.

Who knew that Pop songs could sound so good and modern. Love the popular music, but most songbooks are heavy on the melody line and weak on the arrangement. Not in this book! Love " If You Leave Me Now" and "Fields of Gold" , even "On Broadway". Having a wonderful time! Glad I added this book to my collection. More, please.

Brent Edstrom's arrangement are excellent, you don't need to be Art Tatum to be able to play them either ..

Brent Edstrom's arrangements bring new life to pop favorites. I have played little else since I became hooked on this series.

great arrangements...........made more in tips than book cost

Hmmm.....one of the early volumes in this series, published in 2008. All the arrangements credited to Brent Edstrom, so that is good news (it seems some of the early volumes have different arrangers). It took some getting into, but it is growing on me. There are some good songs, but others don't have very strong melodies, and I don't enjoy playing them despite Brent's best efforts to bring them to life (eg. "Roxanne", "I Shot The Sheriff" - don't get me wrong, I love the original chart hits, but for me they don't work in a jazz book). There are however enough good ones in there to get your teeth into, so it is still worth buying if you appreciate Brent's arranging skills. My favourite is "I Just Called To Say I Love You" - not one of my favourite Stevie Wonder songs, but I love playing this arrangement. It would be nice to see another Jazz Pop book arranged by B.E. with some more modern pop songs, as I suspect the younger generation may not be familiar with a lot of these tunes.Song List:•Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (from AGAINST ALL ODDS)•Blackbird•Don't Know Why•Fields Of Gold•I Just Called To Say I Love You•I Shot The Sheriff•If You Leave Me Now•Isn't She Lovely•It's Too Late (from BEAUTIFUL)•Killing Me Softly With His Song•New York State Of Mind•Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)•On Broadway (featured in the Motion Picture A CHORUS LINE)•Oye Como Va•Rainy Days And Mondays•Rikki Don't Lose That Number•Roxanne•Spinning Wheel•Sunny•What A Fool Believes•What A Wonderful World (featured in the Motion Picture GOOD MORNING VIETNAM)•You Are So Beautiful

Hours of fun playing 20 or so well known pieces. Interesting harmony. After 3-4 times, I can play a given piece smoothly enough to entertain myself and my wife. Highly recommend for intermediate of higher level players.

These are great piano books, nice jazz renditions of Pop songs, for intermediate/advanced level

The 'Blackbird' arrangement alone was why I bought the book, but there are plenty of fresh takes on pop standards.

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