Movie Songs by Special Arrangement (Jazz-Style Arrangements with a ""Variation""): Piano Acc. [Paperback] Review

This book is markedly better than many of the "play along" books I have purchased for alto sax.
First, the books are aimed only at alto sax--not at a hodge-podge collection of instruments.This means every page of the book is useful to the alto sax player, unlike some books where music for other instruments takes up large portions of the book.
Second, Strommen has created arrangements that have the "basic" melody in the first half of the song followed by melodic riffs/alto sax solos in the second half.The arrangements are targeted for alto sax and are put together to get a full and interesting sound.This allows a novice or intermediate player to sound like a "real" saxophonist instead of someone who is stuggling through a barren and uninteresting melodic line.
Third, the accompanying CD is excellent.Even numbered tracks have a trio made up of percussion, piano and a REAL alto sax.(This is compared to many other CDs which have the piano or bells playing the sax part.) Odd numbered tracks leave out the sax so you can play along.In all tracks the piano and the percussion are arranged to support the sax so again you really feel and sound like a saxophonist.
Strommen has three books that I know of that are all produced in the same style--a movies book, a Gershwin book and a Christmas book.They are all excellent in my humble opinion. If you are looking for an alto sax book that has sound musical values, is playable by a novice/intermediate player, and will make you sound AWESOME then these are the books for you!

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Product Description:
Each collection contains 11 songs arranged for the instrumentalist wanting to play in a jazz style -- without the need to learn to improvise. All of the books are compatible, with only minimal changes in the ""variation"" section to accommodate the ranges and unique characteristics of the instruments.

The immortal and memorable motion picture titles are: Sweet Georgia Brown
* Over the Rainbow
* A Day in the Life of a Fool
* Bye, Bye, Blackbird
* As Time Goes By
* Days of Wine and Roses
* Emily
* The Way You Look Tonight
* Misty
* On Green Dolphin Street
* Almost Like Being in Love.

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Claude Bolling - Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Set of Parts/CD (Book & CD) [Paperback] Review

I consider this piece a mandatory one in the repertoire of any serious flutist, as it is perhaps one of the first examples of "crossover" music between classical and jazz styles. The recording itself was a platinum record during the 1970's. The recording is still available so that the written music can be followed easily, and if you are fortunate enough to have a good pianist to follow, you will find the music fun and not so difficult to play, if you are an intermediate or advanced flutist.

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Product Description:
This book has been a top-selling item for years, and now a companion CD with play-along and backing tracks is available! This means flute players can now learn this legendary piece of music on their own - our perfect piano accompaniment CDs eliminate the need for a pianist to play with! The CD can be purchased alone, for those who already own the book, and a book/CD pack is also available for those purchasing this for the first time. This suite in seven parts is composed for a "classic" flute and a "jazz" piano. It was the first jazz recording of world-renowned flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal and Claude Bolling. It is possible to play the whole piece with only flute and piano, but bass and drum parts are included for the complete Suite. The CD includes full recordings and flute play-along tracks for seven songs: Baroque and Blue * Fugace * Irlandaise * Javanaise * Sentimentale * Veloce * Versatile. Also available: CD Only (HL00672559, $16.95); Book Only (00490508, $47.50).

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