Recorder Jazz

by Paul Jennings

This jazzy collection of recorder songs by Paul Jennings will really bring out the excitement in your students. Whether it's the sounds of boogie woogie, bluesy rock, laid-back Latin jazz, swing, jazz bop, or straight-ahead blues, your young recorder players are sure to find many favorites! With fabulous recordings, and lots of options, this cool collection includes:

Take The A, B, C, Or G Train - This work was created to honor "Duke" Ellington and is loosely based on the sound of his signature tune "Take The A Train." It uses chord changes similar to the Ellington tune, though they are a little simpler to accommodate beginning recorder players. Recorders play G, A, B, and C.
Bop! Bop! - This bluesy rock tune is a great selection for the beginning of your recorder year. The song features the notes A and C, with easy rhythms. True beginners can play just the note A using the same rhythms. There is also an opportunity for some improvisation if you wish.
My Blue Panda - Here's a tribute to everyone's favorite bamboo-eating bear! The tune proceeds from an Asian-inspired opening to a fairly straight-ahead blues. Young players are only asked to conquer C, A, G, and low E, though we include B in the optional last chord of the tune.
Bumble Bee Boogie - With a unique blend of two different musical takes on our bumblebee friends, we combined Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight Of The Bumblebee" with the novelty tune "I'm Bringing Home A Baby Bumblebee." The basic tune is played by the recorders in halftime over a boogie woogie feel. They need to play D, E, G, A, and B.
The Time Traveler's Trombone - Here's a perfect way to let your students try 5/4 meter in a relaxed setting of "Merrily We Roll Along." This familiar tune will help your students pick up the rhythm, and they only need G, A, and B. There's also an optional alto recorder part.
Mi Perro Loco (My Crazy Dog) - This song is an homage to Herbie Hancock's great 16-bar blues, "Watermelon Man" and is in a nice laid-back Latin jazz style. The recorder is only required to play A, B, and C.
Les Is More - In celebration of music pioneer Les Paul and the jazz tradition of making a bop melody, we have created a song for your recorder students based on the style and chord changes of his biggest hit, "How High The Moon." We've recorded it at two different tempos and also provide a simpler second recorder part.