A First Book of Blues: 16 Arrangements for the Beginning Pianist

With these easy-to-play renditions, beginning pianists of all ages can enjoy one of America's most celebrated art forms. Sixteen popular blues melodies include traditional songs such as St. James Infirmary and Careless Love as well as several numbers by blues giants Jelly Roll Morton and W. C. Handy, including St. Louis Blues, Joe Turner Blues, and The Hesitating Blues. Students, teachers, and other pianists will find these arrangements much simpler and more melodic than other versions. The selections include suggestions for fingering and are arranged in order of increasing difficulty. Introductory material by editor David Dutkanicz offers helpful explanations of the melodic and rhythmic theory behind the blues.