Reviews: Grooves for Piano Dudes Intermediate Level Books 2 & 3

'Each book includes a variety of pieces encompassing the swing, blues, jazz and tango styles that teachers have come to expect from the composer,' says reviewer Katrina Fox.

The intermediate level can be a tricky stage for young pianists – tutor books are no longer there to guide progress, and the temptation exists to hop from one grade book to the next, which is often both uninspiring and pedagogically deficient. Thankfully, collections such as the Grooves for Piano Dudes by Heather Hammond provide repertoire that is both motivating and pedagogically enriching for pupils at this stage of learning.

Each book includes a variety of pieces encompassing the swing, blues, jazz and tango styles that teachers have come to expect from the composer. Within these styles, the pieces vary enormously in character so there is no sense of there being ‘more of the same', and a pupil could quite happily play through the books without any sense of repetition. For example, in Book 2 the tense Situation Critical encourages pupils towards a thriller movie vibe, whereas Wipe those Tears Away is lyrical and touching, making different expressive demands on the performer.