Valerie Capers

“Ella Scats the Little Lamb” is slightly longer than one page long, and is inspired by Ella Fitzgerald’s renowned scat singing. This piece is bright and spirited, and the performer should strive to carefully observe all notated

“Waltz for Miles” is a mid-intermediate piece from Valerie Caper’s collection Portraits in Jazz. The piece is written in the style of a jazz waltz, and, according to Caper’s notes, is a tribute to the expressive playing of Miles

“Sweet Mister Jelly Roll” is approximately two pages long, and is inspired by Jelly Roll Morton, an American jazz and ragtime pianist.  This is a ragtime piece, aiming to create in the simplest way possible the sound and

The Monk is approximately two pages long and is inspired by Thelonious Monk, an American jazz pianist; it is said to have heard the Monk play once was “to know his sound forever more.”  The performer should take note of

“Blues for the Duke” is two pages long and is inspired by Duke Ellington, a renaissance man of jazz.  This piece is composed in traditional twelve-bar blues form, which is based on three chords, the I, IV, and V.  It

“A Taste of Bass” is inspired by Ron Carter, whose solos and rhythm work had a profound effect on bassists after the 60’s;  his solos and sense of time were described as “brilliant” by critic Jaki Byard. This piece is two

“Billie’s Song” is a beautiful one-page ballad dedicated to Billie Holiday, an African American jazz singer who influenced jazz and pop singing.  The performer should take care to find the special warmth and intensity

Mr. “Satchmo” is a two-page work inspired by Louis Armstrong, a famous and influential American trumpeter, vocalist, and composer within Jazz.  In measures three, four, seven, and eight, the right hand line imitates the style

“Cancion De La Havana” is about two and a half pages long, and features the Western African (Nigerian) rhythmic pattern, which is basic for Afro-Cuban idioms.  Measures 38-53 pulls strong influence from Cuba and Puerto Rico,

“Bossa Brasilia” is two pages long and is inspired by the bossa nova from Brazil, which is a two measure rhythmic pattern in 4/4 time that doesn’t actually occur in this piece.  The flavor and feeling is created through