M.C. Handel's Recorder Jazz Festival

This recorder collection represents some of M.C. Handel's most popular jazz pieces from the pages of Music K-8 magazine. Includes:

• M.C.'s Boogie - This CAGE recorder feature hails back to the old traditional "boogie woogie" from the '30s and '40s. The chord structure has been updated for this foot-tapping, fun-loving tune. And while it is great for your beginning recorder players, you may want to also use it for beginning players on other instruments from keyboards to Orff mallet instruments.
• Rain Forest Daydream - With a lush intro of strings, synthesizers, and percussion, this tune is a laid-back piece of Latin jazz. Of course, while the orchestra is playing rich, tightly voiced jazz chords, the kids are playing their pentatonic melodies based on D, E, G, A, and B. You can even use this tune to practice simple improvisation based on the five notes used.
• CAGE Full O' Blues - With this down-tempo blues tune we have created a very versatile selection that works well as a feature for beginning recorder players. It can also be used as an introduction to jazz performance at its simplest level for your recorder players or virtually any of your students.
• Scoot! - This song was inspired by Neal Hefti's "Cute" from the late '50s/early '60s. Of course, our new tune has a totally different melody and much simpler rhythms so that the recorder players can actually play the melody with the ensemble. They actually get to be a section of the band! (Low E, G, A, B, C, D, E)
• Firefly - Using the five notes G, A, B, C, and D, this selection is in a medium, laid-back Latin jazz style, with some syncopation. But where the recorder is required to play, there's nothing faster than quarter notes. It also provides a great opportunity for letting a few of your students play some form of shaker or maraca.
• Lucky Sneakers - What better way to let your recorder players join the big band than with this homage to Henry Mancini and the tight, jazzy chords he used in his TV writing? It's a lot of fun and is playable even for your young players. (Low E, G, A, B, C, D)

About the Downloadable OptionThe downloadable version contains all the components the print version would, but in electronic format.

About the Audio RecordingsAudio recordings contain full performance and accompaniment only (instrumental) tracks.