O Christmas Tree: The Best Jazz Piano Sheet Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

O Christmas Tree: The Best Jazz Piano Sheet Music is a compilation of some of the best jazz piano arrangements of traditional Christmas carols.

The Best Jazz Piano Sheet Music

O Christmas Tree: The Best Jazz Piano Sheet Music is a great collection of traditional Christmas songs that have been arranged for jazz piano. This book is perfect for intermediate to advanced level pianists who want to add a little bit of spice to their holiday repertoire.

“O Christmas Tree” by Duke Ellington

“O Christmas Tree” is a holiday jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington. It was first recorded by his orchestra in1932 and has been recorded many times since. The tune is based on a German folk song, “O Tannenbaum.”

The Duke Ellington Orchestra’s recording of “O Christmas Tree” is a jazz classic. The arrangement starts with a solo piano playing the melody, followed by the full orchestra playing the main theme. Ellington’s arrangement is lush and gorgeous, with a beautiful piano solo by Duke himself. This recording is essential listening for any jazz fan, and it’s the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit!

“Merry Christmas, Baby” by Oscar Peterson

One of the most legendary jazz pianists of all time, Oscar Peterson’s “Merry Christmas, Baby” is a beautifully understated and festive holiday tune. This vocal version features the lyrics written by Bob Dorough, and it’s arranged here for solo piano by Mark Hayes.

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by Thelonious Monk

This holiday season, jazz up your piano playing with some great Christmas tunes! “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by Thelonious Monk is a classic that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit. This uptempo arrangement swings hard and is sure to get your toes tapping.

How to Play Jazz Piano

Christmas time is here, and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than by playing some jazz piano? This type of music is perfect for getting people into a festive mood, and it can be enjoyed by people of all ages. If you’re new to jazz piano, don’t worry. We’ll give you all the tips you need to get started.

Find the right chords

chords are the basic building blocks of most jazz piano playing. A chord is simply two or more notes played together. The best way to learn jazz piano chords is to start by familiarizing yourself with some of the most common voicings used in jazz. Once you have a solid understanding of how to play these voicings, you can begin experimenting with different inversions and other embellishments.

The most important thing to remember when learning jazz piano chords is that there are no hard and fast rules. The best way to learn is by listening to as much jazz piano as you can and by experimentation. As you become more comfortable with the sound of different chords, you will develop your own unique style.

Use the right voicings

Four-note shapes are called “tetrachords.” You can build seventh chords by stacking tetrachords on top of each other. For example, a C7 chord is built by stacking a C minor 7th tetrachord (C-Eb-G-Bb) on top of a C major 7th tetrachord (C-E-G-B).

The most important thing to know about four-note shapes is that they’re “moveable.” This means that you can play the same shape starting on any note. So, if you know the shape for a C7 chord, you can play an F7 chord by starting the shape on the third note of the C7 shape (F).

There are many different ways to voice seventh chords. The voicing you use will depend on the context in which you’re playing and the kind of sound you want to create. In general, there are three things to consider when choosing a voicing:

1. The range of the notes in the voicing. You’ll want to choose a voicing that falls within the comfortable range of your hand.
2. The direction in which the notes move. You’ll want to avoid big leaps in the melody, so look for voicings that have notes that move in stepwise motion or small jumps.
3. The position of the root note in the voicing. The root is the foundation of the chord, so it’s usually best to have it in the bass (the lowest note). But there are exceptions to this rule, so use your ears to guide you.

Experiment with different rhythms

One of the best ways to become a better jazz pianist is to experiment with different rhythms. Instead of playing the same old 4/4 time signature that you’re used to, try something new like 3/4 or 6/8. This will force you to think outside the box and come up with new ideas.

Another great way to improve your rhythm is to practice playing with a metronome. This will help you to keep a steady beat and improve your timing.

Once you have some basic rhythms down, you can start to experiment with different note lengths. Instead of always playing eighth notes, try playing some quarter notes or half notes. This will add a whole new dimension to your playing.

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with silence. In jazz, rests are just as important as the notes themselves. By adding silence into your playing, you can create tension and release that will make your music more interesting and exciting.

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