Snow, Barbara - Animal Jazz: 15 short pieces for piano

This evocative new album of modern, catchy piano miniatures in a mixture of styles — jazz, latin, classical — cannot fail to excite the imagination of all young beginner pianists. The pieces will be great fun to play and  to teach, and parents and friends will love them too. Barbara Snow is an inspiration!

Reviews:

International Piano Magazine: "Hats off to Barbara Snow for producing a finely crafted, colourful and catchy anthology of miniatures for beginners. ... she clearly understands how gentle humour can stimulate a sense of fun. ... I would strongly recommend this collection, not only for pre-Grade 3 students, but also as an introduction to pre-learners in need of colouring practice (the drawings really could be a wonderful way to introduce music to toddlers!)."

Andrew Eales, Pianodao: "What impresses me most with this collection is the way in which the composer is able to introduce so much character to each of these highly accessible pieces, but without adding unnecessary complexity in the process. I can highly recommend 'Animal Jazz' as a thoroughly charming collection of jazzy pieces, and suspect my own younger students are going to love it!"

Andrea Vicari, Professor of Jazz Piano, Trinity Laban Conservatoire: "As a piano teacher with more than twenty years experience — privately, in schools, higher education and at university level — I know when a composer has something special. Barbara Snow has a unique talent for writing music that is both good and appealing for the young beginner and sight-readers up to Grade 2. Her animal tunes grab the attention and have a strong identity that makes each one memorable. Check out 'Bunny's Bossa' — this is a favourite and it also inspired my own young daughter to make up a dance, imitating the hopping movements of the bunny! All my young pianists play her animal tunes. Here are some of their thoughts:

'I love the music because its bouncy and dancey!' (Molly, age 6)
'I like the beat and when I play the tunes well, I play them in assembly at school' (Zack, age 7)
'I like Bunny’s Bossa cos it makes me dance' (Gabrielle, age 5)"