Customer Reviews for Cool Yule
VCP
Location: from FL
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 15, 2012
Interesting and somewhat challenging
I am always looking for new arrangements and this one helps a little for the busy gigging Holiday season. Be prepared to do a lot of reading (if not a jazz person), getting used to the 'color chords' and many chord progession changes. Some of the classic songs are nicely arranged like "The First Noel", although the introduction eighth note patterns sound "wrong" it works itself out towards the middle and end (esp. with a cool 'walking bass line' in the LH. Just be prepared to start working on these pieces early enough if you want to perform them at a holiday party or recital. Recommended for advanced students or young adult pianists who have training in reading rhythms well. With degrees in Music Ed/Piano performance, it wasn't as good as I had hoped based on the title cover/inside look, and I still usually go back to Jim Brickman's "Christmas Themes" and am now exploring arr. Mark Hayes that give the same jazzy feel, but aren't as complicated when reading.
9 of 18 people found this review helpful.
jjr1567
Location: from Austin, TX
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
June 25, 2012
good arrangements of familiar songs
I thought these were very well done, in some cases. beautifully done, jazz versions of much loved Christmas carols. It would be perfect at a party, or as encores to a seasonal recital. There are challenges here, to be sure, but a piano player willing to send a few mintes "wood-shedding' them will be rewarded with some delightful music. It also serves as a good springboard for one's own improvs. I recommend it.
14 of 30 people found this review helpful.
Jill VT
Location: from Brattleboro, VT
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
January 16, 2012
More jazzy than I thought
I ended up giving this to a friend who plays better than I do. I didn't realize that the syncopation was more than I could quickly read... perhaps I was just too lazy by the end of the Christmas season. I was hoping to have something that took a familiar carol and "jazzed it" some... that I could sightread. It's likely worth it if I had taken more time to really figure it out. I am not sure what the different piano playing abilities really mean; it's fairly subjective. For me, this was not an intermediate piece. But then again, maybe I should practice more!
21 of 41 people found this review helpful.
Kathy S
Location: from MD
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
December 30, 2011
Cool Yule
Good, but hasn't just blown me away. But not bad - got ideas flowing for my daughter as to how she could jazz up some pieces.
19 of 40 people found this review helpful.
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 21, 2011
Cool Yule
excellent arrangements, not too difficult, interesting musically, were perfect for background at a Christmas party luncheon.
19 of 45 people found this review helpful.
NewToJazz
Location: from Spring Lake, Michigan
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 3, 2011
Cool yule
I love the book. Very fun to play. The arrangements are flashy enough to entertain, but simple enough to pick up with a few run-throughs. Played some of these at the local nursing home and got applause! My only comment is that the arrangements are a little monotonous, following similar jazz patterns, so I would not play more that a couple of these if your audience is listening closely. As background, they would be perfect. Next opp, church choir Christmas party! Oh what fun!
19 of 36 people found this review helpful.
Location: from Renton, WA
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
November 4, 2011
Not So Great
Nothing so special about these arrangements...
15 of 32 people found this review helpful.
John M
Location: from Chapel Hill NC
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
January 11, 2011
Fun arrangements
Real variety and musical interest in these arrangements. I consider myself an intermediate player and I could immediately read the music and enjoy it, yet working out the full details of the rhythm and melody would take a little more time (and increase the rewards of the music)--which is just what I want in a book for my level.
18 of 33 people found this review helpful.
Dina
Location: from Freeport, NY
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
November 22, 2010
Cool Yule 10 Jazzy Christmas Songs
These arrangements took the "boring" out of Holiday performance! Interesting and lovely harmonies of traditional favorites. I could not get away from the piano until I had learned all of them! A gratifying purchase! Will be watching for more from arranger Steve Calderone.
20 of 41 people found this review helpful.
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
October 25, 2009
not bad
these pieces are fun to play, but i wish some of the lesser well known songs had not been included. worth buying to play 'God Rest You Merry Gentlemen' and 'Deck the Halls.'
39 of 64 people found this review helpful.
Jazz, Down Under
Location: from Melbourne
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
April 3, 2009
very cool christmas indeed
Overall quite interesting arrangements that jazzifies the traditional christmas arranagements. Silent Night is the stand out and Greensleeves (What Child is This)is quite cute. It also provides some inspiration to learn jazz improvisation.
37 of 67 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Salt Lake City, UT
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
December 29, 2008
excellent xmas jazz compilation
I reviewed the ratings of many other xmas jazz books before I selected Cool Yule. Cool Yule seemed to be the highest rated collection availabe. I will have to concur with the other reviewers that the arrangements are terrific for the advanced pianist. It's definitely become my favorite xmas jazz book out of the several that I own.
37 of 69 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 9, 2008
This is not your father's Christmas Book
Unusual, beautiful arrangements of familiar Chrismas music with a twist of jazz. Nothing else like it on the market. A "must have" for Chrismas.
28 of 47 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from geographic midwest
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 25, 2008
Yule be Cool as a Mule's Jewels
These are fun, interesting, full sounding arrangements with pleasant chord progressions, but without ill fated blasphemy of the original tunes. Certainly not easy playing, but worth the effort of getting several of them accomplished. I enjoy jazz but don't play too much jazz, probably because I'm not that good at it (improv). However, these are a nice addition to the classical things I play.
19 of 36 people found this review helpful.
Stephie
Location: from Kenosha, WI
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 1, 2008
You need it.
This book is awesome, I'm so excited to have these jazzy arrangements. I'm working on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen now and plan on Good King Wenceslas next because that one sounds amazing! Buy it if you want to have some fun this holiday season!
13 of 20 people found this review helpful.
Grace
Location: from Chicago, IL
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
October 27, 2008
Excellent arrangements
This book continues to be my favorite year after year. I perform publicly at Christmas time, and these are always the best-received pieces. I highly recommend it to the advanced player! (Some tunes are hard to master, especially at full speed)
11 of 22 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Walla Walla, WA
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
September 22, 2008
My Favorite Christmas Album!
I have over 20 books of Christmas music that I dabble with and this is by far the best. The jazzy arrangements are nothing like any other I have seen. I especially love the arrangments of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "O Come O Come Emmanuel." If you love jazzy Christmas piano solos this is a must-have item!
10 of 19 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
January 9, 2008
challenging and fun
THese jazzy arrangements are a bit challenging but fun to learn. It is always fun to hear a different twists on classic Christmas songs.
10 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Karla
Location: from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
November 20, 2007
Fun to play
This is a nice sort of jazzy selection. I have enjoyed playing this, and I am not an advanced pianist.
10 of 21 people found this review helpful.
Denise
Location: from Atlanta, GA
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 16, 2007
Really Cool!
A very "different" take on favorite Christmas Carols, if you like Jazz. I'm not particularly a fan. But I will keep this book in my music collection to use as a variation during the holidays.
10 of 21 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 5, 2007
Awesome and Fun!
This book is great! It has some really cool, fun arrangements ~ especially like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentelmen" and "What Child is This." Unique and well done. Well worth your money!!!
11 of 20 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Detroit, MI
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
October 3, 2007
Pretty cool "Cool Yule"
Did like most of the arrangements. Some of them get a little too "out there" for a normal social setting or middle-of-the-road crowd.
13 of 23 people found this review helpful.
Harriet Fergason
Location: from Moore, OK
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
June 18, 2007
A snappy Christmas
This Christmas my students will play jazzy Christmas songs as one of there three recital pieces. This book has many good jazzy pieces that aren't too difficult for my beginner students, yet are not too easy either. I push my students to achieve higher goals than most teachers. This is truely an intermediate level book that offers enthusiasm to my students.
11 of 21 people found this review helpful.
Judy
Location: from New Jersey
Difficulty Level:
Early intermediate
May 4, 2007
something for every level
These arrangements are different than the "standards" which is why I like them - some are really jazzy. They are not the same old boring standard you're used to hearing. Different treatments which make playing them fun.
10 of 20 people found this review helpful.
Lynne
Location: from Greensboro, NC
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
December 19, 2006
Great with a bass player
I have a good friend who is an accomplished jazz bass player, and these arrangements let me play with him (chord symbols given. He has a good time playing them with me (I'm not a strong jazz improviser). Really fun for social gatherings.
10 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Carrie
Location: from Pennsylvania
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 8, 2004
Awesome!
I love this book. It's a little work but alot of fun! Beautiful and slightly unusual arrangements. A must!
13 of 23 people found this review helpful.
Vanessa
Location: from Trinidad & Tobago, W.I.
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
February 6, 2004
The Title Says It All
WOW!!! And what "A Cool Yule" it is! Steve Calderone has put together in this "cool" book, songs that are really challenging and great to perform at home or at a concert. Ofcourse, one can always improvise and/or add chords just to make it sound a little different, according to one's level of playing. "Good King Wenceslas" is a really smashing jazzed-up piece. This book is worth it for Intermediate/Advanced Piano jazz players and is a hit with everyone that I've played the pieces for. Right now, I'm practising all the pieces, getting ready for a Christmas concert in December.
11 of 21 people found this review helpful.
Alan
Location: from Tucson, Az
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 16, 2003
OK but...
Some rather contrived and labored arrangements.
9 of 19 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Arizona
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
November 29, 2001
Great Christmas Music
Great, easy to play music. Tunes are jazzy, bluesy, and a little new age. I especially like the fact the chords are given. Try "What Child is This" first as it's one of the easier ones and you can play it as "Greensleeves" for St. Patrick's. Day.
9 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Nicholas
Location: from Knightstown, IN
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 4, 2001
Inventive Arrangements!
A great compilation for the Christmas season. I wasn't expecting this. Calderone's inventive use of chords makes all these arrangements fun to play and entertaining to listen to. I would suggest this book to anybody who wants to add a little flare to their Christmas party or to their day for that matter!
9 of 17 people found this review helpful.
Joey
Location: from Milwaukee
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
November 22, 2000
Fun stuff!
I would class this more as intermediate, level four or five, easily sight-read. Really fun stuff for those of us that don't have jazz improv skills!
11 of 23 people found this review helpful.