Hymns with a Touch of Jazz

arr. Phillip Keveren The Phillip Keveren Series Piano Solo

By Phillip Keveren

I really enjoy these arrangements. There are few runs or difficult fingerings, which is why I rated the difficulty as I did (realizing this is very subjective!). Given what was, for me, relatively straightforward scores, I was very pleased that these hymns sound beautiful and provide a little different twist...

on these traditional hymns. The "touch of jazz" is appropriate, because the occasional change in harmonization or rhythm add to the beauty of these pieces.

I am a big fan of Phillip Keveren and in general I highly recommend his work, but in this case, I was disappointed. I looked forward to something different and challenging, but neither my - very accomplished - piano teacher, nor I an early advanced student, could bring out much that was...

pleasing or interesting from these arrangements.

I don't know anything about jazz, so this was my initiation. I've played piano all my life, and this was really different, and hard, and discordant, and disconcerting, and an unusual challenge for me. My family LOVES it! Mr Keveren took those old familiar hymns and gave them...

an interesting twist, and this style has definitely grown on me. When I get a little more confidence with this style, I'll introduce it to church, where I'm the pianist. Hopefully they'll love it.