Christopher Norton

The New, Improved Microjazz

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

It has been four decades since Christopher Norton’s remarkable Microjazz series practically reinvented piano education in this country and beyond with its infectious cocktail of classical technique and popular contemporary stylings.

Microjazz quickly won recognition the world over as a landmark series, sold over a million copies, and spawned a plethora of spin offs that included More Microjazz, Microstyles, Improvise Microjazz, Microjazz Duets and collections for a wider range of instruments.

The repackaging of the piano solo materials as the Microjazz Collections in 1997 simplified the brand, and made the progression through levels more obvious. Those Collections were again rebranded in 2011, and are receiving another facelift from this year. This time, the Microjazz Collections are also joined by two wholly new, more advanced music books.

In this review I will introduce these new stars in the Microjazz galaxy, and consider the latest updates to the existing books.

But first, let’s celebrate this incredible publishing phenomenon by recapping its extraordinary history…

Christopher Norton’s “Connections” Series

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Connections started life as a series of eight repertoire books, offering a staggering 185 original compositions by the popular educational composer Christopher Norton.

First published for the North American market by Frederick Harris Music, the series had recently been re-published worldwide by Norton’s own company, 80 Days Publishing. The series now also includes books 9 and 10, each including a further nine Norton originals suitable for more advanced players.

Let’s take a look…

Latin & Jazz Preludes

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Much-loved composer Christopher Norton turned 65 this June, and while celebrating the milestone, long-time publishers Boosey & Hawkes issued newly repackaged editions of his hugely popular Latin Preludes Collection and Jazz Preludes Collection, complete with accompanying CDs featuring newly-recorded demonstration performances by pianist Iain Farrington, who also delivered the recordings included with the more recent Eastern Preludes and Pacific Preludes Collections.

What better time to reappraise these publications?..

Christopher Norton’s “Idaho Suite”

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

A few months ago I shared news here of Christopher Norton’s new in-house publishing company 80 Days Publishing, reviewing the first piano solo work to emerge, the excellent Jazz Piano Sonata.

Since that review, Christopher has been busying himself both as a composer and publisher, collating piano works and other compositions for publication through this growing business.

In this review I will highlight my favourite so far, the recently published Idaho Suite for solo piano.