I’ve been into Ahmad Jamal’s Poinciana. Simple, collected, rhythmic.

Exercises should be simple & memorable.

Take a minor ivand major I .

4/4 time. Quarter note triplets. Arpeggiate up and down. 1 measure to a chord (12 notes to a chord).

Start with 1 voice. Slow. On any one note of the minor iv chord. 6 notes up, 6 notes down.

Choose the most musical first note of the major I. It should flow from the last note in the minor iv. 6 notes up, 6 notes down.

Move keys up a fourth. But again, and always, start on the minor iv. For example, from the key of C, move to the key of Bb; that is from the major I C chord (in C) move to the minor iv Bb chord (in F).

As a result, the same range of the piano will be used while going through different inversions of major and minor chords, as well as practicing the cadence.

How does this fit into Poinciana? The same chord progression occurs from at the end of the tune’s A section (on the minor iv) going into another A section (which starts on the major I).

Eventually, 2 voices, one per hand. In 6ths and 5ths.

Still later, 3 voices (drop “2” voicing).)