Do any of the wise Mudcatters on this site have any good advice about beginning piano books/methods? I have an adult friend who is beginning, has a sort of folk/jazz/classics taste, and I suspect wants to learn enough to be able to accompany herself. I have some very old conservatory books from further back than I care to think, but I assume that there must be some more user friendly stuff out there now. Has anyone run across anything they would recommend, that isn't either too gooey or too overwhelming? I think she is also going to be without a teacher for awhile. She has a little music background (knows about chords and keys and so on, but has never really had an instrument of any kind until the beginning of this month -- the piano was deeded to her, and she thought, well, this must be a sign to get started).

I appreciate any advice, since when I pass it on, I will seem wise (no, I will pass the credit).

Yours, Peter T.