A Hefti Dose of Basie: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$14.00 USD

A Hefti Dose of Basie: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: A Hefti Dose of Basie: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-45087S
Price: 14.00 USD
Availability: InStock

To the Memory of Neal Hefti

By Patrick Williams

Grade: 4 (Medium Advanced / Difficult)

Item: 00-45087S

$14.00

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"A Hefti Dose of Basie," as performed by Patrick William's big band on his brilliant CD Home Suite Home---this chart is a marvel of taste and restraint. The tempo is slow at around 74 BPM. This outstanding ballad has a trumpet 2 solo with chord changes. Brass range is not an issue, the challenge is the slow tempo. Soon to be a classic chart in everyone's library. (4:17)

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Series: Belwin Jazz: The Patrick Williams Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 038081520209

SKU: 00-45087S

More about this title

About the Composer: Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams is a composer and arranger whose work spans film, television, and jazz. His arrangements for big band and jazz ensemble combine sophisticated harmonic language with accessibility, making his scores valuable for both educational and professional settings. Williams has built a reputation for writing charts that challenge musicians without becoming technically insurmountable, allowing ensembles to focus on the interpretive demands of the music.

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Why we love this

This ballad proves that restraint and taste make for compelling jazz arranging. The slow tempo at 74 BPM shifts the focus entirely to phrasing, breath control, and musicality rather than technical prowess, giving your ensemble space to develop real expressiveness. The trumpet 2 solo sits comfortably within the ensemble's range while still offering a featured voice, and the 12-page score provides enough substance to anchor a concert without overstaying its welcome.

What to expect

A contemplative journey that lets the melody breathe. The arrangement wraps Basie's spirit in lush harmonies that unfold patiently, inviting the ensemble to listen to itself and find the groove within restraint. This is ballad playing at its most rewarding.

Who it's for

This score works best for Grade 4 jazz ensembles with solid fundamentals and the maturity to sustain a slow ballad. Your musicians need solid intonation and the ability to blend well, since there is nowhere to hide at this tempo. It's an ideal choice if your ensemble is ready to move beyond up-tempo swing charts into deeper interpretive work.

How to get the most out of it

Build the ensemble's confidence with the recorded reference before rehearsal; hearing how this ballad should breathe will ground your musicians' interpretive choices.
Work with your trumpet section early on the solo passage to establish how the featured player will balance against the ensemble backdrop without rushing the tempo.
Shape long phrases by mapping out breath points with the full band; at 74 BPM, every breath becomes audible, so intentional phrasing makes the difference between floating and dragging.

How to use it

Program this as a contrasting moment in a concert built around swing and up-tempo material; the slow ballad will reset the room and showcase your ensemble's mature musicianship. It also works well as a centerpiece in a set focused on big band arranging, where its economy of gesture stands out against more elaborate charts.