Alice In Wonderland: Ukulele

Evans brings his trademark harmonic sensibility to this Disney classic, creating an arrangement that respects the melody while inviting subtle reharmonization and interpretive flexibility. The two-page format gives students room to explore jazz comping and accompaniment patterns without overwhelming the scope of a single rehearsal.

The familiar tune surfaces through shifting harmonic colors, like watching Wonderland through different stained glass windows. Evans' approach balances the song's childlike wonder with the quiet sophistication of jazz sensibility, creating a performance that charms without becoming saccharine.

Ukulele students with basic chord reading skills and enough musical awareness to navigate jazz reharmonization will find this arrangement rewarding. It works equally well for a soloist exploring jazz standards on ukulele or a small ensemble adding a whimsical yet harmonically thoughtful number to a program.

• Shape the phrase by following the contour of the melody rather than metering time mechanically; Evans' writing rewards singers who listen to harmonic movement.
• Experiment with the reharmonization by playing it straight first, then gradually introducing the suggested voicings so your ear catches where Evans shifts the harmonic color.
• Keep the accompaniment texture light and conversational; the ukulele's natural ring works best when you don't crowd the space the melody occupies.

Insert this into a themed concert segment exploring Disney standards through a jazz lens, or use it as an encore that showcases both accessibility and harmonic depth. The compact length makes it ideal for a chamber setting or as a teaching moment in a larger ukulele ensemble where students see reharmonization in action.

• Reading jazz reharmonization and altered chords
• Balancing melodic shape with harmonic accompaniment
• Interpreting stylistic cues specific to jazz arranging
• Connecting a familiar melody to unfamiliar harmonic context