All of Me: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Murtha's setting captures the conversational ease of swing phrasing without requiring your ensemble to navigate complex rhythmic terrain. The medium tempo and straightforward harmonic language let students focus on the real work: nail the swing feel, lock the section voicings, and shape the melody with the same kind of relaxed confidence that made this standard immortal.

Relaxed and warm, like settling into a classic recording on a lazy afternoon. The medium tempo invites a natural lilt, and the familiar harmonic language lets players breathe and listen rather than survive.

Jazz ensembles at the early intermediate level who are ready to tackle swing style but need a vehicle that doesn't demand complex solo trading or bebop navigation. This works equally well for concert jazz bands adding a standard to their book or for teaching combos.

• Establish the swing eighth-note subdivision in rehearsal before running the chart; have the rhythm section tap quarter notes against the pulse to internalize the triplet feel.
• Balance the ensemble so the melody sits clearly above the harmony; this tune depends on its sing-ability, which gets buried if the backgrounds are too heavy.
• Work the dynamics as a collaborative conversation rather than dynamic marking follower. The soloists and section harmonies should breathe together, responding to each other's phrasing rather than hitting written levels mechanically.
• Record a rehearsal and listen back for swing articulation across all parts. Shortening the front of eighth notes and slightly anticipating syncopated figures will transform the feel from dutiful to dancing.

Pair this with other swing standards to program a full "Standards" concert, or use it as a teaching piece mid-year when your ensemble has developed enough rhythmic confidence to focus on style rather than survival. It also serves well as a confidence builder before tackling more demanding contemporary jazz charts.

• Swing articulation and eighth-note subdivision
• Section voicing balance and blend
• Phrasing and lyrical interpretation of familiar melody
• Listening and responding to solo and section interaction
• Jazz comping and accompaniment sensitivity