All The Things You Are (arr. Kirby Shaw): SSA Choral Octavo

Shaw's approach to this jazz standard strips away pretense and builds toward genuine vocal jazz musicianship. The writing sits comfortably for SSA voices while preserving the harmonic sophistication that makes this standard endure, giving students real jazz vocabulary rather than a simplified facsimile.

Sophisticated without cynicism. This arrangement respects the timeless elegance of a Jerome Kern masterwork while infusing it with the warmth and swing of vocal jazz tradition. The writing breathes with conversational ease, inviting singers to find the ease and expression that make jazz singing feel inevitable rather than affected.

Choirs with vocal jazz experience or those ready to build it. The voicing accommodates schools with younger or developing singers, yet the harmonic language and standard itself demand musicality and listening skills that serious singers bring to the work.

• Let the melody sit naturally in the soprano line without forcing the jazz phrasing. The architecture of the arrangement carries the style.
• Balance the inner voices carefully during the harmonic passages so the chords ring clearly without overwhelming the top line.
• Shape the phrase endings with gentle releases rather than cutting them short; jazz phrasing requires breathing room.
• Encourage the altos to listen across the section for blend and intonation, particularly in the transition passages where they anchor the chord changes.

Open a concert with this to signal sophistication and establish an intimate tone that carries through the remainder of your program. Pair it with other Shaw arrangements or complementary jazz repertoire to build a cohesive set that showcases your singers' depth and versatility.

• Jazz phrasing and articulation appropriate to the standard repertoire
• Voice leading in seventh chords and extended jazz harmonies
• Listening for balance and blend across SSA texture
• Interpreting swing and space within a composed arrangement