And the Angels Sing: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

This transcription captures one of the most swinging vocal performances in big band history, complete with Harry James's trumpet solo and Martha Tilton's sophisticated phrasing. Your singers gain immediate exposure to how a great vocalist interprets a standard, balancing tight ensemble writing with space for personality. The Grade 4 difficulty and full conductor score make it accessible for accomplished high school or community college ensembles without sacrificing the authenticity that made the Benny Goodman original iconic.

Sophisticated and effortlessly cool. The piece flows with the languorous warmth of a late-night club set, where the brass glides beneath a vocalist who commands the room without straining. There's warmth in the harmony, swing in the rhythm, and a moment of spotlight brilliance when the trumpet takes its turn.

Jazz ensemble directors working with intermediate-to-advanced singers and instrumentalists who are ready to dig into a standard with genuine performance weight behind it. This works equally well for high school jazz programs preparing for festivals and for community colleges or adult ensembles seeking classic vocal-band repertoire with historical credibility.

• Balance the vocal line so it sits naturally above the ensemble rather than competing with the brass. The rhythm section and reeds should anchor beneath, not push ahead.
• Study the original Benny Goodman recording to absorb Martha Tilton's phrasing choices and the swing feel her interpretation embodies. Exact copying isn't the goal, but the style is.
• Shape the trumpet solo (Harry James's passage) with space and restraint; let the soloist breathe and phrase like a vocalist, not a section part.
• Mark tempo and groove references clearly in rehearsal. This is a "laid back swing" feel, not a shuffle or a straight reading of the written rhythm.

Program this as a featured vocal spotlight during a jazz concert, pairing it with instrumental features from other ensemble members to showcase the band's range beyond straight-ahead big band charts. It also serves as a teaching tool in a unit on jazz history and vocal interpretation, letting students hear how a master interpreter works within a fully written arrangement.

• Singing with natural phrasing and swing feel over a written jazz arrangement
• Balancing vocal soloist projection with ensemble support
• Interpreting rubato and space within a big band context
• Listening to and learning from historical performances as stylistic models
• Trumpet improvisation (for the soloist) within a defined harmonic structure