As Time Goes By: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Mike Carubia's arrangement respects the intimacy of the original while giving your jazz ensemble real work to do. The vocal writing in SATB and SSAA configurations flows naturally without sacrificing harmonic interest, and the instrumental background figures sit exactly where they need to, supporting without cluttering. This is the rare arrangement where the solo singer owns the moment and the band owns its own.

Sophisticated and unhurried. There's melancholy in the harmony and a resigned wisdom in the lyric, yet the arrangement never wallows. It swings with restraint, letting the beauty of the melody and the warmth of the arrangement speak for themselves.

Directors programming jazz ensembles with strong singers who are ready for the demands of a standard. This works equally well as a feature for a standout soloist or as a showcase for your whole vocal section working together.

• Balance the lead vocal against the ensemble texture by rehearsing the instrumental parts at their full intended volume first, then bringing the singer in to sit on top of that foundation.
• Let the rhythm section lock in the swing feel early; the vocal phrasing will follow more naturally once the groove is solid.
• Treat the instrumental "blowing" section as a conversation, not just accompaniment. Those moments give your players agency and remind audiences that this is a complete ensemble piece.
• Shape the final chorus with dynamic restraint. The song's power comes from understatement, not pushing harder at the end.

Pair this with other classic standards to anchor a jazz concert in the American songbook tradition, or use it as a pacing device that gives your ensemble a moment of elegance between higher-energy selections. It's also strong enough to serve as a concert closer that leaves audiences in a contemplative mood.

• Balancing solo line against ensemble texture
• Swing phrasing and interpretive timing in a standard
• Reading and executing background figures in jazz arrangements
• Voicing awareness in SATB and SSAA configurations
• Responding to and accompanying a featured soloist