Avenue Swing: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

$44.00 USD

Avenue Swing: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Avenue Swing: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-43667
Price: 44.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Mike Collins-Dowden

Grade: 1 (Easy)

Item: 00-43667

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A swing chart at 144 BPM, Avenue Swing features a written-out tenor sax solo, trumpet 1 range to written E top space, and a few section solis. Add in the fine ensemble writing of Mike Collins-Dowden, along with flute, clarinet, and vibes parts---it's all you need. (2:43)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Avenue Swing: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 86

UPC: 038081494869

SKU: 00-43667

More about this title

About the Composer: Mike Collins-Dowden

Mike Collins-Dowden has been teaching band to upper elementary students at Pleasant Ridge School in Glenview, Illinois, since 2007. He holds a B.M. in music education and trombone performance from Eastman School of Music (2003) and an M.M. in music education from Temple University (2007). During his time at Eastman, he performed with the Wind Ensemble on their 2004 Japan tour.

As a prolific composer for young ensembles, Collins-Dowden draws directly from his classroom experience, having written more than 30 pieces published by Alfred/Belwin, FJH, and Jalen Music. His work appears frequently in first-year jazz settings because he understands precisely what students can execute at that level. Away from school, he performs on trombone and guitar, and has been known to compose on Nintendo Game Boy.

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Why we love this

Collins-Dowden writes for the ensemble he knows best: young jazz students discovering swing for the first time. The written-out tenor sax solo removes the improvisation barrier while maintaining authentic swing feel, and the section solis give everyone something memorable to play. The instrumentation (including vibes, flute, and clarinet alongside the traditional jazz core) keeps the sound fresh without demanding doubling specialists.

What to expect

Clean, approachable swing that doesn't talk down to the players. The piece moves with genuine musicality and ensemble purpose while remaining within the technical reach of students still building jazz fundamentals.

Who it's for

First-year jazz ensembles and concert bands adding their first swing chart. Players need to read on their instruments (not transposition intensive), and the group should have basic rhythmic independence and secure sense of pulse.

How to get the most out of it

Lock the tempo at 144 BPM early and keep it steady through rehearsals; the swing groove lives or dies on rhythmic confidence, not speed.
Have the tenor sax player mark breathing points in the solo before the first run-through so the line feels like singing, not note-reading.
Balance the section solis carefully against ensemble hits; they should pop out without dominating the overall texture.
Let the vibes breathe in the voicings. This isn't a front-line instrument here, but it colors the ensemble sound in a way your students won't get anywhere else.

How to use it

Perfect for early-season concerts or festival competitions when your jazz program is still finding its footing. Pair it with a blues head arrangement or bebop standard to create a mini-set that shows stylistic range without overshooting your ensemble's abilities.

Skills your students will build

Reading and maintaining swing eighth-note feel (straight vs. swung interpretation)
Balancing section work with solo spotlight
Jazz articulation and phrasing at a sustainable tempo
Listening to and supporting ensemble texture beyond the melody line
Responding to section soli cues without losing ensemble cohesion