Baby That's What I Need (Walk Tall) Cover Image

Baby That's What I Need (Walk Tall): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$7.00 USD

Baby That's What I Need (Walk Tall): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: Baby That's What I Need (Walk Tall): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-40341S
Price: 7.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Words and music by Josef Zawinul, James Rein and Esther Marrow / arr. Vince Gassi

Grade: 1 (Easy)

Item: 00-40341S

$7.00

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This tune is better known as "Walk Tall" and originally performed by Cannonball Adderley's quintet. It has a gospel-flavored R&B groove. Features include lead trumpet range to written F top line, and a written tenor sax solo that trades with the ensemble. Cool chart. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Series: First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 16

UPC: 038081451602

SKU: 00-40341S

More about this title

About the Composer: Josef Zawinul

Josef Zawinul (1932-2007) was an Austrian-American keyboardist and composer who fundamentally shaped the sound of jazz fusion. As a founding member of Weather Report alongside Wayne Shorter, Zawinul pioneered the use of electric keyboards and synthesizers in jazz, creating textures and harmonic possibilities that had never been explored before. His work as a sideman with Cannonball Adderley's quintet in the 1960s produced some of jazz's most enduring compositions, many of which have become standards in education and performance contexts.

Zawinul's compositions balance accessibility with sophisticated harmony and rhythm, making them ideal for teaching ensemble musicianship. His ability to write engaging melodies over complex grooves influenced generations of composers and arrangers working in jazz education. His legacy lives on through the repertoire he left behind, which continues to inspire musicians learning the language of jazz.

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Why we love this

Vince Gassi's arrangement captures the soul of the original groove without overwhelming a developing ensemble. The lead trumpet sits comfortably at written F, and the tenor sax solo trades cleanly with the ensemble, giving soloists room to grow while keeping the energy collective. This is the kind of chart that sounds more sophisticated than Grade 1 deserves to sound.

What to expect

Warmth and forward motion. The gospel-R&B flavor gives this tune an immediate human quality, like stepping into a room where something real is happening. There's joy in the rhythm and space for the ensemble to breathe together.

Who it's for

Jazz ensembles in their first year of study, from high school through college, who are ready to tackle something with real groove and character. Directors looking for a Grade 1 chart that sounds professionally arranged and teaches solid ensemble listening and time feel will find this indispensable.

How to get the most out of it

Nail the gospel-flavored R&B pocket first. Lock the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) into that groove before adding horns. The tune lives and dies by how solid the foundation feels.
Let the lead trumpet soar with confidence over the top line. This range is singable and should feel effortless; rushing or forcing the tone will crack the whole vibe.
Balance the tenor sax solo so it cuts through the ensemble trading sections without losing the conversational quality. The back-and-forth should feel like a dialogue, not a takeover.

How to use it

Program this as the centerpiece of a set that shows your ensemble's rhythmic chops and swing sensibility. It pairs naturally with other blues-based or funk-influenced charts, and the Grade 1 difficulty means you can feature it early in the year while you're still building facility.