Best of Belwin Jazz: First Year Charts Collection for Jazz Ensemble: 2nd B-flat Trumpet Book

Accessible and swinging. These arrangements respect the capabilities of young players while delivering authentic jazz idioms across a range of moods—from the upbeat bounce of holiday charts to the smooth sophistication of ballads. The rhythm section guidance means the band will groove together, even as musicians are still finding their jazz voice.

Second trumpet players in their first year of jazz ensemble experience. This book works for high school and middle school jazz ensembles seeking repertoire that sounds full and professional without requiring a massive instrumentation.

• Listen carefully to the conductor's CD recording before your first read-through to absorb the groove and feel of each chart, especially in the swing and Latin pieces where the rhythmic pocket matters as much as the individual notes.
• Balance your sound with the first trumpet and rhythm section during the unison passages and head hits; lock the attacks even if you're playing a supporting voicing.
• In the written-out solo sections, treat them as opportunities to internalize the improvised language of jazz rather than simply executing the written notes—shape phrases with intention and variation in articulation.

Build your festival season programming around these charts; the variety lets you showcase different ensemble colors throughout the year. Several titles work well for holiday concerts or spring pops concerts, while the swing and Latin pieces establish a solid foundation for a jazz ensemble concert.

• Reading and executing jazz articulations and phrasing across multiple styles
• Synchronizing unison sections and maintaining blend within the trumpet section
• Interpreting written-out jazz vocabulary and solo lines
• Understanding swing, Latin, ballad, and waltz rhythmic feels
• Responding to chord changes and harmonic movement in jazz contexts