Best of Belwin Jazz: Jazz Band Collection for Jazz Ensemble: 2nd Alto Saxophone Book

You move through ten different moods across these pages: the driving swagger of "Jumpin' at the Woodside," the intimate vulnerability of a slow ballad, the bright bounce of "Greensleeves" reframed as jazz, the sleek modernity of "Oh, Lady be Good!" The second alto line connects you to the harmonic foundation while letting you shape the ensemble's character.

Jazz ensemble directors working with students at the intermediate level who need reliable, playable big band charts with legitimate jazz vocabulary. Second alto players benefit from parts that aren't buried in the stack yet demand musicianship beyond simple rhythm playing. This book works for groups building a jazz repertoire from scratch or adding depth to an existing season.

• Listen to the full recordings with your ensemble before sectional rehearsals. Second alto lines often interweave with first alto and tenor parts; hearing the voicing in context prevents pitch problems that look fine in isolation.
• Pay attention to the ballad charts (such as "My Foolish Heart" and "On Green Dolphin Street") as opportunities to develop vibrato control and phrasing, not just rhythm section charts.
• Mark articulation precisely in rehearsal. These arrangements vary between crisp swing tonguing, legit ballad attacks, and rock-influenced playing; consistency across the section transforms the sound.
• Work the half-time or double-time feels in the jazz-rock selections separately from the full ensemble. Second alto often carries supporting lines in these sections that need rhythmic clarity before they lock.

Spread these arrangements across the year as your ensemble's core concert repertoire, mixing styles so no two consecutive pieces sit in the same groove. A medium-difficulty collection like this works perfectly for winter and spring concerts where you want to showcase genuine jazz without overextending less experienced players. You can also pull individual charts for sectional showcases or student-led jam sessions.

• Jazz articulation and swing feel in ensemble contexts
• Reading big band chord symbols and comping changes
• Listening and blending within saxophone section voicings
• Phrasing and dynamics in ballad playing
• Adapting tone and attack across multiple jazz styles (swing, ballad, jazz-rock)