Bewitched: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Urbane and warm. The melody settles into the low and middle registers of the saxophone section, giving the arrangement an intimate quality that recalls the original's sophisticated charm. When the brass enters with its harmonic answers, the whole ensemble feels like it's in conversation, trading observations back and forth across the bandstand.

Grade 2 jazz ensembles with solid fundamentals in intonation and basic swing feel. This works equally well for young players getting their first taste of the jazz standard repertoire or for groups looking for accessible material that doesn't talk down to them musically.

• Anchor the rhythm section early and often. This standard lives or dies by pocket, so lock in your bass and drums before adding melody layers.
• Balance the sax section on the head so the brass answers genuinely sound like conversation, not echo.
• Shape the tenor solo with your player beforehand. Even young soloists benefit from talking through the feel and any specific harmonic areas worth exploring.
• Keep the tempo relaxed but steady. Bewitched invites a laid-back swing, not a rushed one.

Program this alongside other jazz standards at your winter or spring concert to build a cohesive set list that demonstrates your students' fluency with the idiom. Alternatively, use it mid-season to strengthen your ensemble's sense of swing and interplay before tackling more demanding charts.

• Swing rhythmic subdivision and feel
• Balanced section playing with clear melody and harmony roles
• Responding to musical cues from other sections
• Basic jazz ensemble interpretation of a standard
• Tenor saxophone solo construction and phrasing