Big Spender: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By Cy Coleman / By Dorothy Fields / Arranged by Rick Stitzel
Grade: 2
Item: 35-PK00122297
$45.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Big Spender - Full Score | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Alto Sax 1 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Alto Sax 2 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Tenor Sax 1 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Tenor Sax 2 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Baritone Sax | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trumpet 1 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trumpet 2 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trumpet 3 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trumpet 4 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trombone 1 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trombone 2 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trombone 3 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Trombone 4 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Guitar | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Piano | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Bass | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Drums | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Vibes | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Flute | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Bb Clarinet 1 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Bb Clarinet 2 | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - F Horn | $6.00 | |
| Big Spender - Tuba | $6.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
From the musical "Sweet Charity," this familiar standard has come to epitomize the bluesy "bump-and-grind" slow swing style. Your trombones will have fun with the signature riff, and every section of the band gets a chance at the melody.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00122297
More about this title
About the Composer: Cy Coleman
Cy Coleman (1929-2004) composed for Broadway with an ear trained in jazz and classical music. His gift for melody and harmonic sophistication shaped standards that work equally well in concert halls and jazz clubs, making his catalog a natural home for ensemble arranging.
Coleman's collaborations with lyricist Dorothy Fields produced some of Broadway's most enduring songs. For music educators, his compositions offer straightforward melodic content paired with rich harmonic possibilities, ideal for developing ensemble musicianship across multiple levels.
Why we love this
Rick Stitzel's arrangement keeps the groove front and center while distributing the melody across your sections, so no player sits idle. The trombone riff is instantly recognizable and motivating to perform, and the Grade 2 voicing lets your ensemble lock into authentic swing feel without the complexity of higher-level jazz writing.
What to expect
Sultry and confident. The slow swing groove creates space for the melody to saunter rather than rush, and the bluesy character gives players permission to sit back and feel the pocket. There is attitude in every measure.
Who it's for
Jazz ensembles at the high school level and strong middle school programs looking for a standard that teaches authentic swing without requiring advanced reading or technical facility. Directors new to jazz programming will find this arrangement accessible yet musically honest.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the groove in your rhythm section first. The swing feel that defines this style depends entirely on how your drums, bass, and piano sit together, so isolate that foundation before adding horns.
- Shape the trombone riff with a slight push on beat two. That bluesy pocket is what audiences recognize immediately, so let it breathe with character rather than straight rhythm.
- Balance the melody sections carefully as it passes between parts. When the saxes have the tune, they should sit slightly forward; when the trombones take over, they keep the energy steady without overwhelming the harmonic background.
- Encourage your soloists to bend notes and use space. This style rewards players who listen to classic R&B and blues phrasing, not just classical jazz articulation.
How to use it
Feature this on a jazz concert alongside other standards arranged for developing ensembles, or pair it with a Broadway/popular music theme if you are building a season that bridges classical and contemporary repertoire. Early spring works well, once your ensemble has built basic jazz fundamentals but before the pressure of spring contests.
Skills your students will build
- Swing rhythm and feel, specifically the triplet subdivision underlying straight-eighth reading
- Call-and-response phrasing between sections
- Blues harmony and how it differs from diatonic progressions
- Dynamic shaping within a groove-based context
- Riff-based ensemble cohesion and unison articulation