Black Cow (arr. Mike Tomaro): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Mike Tomaro's arrangement captures the groovy essence of "Aja" while giving your ensemble real solo opportunities and clearly defined sectional work. The moderate funk setting sits comfortably in the Grade 4 range without sacrificing the harmonic sophistication that makes Steely Dan such a pleasure to listen to and perform.

Smooth, urbane, and genuinely funky. The arrangement walks that line between accessibility and musical substance that made "Aja" a landmark recording, with enough solo spotlighting to keep players invested in the collective groove.

This is for jazz ensembles ready to tackle sophisticated pop repertoire with ensemble precision and solo maturity. Directors seeking Grade 4 material that sounds great in concert and engages students through recognizable, high-quality music will find this especially valuable.

• Lock the tenor and trombone duet opening with tight ensemble listening; this exposed passage sets the tone for everything that follows.
• Balance the horn riffs as a unified section sound rather than individual voices; they should feel like one melodic statement across the ensemble.
• Give your soloists space to breathe and interpret the changes. The piano and tenor sax solos are where the funk groove really comes alive.
• Keep the groove pocket tight but relaxed. Avoid rushing the moderate funk feel; let the subdivisions breathe naturally.

Pair this with other Steely Dan arrangements or '70s funk standards to build a cohesive set that celebrates that era's approach to ensemble writing. It works particularly well in spring concerts where students have developed sufficient chops to handle the solo demands and maintain the groove.

• Funk groove phrasing and pocket awareness
• Jazz harmonic vocabulary and chord changes
• Sectional blend and unified articulation
• Improvisation within structured chord changes
• Listening and responding to other soloists