Blue Moon: Choral SoundTrax CD

Kirby Shaw's arrangement preserves the elegance of this 1934 standard while bringing genuine swing energy that modern audiences respond to. The SAB voicing removes technical barriers without sacrificing the sophistication of the harmony, and having guitar, bass, and drums available means your singers get to feel what it's like working with a real jazz rhythm section.

Sophisticated yet approachable, this arrangement captures the wistful longing in the original melody while infusing it with the easy confidence of a well-played jazz standard. Your singers will discover that swing rhythm has its own logic and elegance, distinct from classical phrasing but equally musical.

Choirs looking to add a swinging standard to their concert repertoire without requiring advanced vocal jazz technique. The SAB voicing makes this accessible to younger or less experienced groups, while the Kirby Shaw arrangement and full SoundPax instrumentation appeal to directors seeking repertoire with genuine style and substance.

• Treat the swing eighth notes with a triplet feel rather than straight rhythms. Listen to the recorded accompaniment multiple times to let that lilt settle into your singers' bodies before rehearsing.
• Balance the parts carefully in the harmony sections. Shaw's voicings work because each line has melodic integrity, not because anyone's buried underneath.
• Let the rhythm section carry the pulse. When guitar, bass, and drums are present, your singers can relax into the groove instead of pushing the tempo themselves.

Program this alongside other Great American Songbook selections to create a cohesive set with real stylistic identity. It also works beautifully as a palate cleanser between classical pieces in a mixed concert, giving your audience a moment to settle into something familiar and warm.

• Singing jazz eighth-note rhythms with a triplet feel
• Balancing harmony parts where every voice line has melodic shape
• Responding to and locking in with a rhythm section
• Interpreting sustained ballad lines with stylistic expression