Brick House (arr. Paul Murtha): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Paul Murtha's orchestration respects the original groove while giving every section something meaningful to play. The parts balance technical challenge with genuine fun, which means your students stay engaged through every rehearsal without sacrificing musicianship.

Infectious and propulsive. The moment that bass line locks in, you feel the ensemble settle into a groove that's both challenging and irresistible. It's the kind of chart that makes audiences move and musicians grin.

Grade 3 jazz ensembles ready to work with contemporary popular music that demands real ensemble discipline. Directors seeking material that connects with students' listening experience while building their chops on funk and R&B rhythmic conventions.

• Nail the bass line first. This riff is the foundation of everything else; lock it in before layering other elements.
• Balance the ensemble punches against the soloists. These hits need to be synchronized and voiced cleanly without drowning out the melody.
• Let the rhythm section breathe. Avoid rushing the groove; the pocket matters more than being metronomically precise.
• Mark every stylistic indication regarding syncopation. Small details in how you approach the backbeat will determine whether this swings or sits flat.

Place this in a jazz concert that celebrates popular music traditions, or pair it with other funk and R&B arrangements to show how these styles demand the same musical rigor as more overtly "classical" jazz. Works equally well as a concert opener that energizes the room or as a feature within a thematic program.

• Executing syncopated rhythms in ensemble context
• Locking into a steady funk groove without rushing
• Balancing rhythmic precision with stylistic interpretation
• Maintaining clarity in ensemble punches while supporting soloists
• Reading and executing jazz ensemble parts at Grade 3 difficulty