Cheep Tricks: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$10.00 USD

Cheep Tricks: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: Cheep Tricks: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-41170S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Kris Berg

Grade: 3 (Medium)

Item: 00-41170S

$10.00

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Yep, you guessed it---Cheep Tricks by Kris Berg is a funk chart. The groove is deep at 136 BPM, solos are written out for tenor and/or guitar, and lead trumpet range is to written A. Do you like chicken? (3:45) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Series: Jazz Band Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 16

UPC: 038081478616

SKU: 00-41170S

More about this title

About the Composer: Kris Berg

Kris Berg directs the jazz program at Collin County Community College in Texas and holds degrees in jazz studies from the University of North Texas. His ensembles have earned multiple invitations to the Montreux Jazz Festival, and he founded both the Collin Jazz Fest and the Texas All-Star Jazz Camp.

As a composer and arranger, Berg has established himself as a prolific voice in big band writing through his work with Belwin Jazz. He remains active as a clinician for Yamaha Corporation and has performed alongside world-class artists including Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Clark Terry. His educational contributions extend beyond composition to instructional writing, including the widely used Bass Lines in Minutes.

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Why we love this

Berg writes with a clear understanding of what makes a funk chart groove without overcomplicating the arranging. The soloists get room to stretch, but the written parts for tenor and guitar keep everyone anchored, which means your students can focus on locking the feel rather than deciphering vague changes. At grade 3, it lands perfectly for ensembles ready to move beyond straight jazz standards into something with real contemporary heat.

What to expect

Deep, propulsive, and built on a groove that refuses to quit. The funk feel is unmistakable at 136 BPM, and the arrangement swings hard while keeping everyone moving forward as a unit. There's energy here without chaos, humor without undermining the music.

Who it's for

Jazz ensembles at the intermediate level who have solid fundamentals but want to venture into modern funk territory. This is ideal for groups ready to explore written solos and the discipline of ensemble groove without needing advanced harmonic literacy.

How to get the most out of it

Set the groove first. Before worrying about articulation or dynamics, get the rhythm section locked into that 136 BPM funk pocket. The chart only burns if the bass, drums, and comping instruments are playing as one.
Balance the soloists so they sit in the mix rather than dominating it. Berg has written these parts deliberately; they should cut through without the ensemble shrinking back.
Use the rubato sparingly. Funk lives in the pocket, not in pushing and pulling the tempo. Keep time rock-solid even when soloists are getting creative around the changes.

How to use it

Slot this into a spring concert where you want to shift the energy from traditional big band into something contemporary and fun. It pairs well alongside bebop standards or within a thematic set about modern big band writing. At 3 minutes 45 seconds, it's also a strong opener that wakes up an audience immediately.