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Chicken Scratch: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD
$50.00 USD
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Chicken Scratch Cover Image
Chicken Scratch: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Chicken Scratch: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

By Kris Berg

Grade: 3 (Medium)

Item: 00-JEM04026
$50.00
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Chicken Scratch: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

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Description
IT'S FUNK---spread the word! Kris Berg does it once again with another day in the life of "The Chicken." Chicken Scratch is a ferocious Tower of Power-style chart that will put a deep groove in any band. With some rugged lines for the trombones and bass player, they'll be screaming for a second helping. Solos written or ad-lib for trumpet 2 and trombone 2 and lead trumpet range only to written A. Hot, hotter, and is the hottest yet from Kris. If the band has the energy, they can handle it! (5:57)

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Additional Details
Series: Jazz Band Series
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 94
UPC: 654979072881
SKU: 00-JEM04026

More about this title

About the Composer: Kris Berg

Kris Berg

Kris Berg directs the jazz studies program at Collin County Community College in Texas, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in jazz studies from the University of North Texas. His work has shaped the region's jazz culture significantly: he founded and directs the Collin Jazz Fest and the Texas All-Star Jazz Camp, and under his leadership, Collin's jazz ensembles have earned multiple invitations to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Berg's compositions and arrangements have circulated globally through Belwin Jazz (an Alfred Publishing division), where he ranks among their best-selling big band writers. As a clinician and artist for Yamaha Corporation of America, he has performed alongside major figures including Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Clark Terry. He is also the author of Bass Lines in Minutes, a widely used jazz education resource, and maintains endorsements from Walter Woods Amplifiers.

Why we love this

Berg captures the essence of Tower of Power's signature sound without sacrificing ensemble musicianship. The chart demands real energy and groove from your band while staying achievable at the Grade 3 level, and the written solos for trumpet 2 and trombone 2 give strong section players a moment to shine without requiring complete improvisation.

What to expect

Ferocious, sweaty, and built for dancing. This is a chart that sits deep in the pocket, with trombone lines that growl and snap while the rhythm section propels the groove forward with relentless momentum. It's the sound of a big band with attitude and muscle.

Who it's for

Jazz ensembles with solid fundamentals and an appetite for contemporary funk and soul-jazz styles. Your band needs strong section players in the low reeds and brass to nail the grooves, and soloists (or section members willing to improvise) to bring personality to the trumpet and trombone features.

How to get the most out of it

  • Lock the kick drum and bass line first; the entire groove depends on their pocket being airtight and behind the beat just enough to create that fat, heavy feel.
  • Push trumpet 2 and trombone 2 to own their solos with conviction, whether reading the written parts or taking liberties. This chart rewards confidence.
  • Shape the trombone section's 'rugged lines' with clarity and punch; Berg wrote these parts to cut through the texture, so balance them assertively against the full ensemble.
  • Build intensity from the top of the piece to its peak; this is a chart that climbs, and pacing the dynamics across the full 5:57 duration keeps the energy arc alive.

How to use it

Program this as a concert centerpiece or festival feature that opens eyes and gets audiences moving. It pairs well with standards or ballads on the same concert, offering a stark contrast in energy and contemporary style. The length and intensity also make it an ideal closer for a set where you want to leave the room buzzing.

Skills your students will build

  • Deep pocket playing and behind-the-beat phrasing in funk/soul contexts
  • Section cohesion in syncopated funk lines, particularly in the trombone and bass
  • Solo confidence and stylistic expression (written and ad-lib solos for trumpet 2 and trombone 2)
  • Dynamic control and intensity shaping across an extended chart
  • Listening for and executing the interaction between rhythm section pocket and ensemble articulation

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