Dat Dere Sheet Music Preview

Dat Dere: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

As performed by Cannonball Adderley / Arranged by Mark Taylor

Grade: 4

Item: 35-PK00386029

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Description
Penned by Bobby Timmons and recorded by a number of jazz artists over the years, "Dat Dere" is a great example of "soul jazz" of the early '60s. This arrangement for small band features alto sax and trumpet on the head, a section for open solos, and a short ensemble shout at the end.

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
SKU: 35-PK00386029

More about this title

About the Artist: Cannonball Adderley

Cannonball Adderley was a cornerstone of soul jazz and hard bop, bringing infectious energy and profound musicality to the alto saxophone. His work in the late 1950s and 1960s helped define the sound of accessible, emotionally direct jazz that connected with audiences without sacrificing sophistication or harmonic depth.

Adderley's quintet, often featuring his brother Nat on cornet, became known for blending blues sensibility with jazz vocabulary. His recording of "Dat Dere" exemplifies this approach: a melody that feels instantly familiar yet sits comfortably within modern jazz harmony, performed with the warmth and directness that made his artistry so influential for generations of jazz musicians and educators.

Why we love this

Mark Taylor's arrangement distills the essence of Adderley's recording into a Grade 4 ensemble setting without flattening the soul out of it. The solo section gives your students genuine freedom to improvise over changes that matter, while the head and shout arrangement teach voice leading and ensemble voicing by example rather than lecture.

What to expect

Warm, unhurried, and deeply rooted in the blues. The melody has a conversational quality that feels like someone telling a story rather than displaying technique, and the harmonic movement underneath gives the piece sophistication while keeping accessibility intact. It swings with the confidence of soul jazz in its prime.

Who it's for

Jazz ensemble directors working with intermediate players who are ready to tackle real jazz standards with melodic integrity. Your soloists need basic comping and harmonic knowledge, but the arrangement doesn't demand virtuosos to sound professional.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the alto and trumpet on the head so neither player dominates; this melody works best when both voices breathe together, trading the spotlight naturally.
  • Encourage soloists to listen to Adderley's original recording before rehearsal. The phrasing and rhythmic conversational quality of his solo becomes an honest blueprint for what your students should pursue.
  • Keep the tempo relaxed and swinging; resist the urge to rush the blues changes during solo sections, as dragging slightly behind the beat creates that soul jazz pocket.
  • Shape the ensemble shout with dynamic contrast. It lands harder when you've given the solo section breathing room and allowed dynamics to drop beforehand.

How to use it

Slot this into a jazz history concert focused on standards from the early 1960s, or use it as a bridge piece that connects your ensemble's classical training to the language of jazz improvisation. It works well paired with other soul jazz selections or as the centerpiece for a "meet the soloists" feature where three or four different students take the solo section.

Skills your students will build

  • Improvisation over 12-bar blues and jazz standard changes
  • Voice leading in two-part horn writing
  • Phrasing and articulation that mimics vocal jazz storytelling
  • Listening and responding to other soloists in real time
  • Ensemble balance and dynamic shaping across head and tutti sections

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