Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me: SATB Choral Octavo

Darmon Meader's arrangement captures the essence of Ellington's sophistication while making it genuinely singable for a mixed choir. The medium swing feels natural rather than forced, and the piano part provides harmonic color that grounds the voices without overwhelming them. This is the kind of Great American Songbook standard that reminds singers why jazz repertoire matters.

The arrangement has a relaxed sophistication. There's an ease to the medium swing that makes it feel conversational, almost like the choir is singing over cocktails rather than performing a formal recital. The full piano accompaniment keeps everything grounded while allowing the voices to breathe and swing.

This arrangement works for mixed choirs at the high school level and above who have some familiarity with jazz style and straightforward swing feels. It's equally at home in a show choir, a concert choir exploring jazz standards, or a chamber choir looking to add American Songbook material to their repertoire.

• Balance the swing feel between rhythmic precision and groove. The soloists (and section leaders) should feel the pulse rather than count it mechanically.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the tempo and swing style before attempting to add the optional jazz trio parts.
• Shape the lyrics with conversational phrasing rather than choral formality. This is a song about attitude and cool restraint.
• If adding the SoundPax jazz trio, rehearse the choir and rhythm section separately first, then integrate gradually to ensure the voices remain the focus.

Program this as a bridge between classical and contemporary repertoire, or pair it with other Ellington standards for a full Great American Songbook set. It works beautifully as a closer to a concert or as a palate cleanser between heavier choral works. For show choirs, it's an excellent vehicle for soloist features over a swinging choir.

• Singing with swing feel and syncopated rhythms
• Balancing jazz harmony and contemporary vocal blend
• Phrasing in a conversational, jazz-influenced style
• Listening and locking into a rhythm section