Don't Get Around Much Anymore: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Wolpe's arrangement respects Ellington's elegant melody while giving your vocalist genuine musical moments: trading solos with the band, stepping out for improvisation, and having space to interpret. The orchestration supports rather than overwhelms a singer, which is rare in jazz ensemble literature at this level.

Sweet, conversational, and deeply swinging. The tune settles into a warm mid-tempo groove where the vocalist feels like a bandmate trading ideas rather than a featured guest. There's room for both connection and personality.

Directors with a strong vocalist who thrives on interaction with the band and feels comfortable taking rhythmic and melodic risks. This arrangement demands an ensemble that can play with flexibility and sensitivity, responding to a soloist rather than overpowering them.

• Balance the vocalist's sound with the ensemble by having the rhythm section listen carefully during rehearsal; the drummer especially should lock into the vocalist's phrasing rather than driving over it.
• Prepare the soloist for the trading sections by workshopping those passages first in a small group setting (vocalist plus one or two horn soloists) before bringing in the full ensemble.
• Work the improvisation section by establishing a harmonic framework and having the vocalist practice over the changes without lyrics first, then layering text back in once the melodic shape feels natural.

Feature this as a main concert moment when you have both the solo talent and ensemble maturity to support it. The 3-minute duration works well as a set closer or as the centerpiece of a jazz-focused concert that emphasizes vocalist-ensemble collaboration.

• Trading solos and responding musically to ensemble improvisation
• Singing rubato and phrasing within a jazz idiom
• Basic jazz improvisation over changes
• Ensemble listening and dynamic balance in small group settings
• Interpreting a vocal line that requires stylistic flexibility and swing feel