Don't Get Around Much Anymore: SSA/2-Part Choral Octavo

Althouse brings a jazz musician's ear to this Duke Ellington classic while keeping the choral writing genuinely singable for younger or less experienced singers. The scat syllables add character without demanding improvisation; your singers get the authentic feel of swing without stumbling over complex vocal jazz techniques. It's the kind of arrangement that works equally well as a concert piece or a high-energy addition to a lighter program.

A breezy, sophisticated swing tune that feels like eavesdropping on a small jazz combo in a intimate venue. The scat passages and light voicing create an almost conversational quality, mixing genuine jazz flavor with the accessibility and fun that draws students into genre exploration. There's elegance here without pretense.

This arrangement works for treble or 2-part choirs at the middle school through early high school level, especially groups ready to explore jazz repertoire without the technical demands of full vocal improvisation. It's equally at home in a school chorus, church choir, or community ensemble looking to add a fun, accessible standard to their library.

• Establish a relaxed, conversational swing feel in rehearsal before focusing on any written notes; the rhythm section is built into the chart, so lock the ensemble into that groove first.
• Treat the scat syllables as a rhythmic conversation, not a novelty; these moments should feel natural and playful, the way a jazz singer would phrase them.
• Layer in the SoundPax instrumental parts (horns and rhythm section) during dress rehearsal or final run-throughs to let singers hear how their voices sit within the full combo texture.
• Keep the dynamic range light and easy; this tune breathes better when you avoid heavy-handed articulation and let the swing speak for itself.

Pair this with other jazz or Ellington arrangements to build a thematic concert set, or use it as a palate-cleanser between more serious classical or contemporary pieces. It also shines as a finale or act-two opener when you want to shift the energy and remind your audience that your singers can swing.

• Swing feel and rhythmic precision in a jazz idiom
• Scat singing and rhythmic syllable articulation
• Blend and balance within close voicings
• Phrasing in a jazz context (legato, rhythmic placement, dynamics)
• Listening to and coordinating with instrumental accompaniment