Don't Get Around Much Anymore (arr. Abi Moore): SAT Choral Octavo

Abi Moore's arrangement brings this Cole classic into the SAT voicing with surprising sophistication for a five-page piece. The writing respects the song's laid-back elegance while creating genuine harmonic interest that keeps singers engaged and gives them something real to accomplish musically.

Easy and unhurried. The song has that liquid, after-hours quality Cole brought to everything he sang, as if the ensemble is settling into a comfortable silence together. Despite its simplicity on the surface, the arrangement hints at the sophisticated harmonic world underneath.

This arrangement works for choirs that can handle smooth jazz voicing and want to venture into the American songbook without tackling overly complex harmonies. It's equally at home in a secular concert, a pops program, or a rehearsal focused on style and interpretive singing.

• Treat the swing feel as conversational rather than metrically rigid. Cole's genius lay in sitting just behind or ahead of the beat depending on the phrase shape; encourage singers to listen to each other and move together like they're trading a story.
• Balance the parts so the melody never gets buried under harmony. This arrangement likely features lush supporting voices, but the Alto and Soprano sections should know when to sit back and when to bloom forward.
• Lock in the rhythm section early. If you have a pianist or guitarist, rehearse with accompaniment from measure one so singers understand the groove rather than fighting against it in performance.

Pair this with other mid-century standards to create a cohesive pops or American songbook set. It also serves beautifully as a palate cleanser between more demanding classical or contemporary pieces, giving your singers and audience a moment of genuine ease.

• Swing rhythm and swing feel interpretation
• Balancing melody and harmony parts in close voicing
• Singing with legit tone in a pop/jazz style
• Phrase shaping and dynamic control within a relaxed groove
• SAT part independence and intonation awareness