Duke Ellington!: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Calvin Custer's arrangement respects Ellington's melodic genius while crafting a medley that moves with infectious energy and clear phrasing. The program benefits from four beloved standards woven into a single, seamless performance that showcases swing style without requiring students to sacrifice musicianship or technical control.

Urbane and buoyant, this medley captures the essence of the Swing era without losing its compositional sophistication. Each tune unfolds with melodic clarity and harmonic elegance, moving from the easy charm of 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' through the sultry reflection of 'Sophisticated Lady' and erupting into the full-throated swagger of 'It Don't Mean a Thing.'

Concert bands at the intermediate to early advanced level seeking authentic jazz repertoire with educational substance. This arrangement serves ensembles ready to explore swing style and ensemble cohesion while performing music of lasting cultural significance.

• Shape the eighth-note figures with consistent articulation so the swing feel emerges from clarity rather than rushing. Let the rhythm section anchor the groove while the full ensemble locks in.
• Honor the lyrical character of 'Sophisticated Lady' within the medley structure. Resist the urge to push tempo through this passage; a warm, measured approach will create welcome contrast before the energy returns.
• Balance the trumpet section's solos and features against the harmonic foundation provided by the lower voices and winds. Encourage soloists to phrase as singers would, not merely execute notes.
• Attend carefully to dynamic shaping across all four tunes. Ellington's melodies carry their own weight; overplaying early passages diminishes the impact of climactic moments later in the arrangement.

This medley works beautifully as a concert centerpiece that celebrates American jazz composition and brings audiences into immediate engagement. Program it alongside classical concert band works to demonstrate how jazz and traditional concert music coexist as equally valid concert hall repertoire, or feature it as part of a Pops concert where its accessible appeal and musical substance will resonate across different listener demographics.

• Swing feel and groove articulation
• Balancing solo and ensemble responsibility
• Managing tempo consistency during stylistic transitions
• Jazz phrasing and dynamic shape in a medley context
• Listening across sections to maintain harmonic cohesion