Duke Ellington! (Medley for Concert Band): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This medley captures four Ellington standards with the swing sensibility and harmonic sophistication that made them classics, but Custer's arrangement lands it squarely in the Grade 4 band room where students can actually swing it. The pacing keeps momentum high across 7 minutes 26 seconds, and the orchestration gives every section meaningful material instead of relegating anyone to rhythm parts.

Urbane and elegant, but never stiff. These four melodies have stood the test of time because they're inherently singable and swingable; Custer's orchestration honors that simplicity while adding the harmonic depth and rhythmic sophistication that made Ellington's originals endure. You're playing cocktail lounge sophistication meets concert stage energy.

Concert band directors who want to program something with genuine jazz credentials and audience appeal at a level where students can execute it with confidence. This works equally well for advanced middle school bands and capable high school groups looking for a showpiece that swings without requiring specialized jazz training.

• Lock the rhythmic foundation early: the groove in this medley depends entirely on the low reeds and brass playing with absolute precision together, so rehearse those lines in isolation before adding the full band.
• Treat each standard as a separate movement with its own character. 'Sophisticated Lady' requires a slower, more lyrical touch than the swagger of 'It Don't Mean a Thing,' so mark clear tempo and articulation shifts in your parts.
• Balance the saxophones carefully; they carry a lot of the melodic and harmonic color, so make sure they're heard above the rest of the ensemble without overwhelming the overall blend.
• Emphasize the syncopation without rushing it. Ellington's swing isn't frantic; it's deliberate and relaxed, which actually demands more control from your students than playing it straight would.

Program this as a standalone concert piece to anchor a pops concert or spring concert, or use it as a stylistic bridge in a program that mixes classical and contemporary repertoire. At just over 7 minutes, it's substantial enough to command attention without eating up a full half of your concert, and audiences consistently respond to Ellington's melodies.

• Jazz articulation and phrasing, including interpretation of syncopation
• Ensemble swing feel and rhythmic precision in a jazz context
• Sectional independence while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Stylistic flexibility and understanding of how classical concert band technique adapts to jazz idiom