El Abrazo: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$12.00 USD

El Abrazo: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: El Abrazo: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-45080S
Price: 12.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Alan Baylock

Grade: 4 (Medium Advanced / Difficult)

Item: 00-45080S

$12.00

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"El Abrazo" by Alan Baylock is truly stunning chart! The ballad beginning and ending will bring tears to your eyes---it's that beautiful. The chart then moves to a samba around 110 BPM for the half note. Lead trumpet range is to written high C and there is a tenor solo with chord changes. You won't forget this chart! As recorded on Alan Baylocks' CD Prime Time. (7:35) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Series: Premier Jazz Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 28

UPC: 038081519418

SKU: 00-45080S

More about this title

About the Composer: Alan Baylock

Alan Baylock has shaped the landscape of contemporary jazz composition and arrangement across military, educational, and professional settings. His 20-year tenure as Chief Arranger for the Airmen of Note in Washington, D.C. established him as a masterful orchestrator, while his current role directing the Grammy-nominated One O'Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas continues his influence on the next generation of jazz musicians. He earned degrees from Shenandoah University (where he later served as Jazz Composer-in-Residence) and the University of North Texas, and has guest-conducted more than 100 ensembles across professional, collegiate, and high school levels.

Baylock's career reflects deep commitment to jazz education and artistic equity. As a longtime director of the National Jazz Workshop's All-Star Big Band and active member of the Jazz Education Network, he has championed inclusive programming in big band jazz. In 2022, he co-founded Brava Jazz Publishing with composer and arranger Annie Booth, creating a publishing platform dedicated to amplifying women composers and arrangers in jazz. His own works have been recorded and performed by artists including Melissa Aldana, the Brecker Brothers, Paquito D'Rivera, Kurt Elling, Maynard Ferguson, Sean Jones, Joshua Redman, and many others, alongside collaborations spanning from Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau to symphony orchestras worldwide.

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Why we love this

Baylock demonstrates genuine skill at structural storytelling here. The arc from introspective ballad to propulsive samba keeps audiences engaged and gives your ensemble a genuine musical journey to execute, not just a display of technical prowess. The tenor solo with chord changes invites real musicianship from your improviser, while the lead trumpet writing to high C challenges your section without sacrificing musicality.

What to expect

The ballad opens with intimate vulnerability, inviting listeners into a quiet moment before the rhythm section kicks into a infectious samba feel. The samba section breathes with genuine Latin pulse and swagger, then circles back to that tender closing ballad statement, leaving the room in reflective silence.

Who it's for

Solid Grade 4 ensembles with reliable lead trumpet players and at least one tenor saxophonist comfortable taking a solo over changes. Directors seeking repertoire that showcases both ballad sophistication and Latin groove command will find this chart equally effective at festival competition and concert programming.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the ballad opening with intentional breath and space; let the ensemble hear the emotional foundation before the energy shifts. This sets up the samba impact.
Lock the samba groove at 110 BPM by establishing a clear reference point with your rhythm section; the Latin feel demands precision and pocket, not just tempo.
Prepare your tenor soloist well in advance with the chord changes and recorded reference. Baylock's harmonic language rewards informed improvisation.
Balance the lead trumpet's high passages with surrounding voices; writing to high C demands endurance and support from the section.

How to use it

Program this as a closer or anchor piece in a concert that includes other medium-advanced charts; its structural bookends work beautifully as the emotional climax of a set. The combination of ballad and samba makes it a natural fit for jazz festival competition where judges respond to stylistic range and emotional maturity.

Skills your students will build

Ballad interpretation and phrasing in a jazz context
Samba rhythmic feel and Latin ensemble groove
Improvisation over jazz changes for solo instruments
Dynamic contrast between intimate and energetic material
Reading a professional-level conductor score with multiple cues and section independence