Every Day I Have The Blues (arr. Kirby Shaw): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Shaw captures the conversational ease of blues in this arrangement without sacrificing the harmonic sophistication that keeps singers engaged across thirteen pages. The 3-part mixed voicing sits naturally for groups with developing sight readers while offering enough jazz vocabulary and voice independence to challenge more experienced ensembles. This is the kind of standard that works equally well as a concert closer or a clinician's teaching example.

The blues unfold with an unhurried conversational warmth, the kind of easy confidence that comes from singers who know their way around the changes. There is space for voices to breathe individually while the harmonies create a gentle sway that invites audiences in rather than overwhelming them.

Choirs working to expand their jazz and contemporary repertoire without overwhelming singers still building confidence in jazz idioms. This arrangement works for both high school and college ensembles seeking a standard that feels authentic rather than simplified.

• Establish the blues groove early in rehearsals by having the group snap or clap the backbeat before attempting to sing; this anchors the pocket and prevents rushing through swing figures.
• Encourage singers to listen horizontally across their own line rather than locking onto the melody; jazz harmony lives in the dialogue between parts, not in unison moments.
• Balance the soloistic quality many jazz standards demand with the ensemble cohesion your group needs; Shaw's writing offers both, so resist the urge to feature one voice at the expense of blend.

Pair this with other blues or swing standards to create a short jazz set within a larger concert, or use it as an accessible entry point into jazz for singers encountering the idiom for the first time. The length and moderate difficulty make it suitable for late-season programming when groups have developed rehearsal stamina.

• Recognizing and singing jazz harmony (seventh chords, chromatic alterations, and voice leading specific to blues progressions)
• Interpreting swing rhythms and triplet subdivisions
• Maintaining independence between vocal lines in a jazz context
• Listening actively within an ensemble while maintaining individual intonation in complex harmonies
• Understanding blues form and its conversational, call-and-response qualities