Flip, Flop and Fly: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

Jay Althouse's arrangement strips away none of the blues swagger while making the piece accessible to developing choir students. The SoundTrax download gives singers a secure rhythmic foundation to lock into, so they can focus on the style and attitude that makes this number work.

Jump and swagger meet good humor in this classic blues number. The groove is infectious and playful, inviting singers to lean into the style with confidence and a touch of mischief.

This arrangement suits treble, mixed, or male choir ensembles with intermediate reading skills and a willingness to embrace blues style. Students at the high school level or strong middle school groups will find the vocal lines approachable while the style demands genuine musical maturity.

• Listen to the recorded accompaniment several times before rehearsal so singers hear the blues pocket and the shuffle feel they need to match.
• Emphasize the rhythmic placement of the lyrics; blues phrasing sits just behind the beat in places, and the accompaniment track will help anchor that.
• Balance clarity in the text with the loose, conversational tone of blues singing; avoid over-articulating at the expense of groove.
• Work the dynamic contrasts between sections to build momentum and keep the energy from becoming one-dimensional.

Pair this with other blues or jazz-influenced pieces to build a concert that celebrates American vernacular music, or use it as a solo opener that immediately establishes an energetic, contemporary tone for your program.

• Blues phrasing and rhythmic placement behind the beat
• Style-specific articulation and diction in a secular idiom
• Singing with recorded accompaniment and matching a groove
• Ensemble balance in rhythmically complex music