Get in Line: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Get in Line strikes the sweet spot between Goodwin's signature sophistication and genuine teachability. The solos (alto, tenor, trumpet, trombone) are substantial enough to showcase your strong improvisers, while the optional flute and clarinet parts give you flexibility in how you voice the ensemble. Most importantly, this is real big band writing from a composer who is actively recording and performing these charts with his own band, giving your students music that genuinely excites jazz musicians.

Get in Line grooves with the energy of contemporary urban jazz, combining sophisticated harmonic movement with an undeniable funk pocket. The piece captures the swagger and polish of the Big Phat Band while remaining accessible enough to excite high school musicians who want to play real, recorded big band music.

Advanced high school and college jazz ensembles with strong individual soloists and solid ensemble chops. This conductor score guides you through a funky, modern big band arrangement that demands precision and style from your entire band.

• Lock the rhythm section first, especially the pocket between bass and drums. This groove is the foundation for everything the horns will do.
• Give soloists the recorded Big Phat Band version to internalize the style and phrasing. Goodwin's writing expects a contemporary jazz sensibility, not classical interpretation.
• Balance the tutti sections carefully; the horn voicings are dense and require clean attacks and releases to articulate the written rhythms.
• Don't shy away from the dynamic range. Goodwin uses contrast between ensemble peaks and sectional backgrounds to build momentum and shape the form.

Program this as the centerpiece of a contemporary jazz set, pairing it with another Goodwin chart to showcase a single composer's range. The funky groove and broadcast-quality writing make it ideal for winter jazz concerts or competitive jazz festivals where you want to demonstrate your ensemble's command of modern idiom.

• Balancing contemporary jazz articulation (short, clipped tonguing) with sustained ensemble blend
• Interpreting rhythmic notation and syncopation within a funk-influenced groove
• Supporting strong improvisers within a fully arranged big band texture
• Responding to dynamic and sectional contrast in densely voiced horn arrangements
• Understanding how optional parts (flute, clarinet, vibe) expand or modify a big band's sonic palette