Give It One: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Alan Baylock's arrangement captures Ferguson's signature high-energy approach while making the material genuinely playable for advanced high school and college ensembles. The decision to lower the lead trumpet range to a written D above the staff honors the original's intensity without requiring players to access the extreme altissimo register, and the solo space built in for all four trumpets gives your section real ownership of the chart.

A propulsive, swinging powerhouse that channels the Ferguson big band tradition: tight ensemble writing, bright trumpet figures, and the kind of rhythmic momentum that drives the whole group forward. The music has swagger and snap, with enough space for individual voices to shine without losing the collective groove.

Advanced jazz ensemble directors and trumpet sections ready for a chart that demands both technical facility and mature ensemble listening. This is ideal for groups that have solid fundamentals in place and can handle a brisk tempo without sacrificing articulation or blend.

• Set the tempo with confidence at the specified 220 BPM, but don't hesitate to pull back 5-10 clicks if the ensemble struggles to maintain clarity and articulation. Precision matters more than meeting a metronomic ideal.
• Balance the trumpet section carefully during ensemble passages. The lead trumpet carries the melody, but the second, third, and fourth chairs must stay locked in dynamic shape to avoid muddying the voicing.
• Use the solo space strategically across rehearsals. Rotate which trumpets take featured moments so the section develops collective confidence rather than relying on one soloist.
• Drill the rhythmic unison passages (particularly any syncopated hits) at half-tempo until they sit together. Jazz ensemble precision depends on shared micro-timing that method alone cannot teach.

This works beautifully as a concert closer or a centerpiece number in a jazz showcase concert, where its technical demands and recognizable Ferguson DNA signal to the audience that they're hearing an ensemble at work. Consider pairing it with a ballad or Latin-inflected number to create programming contrast.

• High-register trumpet facility and control in the upper staff range
• Synchronized ensemble articulation at brisk tempos (220 BPM)
• Jazz phrasing and swing interpretation within orchestral ensemble textures
• Solo development and confident improvisation within arranged solo sections
• Listening to and matching dynamic shape across four trumpet voices