God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Drums
Traditional / arr. Gordon Goodwin
Grade: 5 (Advanced / Difficult)
Item: 00-PC-0017122_D
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Description
Here is and exciting Gordon Goodwin big band jazz for the holidays as recorded by the Big Phat Band. Features include: a chorale saxophone section introduction, a full ensemble swing at about mm=200, a sax soli, solo space for alto, tenor, trumpet, trombone and piano, a modulation and a big shout chorus. It's all here, it's Gordon Goodwin---what else do you need? (1:53) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Drums comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Gordon Goodwin Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
78
SKU:
00-PC-0017122_D
More about this title
About the Arranger: Gordon Goodwin
Gordon Goodwin began composing complete works at five years old, writing full pieces rather than fragments. By thirteen, he had already arranged his first big band chart, a talent that would define his career. His work has earned three Emmy Awards and multiple Grammy nominations across film, television, and concert music, with scores heard in Bad Boys II, Con Air, Remember the Titans, Star Trek: Nemesis, and Armageddon.
Goodwin has arranged and written for major artists including Christina Aguilera, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, and Toni Braxton. Since founding Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band in 2000, he has led one of Los Angeles' most celebrated big band ensembles, recording albums that have collectively received multiple Grammy nominations. He has also conducted major symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Dallas, Utah, Seattle, Toronto, and London.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures everything that makes Gordon Goodwin's writing unmistakable: sophisticated harmony, clear sectional storytelling, and genuine swing that sits comfortably at tempo without sounding rushed or thin. The construction moves logically from the warm saxophone chorale opening through multiple solo opportunities and builds to that signature big shout chorus, giving your ensemble clear peaks to work toward. Programming a piece recorded by the Big Phat Band itself gives students the rare chance to hear exactly how their music is meant to swing.
What to expect
Holiday warmth meets big band swagger. The opening saxophone chorale establishes something reverent and traditional, then the ensemble kicks in with genuine swing that feels celebratory rather than rushed. Solo sections breathe generously while the final shout chorus delivers the kind of ensemble power and precision that makes audiences lean forward in their seats.
Who it's for
Advanced jazz ensembles ready to tackle Goodwin's sophisticated arranging and sustained swing feel. Your ensemble needs solid readers who can handle rapid fires in the big band texture and soloists comfortable taking focused space in a professional-level setting.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the saxophone section's introduction as a unified choir; this chorale sound sets the tone for everything that follows and needs rock-solid blend and intonation before the ensemble swings in.
- Keep the full ensemble swing around mm=200 from settling into a mechanical groove; concentrate on the articulation and phrasing across the horn lines rather than just timekeeping.
- Feature each soloist with distinct sonic character; the alto, tenor, trumpet, trombone, and piano solo passages work best when each voice emerges as a recognizable personality.
- Build momentum steadily into the final shout chorus so that the modulation lands with real punch and the ending feels earned rather than tacked on.
How to use it
Anchor the second half of a winter concert with this; it works beautifully after more classical holiday fare or as a transition into a full jazz set. The recognizable melody and season-appropriate source material make it accessible to general audiences while the sophisticated arrangement satisfies serious musicians.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained swing phrasing and articulation at tempo (mm=200)
- Jazz ensemble balance and blend within sectional writing
- Solo improvisation and accompaniment listening across multiple instruments
- Reading and executing rapid figures within big band texture
- Responding to harmonic modulation as an ensemble
- Building and releasing intensity across a multi-section arrangement