Hawaii Five-O Theme: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Paul Murtha's arrangement respects the iconic melody while giving a modern jazz ensemble treatment that keeps every player engaged. The tour through multiple key centers feels fresh without losing the theme's immediate recognizability, and the absence of required solos makes this accessible to groups still developing their improvisation chops.

Cool and propulsive, like you're moving through a series of interconnected chambers, each with its own harmonic flavor but all part of the same confident stride. The melody hooks you immediately while the supporting parts keep the ear engaged in what's happening beneath the surface.

Jazz ensembles at the intermediate level who want a crowd-pleasing arrangement with real musical substance. This works equally well for groups with strong readers who are just beginning to explore jazz vocabulary.

• Keep the forward momentum relentless through key changes; treat each center shift as an opportunity to reset the ensemble's energy rather than as a bump in the road.
• Balance the melody between saxophone and brass sections so the theme stays crystal clear amid all the harmonic movement.
• Lock the rhythm section early in rehearsal and let them anchor everything else; secure time and comping make the arrangement's sophistication shine.
• Bring out counterlines in the supporting voices; they drive the sophistication and prevent any section from feeling sidelined.

Open a concert with this to set an upbeat, accessible tone before moving into deeper repertoire. It also works beautifully as a palate cleanser between more introspective pieces, and audiences will recognize it instantly.

• Reading and performing in multiple key centers within a single piece
• Maintaining ensemble balance when melody and supporting harmony share equal importance
• Interpreting jazz articulation and phrasing in an ensemble context
• Understanding the relationship between harmonic movement and forward momentum