Hunting Wabbits 3 (Get Off My Lawn): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

This is the kind of chart that justifies a full sectional rehearsal schedule. Goodwin's writing here balances technical challenge with absolute playability; the solo spaces are generously constructed so your best players get genuine moments to shine, and the ensemble passages reward tight section work without becoming gratuitous. The fact that it's recorded by the Big Phat Band means your ensemble has a reference that breathes with authority and groove, giving your students something legitimate to chase rather than a distant ideal.

Irreverent and energetic, with Goodwin's signature cinematic flair; the title itself (Get Off My Lawn) signals an attitude that's cheeky without being flippant. The writing swings hard but also has personality in every phrase, refusing to settle into autopilot. It's the sound of a composer who understands both tradition and the pull of contemporary groove, delivered with polish and wit.

Grade 6 ensembles with strong technical foundation and reliable solo voices across the section. The soloists need to be comfortable taking risks and handling jazz language at a high level, and the ensemble sections demand precise articulation and rhythmic cohesion. This is a repertoire choice for a program that's ready to demonstrate what an advanced jazz band can accomplish.

• Establish the groove pocket early in sectionals. The rhythm section's pocket is the foundation for every solo and ensemble line to land cleanly; lock that first, then layer in the horn parts.
• Honor the space in the writing. Goodwin knows when to pull back, and those quieter moments will shine only if the ensemble resists the urge to push volume everywhere.
• Check lead trumpet range expectations in rehearsal. Written to high F-sharp means confirming your lead player can execute with comfort and control at tempo; if needed, work transposition alternatives before dress rehearsal.
• Let the piccolo color come through in the second alto part. It's easy for that voice to disappear; mic it or position it forward during performance so the tonal variety registers with the audience.

Feature this as a centerpiece chart in a jazz festival or concert where you want to showcase an advanced ensemble's full toolkit. The combination of ensemble precision, solo opportunities, and orchestration color makes it ideal for a concert finale or a piece that stands alone on a program. It also works beautifully as a reference point for discussing how to balance complexity with groove and humor in jazz composition.

• Reading and executing jazz articulation and phrasing across multiple registers
• Managing harmonic density and soloingover modern jazz changes
• Balancing ensemble cohesion with individual solo voice
• Interpreting orchestration color and doubling effects (piccolo, soprano saxophone alternates)
• Executing precise rhythmic coordination in an ensemble setting at professional tempo