I Can't Give You Anything but Love: SSA Choral Octavo
Arr. Jay Althouse and Dave Riley
Item: 00-PO-0004460
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Use this light, lazy swing arrangement with your concert, swing, or vocal jazz choirs. It's quickly learned and is ideal for teaching swing style. This pop classic arrangement sparkles and so will your choir when they perform it. SoundTrax features rhythm and horns.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0004460
More about this title
About the Arranger: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse studied music education and music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he later received the Distinguished Alumni award. He spent eight years in publishing administration, including a term on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America, before becoming a full-time composer.
Althouse has composed over 800 choral works performed worldwide and holds membership in ASCAP, receiving regular recognition through the ASCAP Special Award. Beyond composition, he has compiled vocal collections, co-authored pedagogical books including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, and contributed to classroom resources like Ready to Read Music and One-Page Composer Bios. His co-written choral work I Hear America Singing was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures the essence of swing without demanding extensive rehearsal time. The writing sits naturally for SSA voices and teaches authentic jazz phrasing through a song your singers already know and love, making style absorption feel organic rather than imposed.
What to expect
Breezy and sophisticated, this arrangement glides with the ease of a lazy afternoon. The swing rhythm feels natural and conversational rather than forced, letting singers enjoy the playful, romantic quality of the melody while keeping the texture light and buoyant.
Who it's for
Concert choirs and vocal jazz ensembles looking for accessible swing material that doesn't require extensive prior jazz experience. Directors teaching swing style for the first time will find this piece both forgiving and effective.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the laid-back rhythmic feel during early rehearsals by having singers listen to the recorded accompaniment before learning their parts; the groove will anchor their understanding of what lazy swing actually means
- Work on the homophonic sections first to establish the harmonic foundation, then layer in any divisi moments so singers understand how their line functions within the whole
- Schedule staging movement into your final rehearsals after the singing is secure; the piece includes choreography suggestions that should complement rather than complicate the vocal performance
How to use it
Pair this with other jazz standards or standards-adjacent repertoire for a jazz-focused concert, or use it as the swing-style opener or closer for a more varied program. Its quick learning curve makes it ideal for inclusion in a concert planned with limited rehearsal time.
Skills your students will build
- Swing rhythm and phrasing (laid-back rhythmic placement and swing eighth-note feel)
- Jazz vocal style and articulation
- Reading jazz harmony and chord changes
- Part independence in SSA voicing
- Coordination with recorded instrumental accompaniment