I Got You (I Feel Good) (arr. Paul Murtha): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Paul Murtha's arrangement respects the DNA of the original while making it accessible for younger ensembles. The funky groove doesn't require virtuosic chops, but it demands tight ensemble control and rhythmic precision, making it an ideal teaching tool for building pocket awareness and jazz phrasing habits. Your students will recognize this instantly, which means they'll commit to nailing the details.

Walking into a party where the band won't let the energy drop. The arrangement swings with authentic funk flavor, combining crisp ensemble figures with space for individual voices to shine, creating that irresistible moment when students realize they're genuinely *feeling* the music rather than just reading it.

Grade 2 jazz ensembles with developing soloists and a solid grasp of jazz articulation and swing feel. This works equally well for groups performing their first jazz concert or for ensembles looking to program something that builds confidence while teaching real funk vocabulary.

• Lock the rhythm section to a single pulse. Have the drummer and bassist mark time together in rehearsal before adding melody voices, since the groove's infectious quality depends on absolute rhythmic unity rather than rushing.
• Balance solo opportunities so all three saxes and trumpet voices feel heard. Rotate who takes the written solo sections, or have students trade eight-bar segments to keep energy fresh through multiple performances.
• Emphasize the "and" of beat four in ensemble passages. This characteristic James Brown phrasing sits behind the beat slightly and gives the chart its signature swagger.
• Shape dynamics around the solos, pulling back ensemble hits to let featured voices cut through without sacrificing the groove's intensity.

Open a spring concert with this to immediately engage your audience and signal that your jazz ensemble is here to have fun with serious musicality. It pairs well alongside other soul and funk standards and gives your group a showstopper that doesn't require advanced instrumental technique to execute with style.

• Reading and executing written jazz articulation and phrasing
• Playing with a strong sense of pocket and groove awareness
• Trading improvised solos and maintaining ensemble cohesion during solo sections
• Balancing ensemble and solo dynamics in a funk context
• Understanding the rhythmic and harmonic foundations of funk and soul music