I'm Feelin' Funky: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Sebesky writes funk grooves that actually work for developing bands without sacrificing musical integrity. The syncopated figures demand crisp articulation and rhythmic precision, making this an ideal teaching tool that doesn't feel like a teaching tool. Your students will want to play it because it sounds cool, and they'll build real musicianship while they're having fun.

Funky, syncopated, and infectious. The groove is contemporary and cool without being contrived, with layered rhythmic figures that create momentum and forward motion. It captures that satisfying moment when a band locks together and the whole room feels the same pulse.

Band directors working with Grade 2 ensembles who want to teach articulation and rhythmic accuracy through repertoire that engages students. This is equally suited for players who've mastered basic technique and are ready to coordinate syncopation with precise tonguing.

• Lock the backbeat in your rhythm section first. The groove lives or dies on the consistency of the drums and bass parts, so isolate and drill these voices before full rehearsal.
• Shape each articulated phrase with definition. Staccato notes should be clean and short; tongued passages need clarity without sounding choppy. Mark your parts with exactly where that separation lives.
• Balance the syncopated lines across sections so they sit on top of the steady quarter-note foundation without pushing the tempo forward.

Program this as a pops concert opener or a spring concert highlight where you want to showcase your developing band's rhythmic sophistication. It pairs well with traditional concert fare as a palate cleanser that reminds both students and audiences that concert band can swing.

• Articulation control (staccato vs. sustained)
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms in a group setting
• Maintaining steady tempo while playing syncopated figures
• Balancing parts with different rhythmic roles in a funk groove