In the Stone: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

López captures the infectious energy of "In the Stone" without oversimplifying it. This arrangement respects the funk and groove of the original while giving your ensemble genuine jazz vocabulary to work with, making it rewarding to rehearse and thrilling to perform.

Funky, propulsive, and joyful. The arrangement moves with the swagger of the original Earth, Wind & Fire recording while giving your ensemble space to settle into a real jazz groove. It's the kind of piece that makes students want to play it again the moment it ends.

Jazz ensemble directors looking for a grade 4 piece that has genuine appeal to students and audiences alike. This works for advanced middle school and high school ensembles that have solid fundamentals and are ready for authentic jazz material.

• Lock the rhythm section (drums, bass, piano) into the pocket before adding horns. The groove is everything in this piece.
• Shape the dynamics around the arrangement's peaks and valleys rather than playing it straight through. Let the funky sections breathe.
• Balance the horn lines so they cut through without overpowering the rhythm section's foundation.
• Commit fully to the articulation and phrasing marked in the score. Jazz feel comes from precision in the details.

Program this as a showcase piece in a jazz-focused concert or as a contemporary crowd-pleaser in a mixed concert. At just over three minutes, it's the perfect length for a standalone feature or as part of a longer jazz set.

• Funk and swing feel across different ensemble sections
• Horn section blend and balance in jazz voicings
• Rhythmic precision and syncopation in ensemble context
• Reading and interpreting jazz articulation and phrasing marks
• Building cohesive groove with rhythm section and ensemble