It Had Better Be Tonight: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Scott Ragsdale's samba reimagining gives this Mancini standard a rhythmic vitality that energizes student ensembles while keeping the melody front and center. The flexible instrumentation and optional parts mean you can run this with whatever brass and reeds you have on hand, making it genuinely practical for mixed-ability jazz combos. A vocalist with solid intonation and phrasing will shine here, and the band gets to play real jazz figures that feel rewarding to master.

Warm, urbane, and playful. The samba context gives the arrangement a tropical sparkle while keeping Mancini's sophisticated harmonic sensibility intact. Expect the kind of sophisticated groove that feels like a sophisticated jazz club condensed into your rehearsal space.

Jazz ensembles with a strong vocalist and section chops at the intermediate level. Directors looking for a chart that showcases singing alongside ensemble playing will find this especially useful for concerts where you want to feature a soloist without shifting into ballad territory.

• Lock the samba rhythm in the piano and bass before adding horns. The lift and pocket of the groove depends on that foundation staying steady at 104 BPM.
• Balance the vocalist so the lyrics land clearly over the ensemble. This chart lives in the intersection of song and jazz improvisation, and clarity matters for both.
• Shape the trumpet lead (written to A) with dynamic contrast. The horn parts are written high and lean into the brightness of the arrangement; let them breathe in phrases rather than playing straight through.
• Keep the cut-time feel light and bouncy. Avoid dragging the tempo; samba at this energy level thrives on forward motion and rhythmic precision from the rhythm section.

Slot this into a jazz concert as a midset energy lift or closer that leaves audiences smiling. The 3:19 duration and approachable melody make it work equally well as a pop-flavored showcase number or a genuine jazz vehicle depending on how your vocalist and ensemble lean into the arrangement.

• Samba rhythms and Latin jazz comping
• Balancing solo voice with ensemble accompaniment
• Reading lead trumpet parts at medium-high tessitura
• Maintaining steady cut-time feel across a full chart
• Interpreting Mancini's harmonic language in a contemporary arranging context