It's A Good Day (arr. Lloyd Steinkamp): SATB Choral Octavo

Lloyd Steinkamp's arrangement captures the easy optimism of the original while giving your SATB choir something genuinely singable and fun. The barbershop idiom brings out the harmonies in a way that rewards careful blend work without demanding extreme vocal ranges, and the six pages move quickly in rehearsal.

Sunlit and buoyant, with a gentle swing that makes singers want to smile. The harmonic language feels familiar yet polished, the kind of piece that lands immediately with audiences because its optimism is genuine rather than forced.

Choirs comfortable with jazz vocabulary and looking to program something that bridges classical training with contemporary accessibility. Directors seeking a six-page piece that builds morale without consuming rehearsal time on technical hurdles.

• Balance the lead line so the lyrics sit clearly on top of the harmonic foundation; barbershop voicing can swallow a melody if the soprano isn't given room to breathe.
• Lean into the swing feel rather than treating it metrically strict; this style lives in the space between written note values and the actual groove.
• Shape phrases toward moments of lyrical warmth rather than pushing for volume; Peggy Lee's original succeeds through intimacy, not power.

Pair this with other mid-century American standards to create a concert program that honors the American songbook. It works equally well as a closing number that sends the audience out satisfied or as a second-act opener that lifts energy after a more serious work.

• Maintaining intonation across jazz seventh and ninth chord voicings
• Phrasing within swing rhythms while reading straight notation
• Blend and balance in close-position barbershop harmony
• Stylistic interpretation of American popular song