Jazz Exsultate: SSA Choral Octavo

Purifoy gives SSA singers genuine jazz vocabulary without drowning them in complexity. The voicing stays singable while the harmonic movement and rhythmic energy demand real musicianship from the ensemble, making this work equally rewarding in a festival setting or a concert finale.

Buoyant and modern. The piece radiates optimism through its jazz-inflected harmonies and rhythmic propulsion, inviting singers and listeners alike into a sound world where classical choir training meets the vitality of popular music. There is joy in the exultation.

This octavo serves SSA choirs ready to explore jazz idiom with contemporary energy. Festival circuits, high school choirs seeking accessible but substantive repertoire, and singers interested in developing jazz phrasing and stylistic flexibility will all find strong material here.

• Establish a steady swing feel from the first rehearsal. Have the singers listen to the rhythm section parts together before adding voices; this anchors the jazz aesthetic.
• Balance the vertical harmony carefully, especially where jazz chords stack unusual intervals. Ask singers to tune by listening to the harmonic quality rather than individual notes.
• Bring out syncopated rhythmic phrases as conversational moments between sections rather than technical hurdles. Singing jazz is about relaxation and groove, not precision.

Place this as a second half opener or penultimate selection where you want to shift mood and energy. Its contemporary voice pairs well after more traditional sacred or classical selections, offering both the technical credibility of composed concert music and the infectious appeal of jazz styles.

• Jazz articulation and phrasing in a choral context
• Reading and performing syncopated rhythmic figures across multiple vocal lines
• Tuning and balancing jazz voicings with extended harmonies
• Sustaining a swing feel while maintaining ensemble precision