Jazz Standards for Vocalists with Combo Accompaniment: Trombone Book

Wolpe's arrangements for this collection are built on deep understanding of how brass voices work together and how they support a vocalist without overwhelming the lyric. The combo size and optional baritone sax give you flexibility in your ensemble while maintaining the sophisticated harmonies and swing feel these standards demand. Ten of the most enduring songs in American music, freshly orchestrated for a working rhythm section and four to five horns, makes this a practical resource that sounds nothing like a compromise.

These are the songs that defined American popular song, and Wolpe's writing lets their elegance breathe. The trombone carries some of the most lyrical countermelodies and harmonic foundation in the ensemble, giving you real musical responsibility beyond accompaniment. Expect swing, sophistication, and the kind of timeless melodic beauty that makes every rehearsal and performance feel like you're part of jazz history.

Trombonists in jazz ensembles, combos, or studio settings who are ready to read standard jazz voicings and support a vocalist with maturity and blend. This book works equally well for high school jazz bands fielding a vocalist and a smaller horn section, or for college jazz combos looking for professional-level standards arrangements.

• Balance the trombone voicing against the trumpet and saxes by listening for the vocal melody first; your part anchors the lower brass harmony, so clarity matters more than volume.
• Lock into the rhythm section's pocket early in rehearsal and maintain that connection throughout; the piano/conductor cues will help, but your ear should be tracking the bass and drums.
• Shape your phrase endings to match the vocalist's phrasing, especially in ballads like My Funny Valentine and Night and Day, where breath points define the emotional arc.
• On uptempo numbers like How High the Moon and I Get a Kick Out of You, keep your articulation clean and synchronized with the other horns; unity of attack makes the voicings sing.

Feature this collection in a concert pairing vocalist and jazz combo, or use individual standards as specialty songs alongside your ensemble's usual big band fare. The ballads work beautifully in a jazz night that showcases both instrumental and vocal talents; the uptempo numbers provide contrast and energy in a mixed program.

• Reading jazz chord voicings and the harmonic vocabulary of standards
• Balancing tone and dynamics in a small ensemble context
• Responding to and supporting a vocalist's phrasing and breath patterns
• Executing clean articulation and synchronization with other brass voices
• Interpreting swing eighth notes and jazz interpretation at both tempos