Jazzy Merry Christmas: Score
Arr. Paul Cook
Grade: 1 (Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0004429
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Jazz up your holiday concerts with this swingin' medley for your younger ensemble. Includes "Up on the Housetop," "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" and "Jingle Bells." Very Easy (2:12)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Jazzy Merry Christmas: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
90
SKU:
00-PR-0004429
More about this title
Why we love this
Paul Cook has built a reputation for writing accessible jazz that respects young players' abilities while keeping the genre's swagger intact. This medley proves you don't need advanced harmonic language or complex rhythms to capture authentic swing; the straightforward voicings and clear articulation patterns let beginners focus on feel and ensemble balance rather than fighting the charts. Directors consistently return to First Year Charts because they actually work in the rehearsal room.
What to expect
Bright and unpretentious. The arrangements take three melodies your students already know and dress them in proper swing clothes. There's no pretense here; just clean, bouncy jazz that lets younger players experience the real satisfaction of playing with pocket and groove.
Who it's for
First-year jazz ensemble students and conductors building a holiday program without overwhelmingly complex charts. The Grade 1 level means your section leaders can manage the reading while everyone else focuses on developing jazz vocabulary and ensemble listening skills.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the swing eighth-note feel during your first run-through by conducting in 2 and having everyone tap the backbeat. Once that pocket is locked, the medley's transitions flow naturally.
- Balance the melody across sections rather than letting lead trumpet or alto run away with it. These holiday tunes are recognizable enough that clarity matters more than soloistic showcasing.
- Treat each tune as its own brief statement rather than rushing through them. Three separate moments give you three separate opportunities to nail the groove.
- Pay attention to dynamics on the softer sections. Young players tend to push volume when they're comfortable; remind them that a controlled mezzo-forte can sound more sophisticated than a blaring forte.
How to use it
This works beautifully as a concert opener or a fun contrast piece sandwiched between more formal holiday selections. At just over two minutes, it's the perfect length for a quick energy shift without eating up valuable rehearsal time during the December push.
Skills your students will build
- Swung eighth-note articulation and phrasing
- Reading jazz chord symbols and rhythmic notation
- Ensemble balance and blend within jazz voicings
- Managing section entrances and exits in a medley format
- Differentiating articulation between jazz and concert repertoire