Jing Jing Jingle: Bassoon
Arranged by Chris Sharp
Grade: 2.5;3
Item: 98-PC-DB1636_B1
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Welcome the yuletide season in jazzy style as Saint Nick meets Benny Goodman and his renowned drummer Gene Krupa. This inventive take on the holiday chestnut Jingle Bells begins with the iconic toms solo launching into the familiar melody. When the full ensemble enters on the chorus, sleigh bells add to the festive mood. After a call-and-response section between the brass and woodwind sections, Jolly Old St. Nicholas makes his appearance to close out the piece!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Jing Jing Jingle: Bassoon comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Young Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1636_B1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Chris Sharp
Chris Sharp holds a Ph.D. and has built a career spanning performance, composition, and education across multiple venues and scales. As a trombonist, he spent eleven years as a performing musician and band leader at Walt Disney World, and since 1984 has arranged and orchestrated music for Disney parks worldwide, creating scores for atmosphere groups, live shows, recordings, and television broadcasts. His freelance work extends to Universal Studios, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Boston Pops, the Dallas Brass, and service bands including the USAF Airmen of Note.
Sharp's educational credentials include degrees from the University of Florida and University of Miami. He currently serves as Director of Bands at Polk State College in Winter Haven, where he teaches music theory, music technology, and arranging alongside his conducting duties. His concert and jazz band works appear regularly at major festivals including the Midwest Clinic, and he has received the ASCAPlus award multiple times. He serves as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator for organizations such as Bands of America and Drum Corps International.
Why we love this
Sharp transforms a holiday standard into a swing-era showcase that feels both playful and musically substantive. The percussion-driven entrance and call-and-response dialogue between sections give students real ensemble interaction and sectional independence to develop, rather than simply restating a familiar tune. This is the kind of holiday pops piece that energizes a concert program while keeping musicians genuinely engaged.
What to expect
Imagine Benny Goodman's swinging sensibility meets Christmas morning energy. The opening drums solo sets a playful, slightly mischievous tone before the ensemble enters with sleigh bells and warm melodic color. The piece bounces between groovy sophistication and holiday charm, landing somewhere between a jazz club and a festive concert stage.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the upper elementary or middle school level will find this arrangement accessible without being simplistic. The Grade 2.5-3 difficulty keeps technical demands manageable while offering enough musical personality and sectional interplay to keep players interested and engaged.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the opening tom solo breathe and establish the swing groove clearly before the full ensemble enters; this moment defines the entire character of the piece.
- Balance the sleigh bells carefully so they enhance festivity without drowning the melody during the chorus.
- Shape the call-and-response section between brass and woodwinds with distinct character for each group, making the dialogue conversational rather than mechanical.
- Treat the Jolly Old St. Nicholas section as a brief moment of musical surprise; lean into the transition to close the piece with clear articulation and energy.
How to use it
Position this after a more serious or ceremonial piece to shift the concert mood toward celebration, or open a pops segment with it to establish an upbeat energy. The swing style and holiday theme make it ideal for winter concerts, holiday fundraisers, or any program that mixes traditional and contemporary holiday music.
Skills your students will build
- Swing rhythm and articulation (straight eighth notes vs. swung feel)
- Call-and-response ensemble dialogue and sectional independence
- Percussion integration in an ensemble context (tom solo entrance, sleigh bells blend)
- Dynamic control and tonal balance in a multi-section texture
- Stylistic playing within a jazz/pop idiom