Jump, Jive An' Swing: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Murtha captures the infectious energy of swing without overcomplicating the parts, making this medley genuinely fun to perform rather than just entertaining to hear. The three songs flow seamlessly into one another, so programming feels like a single statement rather than three separate pieces.

A rollicking trip through three classic swing standards that lifts the concert experience into familiar, joyful territory. The arrangement fizzes with the spirit of the original recordings while staying firmly grounded in what a young concert band can deliver with confidence.

Grade 3 concert bands that can handle light jazz swing articulation and want to program something audiences will immediately connect with. This works equally well for groups developing their jazz vocabulary and those looking for a crowd-pleasing concert closer.

• Lock the rhythmic figures between the rhythm section and the horn parts early in rehearsal; the swing feel depends on tight ensemble precision underneath the soloists.
• Balance the melody line so the familiar hooks remain instantly recognizable even when layered with countermelody and inner voices.
• Let the front row breathe during the ensemble hits rather than attacking everything with equal weight; space gives the jazz articulation room to shine.
• Establish the tempo of each section clearly before transitions so the audience follows the journey without losing the groove.

Open a spring concert with this medley to set a celebratory tone, or use it as your final selection on a program that mixes concert band standards with more contemporary styles. At 3:25, it's the ideal palate cleanser between heavier classical works.

• Swing articulation and phrasing
• Reading and executing slash chord notation
• Ensemble jazz rhythm section coordination
• Stylistic contrast between straight and swung rhythms
• Balanced ensemble textures with multiple concurrent lines