Lazy Bird (arr. Mike Tomaro): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By John Coltrane / Arranged by Mike Tomaro
Grade: 5
Item: 35-PK01212582
$50.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Similar to the style of the original recording by John Coltrane, Mike Tomaro's chart for six horns is a smooth-sounding uptempo swing chart. Great scoring in the little big band format.
Lazy Bird (arr. Mike Tomaro): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01212582
More about this title
About the Composer: John Coltrane
John Coltrane transformed jazz saxophone in the 1950s and 1960s, moving from bebop foundations into modal improvisation and sheets of sound that fundamentally expanded what the instrument could express. His compositions and recordings became blueprints for understanding jazz harmony, phrasing, and the relationship between structure and spontaneity. In the classroom, his work teaches students how a single musician's obsessive focus on craft and innovation can reshape an entire art form.
Why we love this
Mike Tomaro captures the sophisticated swing of the original in an arrangement that sits perfectly in the little big band format without overcrowding the texture. The six-horn voicing gives every section player a moment to breathe while maintaining that effortless, floating quality that makes Coltrane's melodies so memorable. Grade 5 ensembles rarely find charts this polished.
What to expect
Smooth and propulsive at once. The melody has Coltrane's characteristic warmth and singing quality, while the uptempo pushes the ensemble forward with the kind of effortless groove that makes students forget they're learning and just makes them want to play.
Who it's for
Grade 5 jazz ensembles ready to tackle authentic swing repertoire with professional-level arranging. This works for both developing programs looking to build confidence and more experienced groups seeking material that doesn't compromise musicality for accessibility.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the pocket with your rhythm section first. Coltrane's material demands swing feel that's relaxed but locked; rehearse your drums, bass, and piano as a unit before bringing in the horns.
- Balance the ensemble voicing so the melody line cuts through cleanly. With six horns, it's easy for inner voices to swell and muddy the line; careful dynamic shaping in rehearsal prevents this.
- Let the uptempo breathe. This is not a chart to rush. A well-placed, spacious swing feel will feel faster than one played mechanically.
How to use it
This fits naturally into a jazz concert second or third, after your rhythm section has warmed up and your ensemble has settled into the swing feel of the evening. It also pairs well with other Coltrane material or standard-based charts, anchoring your program with a piece that students will recognize and audiences will immediately connect to.
Skills your students will build
- Reading jazz articulation and phrasing conventions in a professional arrangement
- Playing with swing feel at an uptempo
- Voicing transparency in close-spaced horn harmony
- Balancing section roles (melody, supporting voices, rhythm section) in real time
- Interpreting a composer's sound through an arranger's lens