Little Sunflower: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Mike Story's arrangement preserves the infectious pocket and straightforward melody of Hubbard's original while scaling the instrumentation to fit a developing ensemble. The written-out solos for tenor sax and trumpet 1 give students a legitimate model for jazz phrasing and articulation without requiring real-time improvisation, making this chart ideal for programs building toward open soloing. It sounds considerably fuller and more sophisticated than the grade level suggests.

Bright, buoyant, and effortlessly groovy. The Latin underpinning gives the tune a warm tropical quality, while the straightforward melody and simple harmony create an inviting, almost folk-like character. The overall feeling is playful optimism without pretense.

First-year and early second-year jazz ensembles, particularly groups with developing sight-readers who benefit from straightforward charts that still swing authentically. This works well for programs introducing students to jazz standards and Latin feels for the first time.

• Keep the horn section locked on the written rhythms, especially the syncopated figures. These aren't complex, but they need precision and lift to sit properly in the groove.
• The suggested solos should feel conversational, not stiff. Encourage the tenor and trumpet to listen to the recorded original and absorb the phrasing before learning the notes.
• Bring out the bass and drums foundation. The Latin feel depends entirely on a crisp, consistent rhythm section. Lock the hi-hat and snare pattern early.
• Balance the ensemble so the melody stays audible over the comping chords. This chart sounds best when nothing competes for space.

Schedule this early in the ensemble's season when building foundational ensemble skills and confidence. Its accessibility and short duration make it ideal for a concert opener, or pair it with other Latin-tinged standards to explore different grooves across one concert set. The suggested solos also make it a natural fit for introducing students to the concept of "learning a solo as written before improvising."

• Playing over a consistent Latin groove (clave-based rhythm)
• Reading and executing syncopated melodic figures with precision
• Listening to and absorbing jazz phrasing from written-out solos
• Balancing ensemble voicings to maintain melodic clarity
• Understanding the relationship between rhythm section and horn section in groove-based jazz