Living for the City: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
Arranged by John Wasson
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00334987
$50.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Living for the City - Conductor Score (Full Score) | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Alto Sax 1 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Alto Sax 2 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Tenor Sax 1 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Tenor Sax 2 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Baritone Sax | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trumpet 1 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trumpet 2 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trumpet 3 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trumpet 4 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trombone 1 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trombone 2 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trombone 3 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Trombone 4 | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Guitar | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Piano | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Bass | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Drums | $6.00 | |
| Living for the City - Aux Percussion | $6.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
From Stevie Wonder's acclaimed and highly influential 1973 "Innervisions" album, "Living for the City" featured a driving moderate tempo groove and memorable melodic lines. Adapted beautifully for jazz ensemble, this chart provides feature space for the trombone section along with powerful phrases for the entire band. Includes a solo for tenor sax.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00334987
More about this title
About the Arranger: John Wasson
John Wasson is a composer and arranger whose work spans jazz education and professional performance contexts. His arrangements consistently prioritize playability alongside musical substance, making him a trusted voice for bringing contemporary music into the jazz ensemble classroom.
Why we love this
Wasson captures the essence of Wonder's original without sacrificing the funk and soul that make the tune irresistible. By centering the trombone section, he gives mid-range voices a rare moment in the spotlight while keeping the entire ensemble engaged through smart voice leading and rhythmic punctuation.
What to expect
Propulsive and soulful, with the unmistakable drive of 1970s Motown soul meeting jazz ensemble sophistication. The trombone writing brings warmth and grit while the overall texture stays lean and syncopated, creating energy without heaviness.
Who it's for
Grade 3 jazz ensembles with solid rhythmic foundation and a tenor saxophonist ready for a feature. This arrangement works well for groups that can handle contemporary grooves and want to program music that resonates with students' own listening.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the eighth note pocket hard. The groove lives in the consistency of the rhythm section, so rehearse those parts as a unit before integrating the full band.
- Balance the tenor sax solo carefully against the ensemble figures. The soloist needs space to breathe, but the background parts shouldn't disappear entirely.
- Shape the trombone section lines with one sound in mind. These passages work best when the three voices articulate as a unified voice rather than three separate parts.
- Land the melody cleanly at the major structural points. This tune rewards precise ensemble hits, especially on the memorable riff that anchors each section.
How to use it
Build a concert around Stevie Wonder's influence on contemporary music by pairing this with other soul and funk standards in your jazz repertoire. Alternatively, use it as a vehicle for teaching how jazz arrangers adapt popular music, comparing this version directly to the original recording.
Skills your students will build
- Locking the eighth note groove and maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated contexts
- Sectional voice leading and balanced ensemble articulation
- Soloing over jazz chords with harmonic awareness
- Interpreting syncopated rhythms and contemporary funk-inflected notation
- Responding to sectional feature writing within an ensemble context