Locked Out of Heaven: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Paul Murtha captures the irresistible pocket and forward momentum of the original without losing the song's essential character. Young players get to sink their teeth into genuinely fun material while the alto and trumpet solos offer real solo voices within the ensemble texture, making this a piece that keeps students engaged from rehearsal through performance.

This arrangement pulses with the controlled swagger of the original recording. The ensemble riffs sit in that sweet spot between funk and rock, creating a groove that feels modern and alive without sacrificing the clarity young musicians need to execute it cleanly.

Grade 3 jazz ensembles looking for contemporary material that connects with student interests while delivering solid musicianship demands. Directors seeking a chart that works equally well as a concert closer or as a festival piece that showcases your ensemble's rhythmic maturity and solo talent.

• Lock the kick drum and bass guitar into a tight pocket from the very first rehearsal; this song lives and dies by its rhythmic foundation.
• Have your alto saxophonist listen to the original recording multiple times before tackling the solo section; the phrasing and feel matter as much as hitting the right notes.
• Keep the energy consistent throughout, resisting the temptation to drag during the groove sections where ensemble figures repeat.
• Balance the hot riffs between sections so that no single line overpowers the cohesive rock feel Murtha has written into the chart.

Slot this into a spring or early summer concert to close out the year on a high note; audiences love recognizing the tune, and your players will remember this one for years. It also pairs nicely on a program featuring other contemporary pop or rock arrangements, signaling to your community that jazz band is far more than swing standards.

• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures in a rock context
• Maintaining steady groove under repeated ensemble riffs
• Solo improvisation within a defined harmonic structure
• Balancing ensemble blend when multiple sections carry thematic material
• Stylistic phrasing and feel in a pop/rock idiom