Love Matters the Most: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By Mark Taylor
Grade: 4
Item: 35-PK00297082
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Description
Here is a wonderfully sensitive jazz ballad that features a tenor sax soloist throughout. Mark uses woodwind doubles (optional) and lush harmonies with muted brass textures in creating this stunningly beautiful work.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00297082
More about this title
About the Composer: Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor has built a reputation as a composer and arranger who understands what works in the jazz ensemble setting. His writing balances accessibility with sophistication, making his works reliable choices for ensembles seeking material that sounds polished without demanding virtuosic technical demands.
Taylor's catalog spans multiple genres and ensemble types, but his jazz writing in particular shows a gift for melodic storytelling and harmonic warmth. He has become a go-to composer for educators looking to program works that engage both players and audiences.
Why we love this
This ballad gives your tenor saxophonist a genuine feature without isolating the rest of the ensemble. The lush harmonies and muted brass voicings create an intimate soundscape that feels mature, and the optional woodwind doubles mean you can program it confidently whether your section is at full strength or running lean.
What to expect
Tender and unhurried. The work unfolds like a quiet conversation, with the tenor saxophone speaking intimate truths over warm, carefully voiced harmonic support. Muted brass textures add a soft luminosity that makes the piece feel both reflective and sophisticated.
Who it's for
Jazz ensembles at the intermediate level looking for programmatic material that showcases a strong soloist while maintaining musical depth across the entire group. It works equally well for concert settings where a ballad creates necessary emotional contrast or for jazz festival programming where maturity of interpretation matters.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the muted brass carefully so they support rather than overpower the tenor solo. The texture lives in restraint.
- Work the saxophone part with attention to phrase breathing and tone control. A ballad this sensitive demands beautiful sound production, not just accurate notes.
- If you're using the woodwind doubles, rehearse them separately first to lock the doubled lines before bringing them into the full ensemble.
- Let the harmonic movement breathe during ensemble passages. Avoid rushing into chords; let each voicing settle and resonate.
How to use it
Slot this into the second half of a concert where it can settle the energy and showcase lyrical playing before ramping back up. It pairs beautifully with up-tempo selections and provides a natural moment for audiences to absorb something genuine without the intellectual demands of a complex composition.
Skills your students will build
- Ensemble balance in small group settings
- Muted brass technique and tonal control
- Solo accompaniment listening and ensemble responsiveness
- Phrasing and breath management in ballad tempos
- Reading jazz voicing notation with clarity