Make Someone Happy: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes's arrangement unlocks the jazz DNA in Styne's melody without requiring your singers to navigate complex rhythmic syncopation or belt technique. The lush harmonic writing and wordless vocal textures (those "oos" and "ahs") create an atmosphere of genuine sophistication that audiences associate with live jazz singing, but the actual singing remains grounded and accessible.

Intimate and warm, like overhearing a skilled jazz ensemble in a small venue. The piece moves from hushed, impressionistic textures to moments of full harmonic bloom, creating a arc that feels both tender and assured. There's an unhurried quality to the phrasing that invites singers and listeners alike to savor the melody and harmony.

This arrangement works beautifully for choirs at the high school through adult level who want to sing something from the Great American Songbook without requiring advanced jazz technique or extensive rehearsal time. Directors seeking literature that combines accessibility with genuine harmonic and emotional depth will find this piece rewarding.

• Shape the opening harmonic cloud of "oos" and "ahs" as a single, breathing entity. Imagine these vowels as instrumental colors blending together rather than individual voice parts competing for attention.
• Keep the pulsing "doos" underneath the melody at a whisper dynamic. They're meant to suggest rhythm section accompaniment, not anchor the piece.
• Lean into the lyric "Love is the answer" with genuine warmth in your tone. The harmonic richness of this section needs singers who believe in the sentiment, not just technical execution.
• Balance the soloists or featured voice(s) against the ensemble with care. The lyrics describe support and togetherness, so even when one voice carries the melody, the surrounding voices should feel present and engaged.

Program this as a palette cleanser between more demanding or heavier repertoire, or as a closing piece for a concert built around American popular song and standards. Its brevity and emotional directness make it equally effective as a standalone showcase or as part of a themed program exploring jazz and musical theater traditions.

• Blending vowel sounds across multiple voice parts while maintaining distinct harmonic function
• Singing in an expressive, jazz-influenced style without resorting to belting or stylistic clichés
• Accompanying a featured melody with sustained harmonic interest and textural variety
• Shaping longer phrases with subtle dynamic and timbral variation