Misty (Emocionado) (arr. Michele Fernández): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

The piece channels the warmth and lyricism of the original while channeling Latin heat through a tight, medium-tempo groove. Brass and reeds trade the melody in a way that feels conversational, and the alto sax solo emerges as a genuine moment of vulnerability before the final brass shout brings infectious joy back to the room.

Jazz ensembles at the intermediate level looking for a standard with built-in accessibility but genuine arrangement sophistication. Directors who want to program a recognizable tune that still demands focused rehearsal and offers teaching moments around style, section balance, and solo accompaniment.

• Balance the opening saxophone melody against the rhythm section's salsa clave foundation. The horns should anchor the groove rather than sit on top of it.
• Shape the transition into the alto sax solo with a slight lift in energy. This is the arrangement's emotional peak, so the ensemble should frame it cleanly without overshadowing the soloist.
• Lock the brass section's closing chorus into a tight, coordinated sound. Fernández has written clever accompaniment figures that only land if the parts breathe and articulate as a unified block.

This works beautifully on a jazz concert where you want something that audiences recognize immediately but that demonstrates your ensemble's stylistic range. Pair it with a blues head or bebop chart to show your group's versatility across jazz idioms, or use it as the opening number to establish energy and engagement before moving into more adventurous material.

• Salsa rhythmic feels and clave-based accompaniment patterns
• Balancing melody against active background rhythms
• Section-to-section handoffs and ensemble articulation consistency
• Supporting a featured soloist within a full ensemble texture
• Style-appropriate articulation and phrasing for Latin jazz