Nice 'n' Easy: SAB Choral Octavo

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the cool elegance of this Sinatra signature without requiring a full jazz ensemble. The SAB voicing lets your second sopranos and altos blend into the texture while keeping the lead line accessible, and the modest page count means you can teach it without overwhelming rehearsal calendars. It's the kind of standard that reminds singers why interpretation matters as much as technique.

Warmth and sophistication with a wink. The melody unfolds like a conversation between old friends, unhurried and genuinely comfortable. This is the sound of someone who knows exactly what they're doing and inviting the listener in rather than showing off.

Choirs ready to step into the jazz standard repertoire without the complexity of full swing arrangements. Directors seeking a concert opener or closer that showcases both polish and personality work well for groups at the intermediate level and above.

• Shape the phrase contours as a vocalist would rather than distributing the melody symmetrically across the three parts. This is jazz phrasing in a choral context, which means slight rubato and intentional breath points matter.
• Balance the SAB texture so that the soprano carries the tune without overshadowing the harmonic warmth of the altos and second sopranos below. Think of them as a backing band, not a chorus.
• Keep the tempo honest to the title: "nice and easy" isn't a permission to drag. Maintain a gentle swing feel that suggests movement even at a relaxed tempo.
• Emphasize the lyrical quality in diction. These words work best when they sound conversational, not enunciated for clarity alone.

Pair this with other standards or jazz repertoire to create a full "American Songbook" set, or program it as a tonal counterweight to more rigorous concert music. It works particularly well as a concert opener that puts an audience at ease and sets a sophisticated but inviting tone for the evening.

• Jazz phrasing and rubato within a choral setting
• Balance between melodic interest and harmonic support across three parts
• Conversational diction and lyrical storytelling
• SAB voicing blend and independence
• Swing feel and stylistic flexibility