Nice Work If You Can Get It: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Dave Wolpe's arrangement captures the song's cheerful swagger while keeping the ensemble writing clean and accessible at Grade 3. The reversible vocal parts (F and C) solve a real scheduling problem: you can use the same chart across multiple vocalists without reprinting, and the supporting band parts are engaging enough that this works equally well as a concert feature or a swing-dancing showstopper.

Breezy and urbane, with the kind of optimistic lift that defined 1930s song. Wolpe's arrangement glides through chord changes with ease, trading melody between the vocalist and instruments while keeping the energy light and swinging rather than heavy or overly complex.

This chart works for high school and college jazz ensembles with a vocalist who has some jazz experience and comfort with swing phrasing. The Grade 3 scoring gives developing ensemble members (especially saxes and trombones) interesting material without overwhelming them, while the vocal writing sits comfortably for either a lower male voice or an upper female voice without strain.

• Establish the swing feel early in rehearsal by locking the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) around the backbeat; the ensemble will lock in faster once the groove is solid.
• Give the tenor saxophonist space during the solo section. Mark where the vocalist re-enters clearly in parts so the soloist knows exactly when to hand off.
• Work the vocalist's diction carefully in the ensemble sections. The busy backgrounds can blur the lyric if the vocal line isn't articulate and forward in the mix.
• Keep the tempo conversational and slightly relaxed; Gershwin's song breathes better when it never feels rushed, even with the jazzy energy around it.

Pair this with other Gershwin standards or jazz arrangements to create a vintage American songbook concert. It sits naturally alongside Duke Ellington charts or other Broadway-to-jazz crossovers, and its accessible difficulty makes it an ideal closer for a jazz concert where you want to leave the audience smiling.

• Swing phrasing and rhythmic interpretation
• Reading and executing jazz articulations (stabs, sustained backgrounds, ensemble unison)
• Balancing solo and ensemble textures
• Adapting to reversible parts and flexible voicing