Nice Work If You Can Get It: SAB Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the playful sophistication of this Gershwin standard while keeping the part-writing accessible for developing choirs. The SAB texture opens this jazz classic to groups that might otherwise overlook it, and Brymer preserves enough harmonic interest to keep singers engaged. It's a genuine crowd-pleaser that doesn't sacrifice musicianship.

A wink and a nod dressed in smart harmony. The melody carries the easy confidence of someone who knows how to charm, and Brymer's arrangement surrounds it with just enough rhythmic sophistication to keep things fresh. There's warmth here without sentimentality, and humor without being cutesy.

Any choir ready to explore the jazz standards repertoire without sacrificing accessibility. This works equally well for high school choirs seeking sophisticated secular material and college groups looking to add a tuneful opener or closer to a concert.

• Keep the diction crisp and rhythmically tight. The text moves quickly, and clarity of vowels makes the conversational humor land with the audience.
• Shape the melodic lines with jazz phrasing rather than classical legit technique. This tune breathes and bends; allow singers to color the lyrical peaks.
• Lock the rhythm section parts (if performing with accompaniment) to a steady groove. The groove is what gives the arrangement its contemporary swing.
• Balance the soprano melody against the supporting parts. The message lives in the top line, but the inner voices should breathe and stay rhythmically active.

Book this as a contrast piece on a concert dominated by classical or spiritual material. Its contemporary groove and familiar charm bridge the gap between traditional choral fare and what contemporary audiences recognize. It also serves as a natural opener or closer when programming a full evening of American standards.

• jazz phrasing and swing interpretation
• clear diction at faster tempos
• three-part voicing in mixed ranges
• rhythmic precision in syncopated passages
• balancing melody against supporting harmonies