One Mint Julep: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Mike Kamuf's arrangement strips away nothing essential from the original's pocket groove while keeping every part within comfortable, playable ranges for young ensembles. The written alto and trumpet solos give your soloists real material to dig into, and the funky cha-cha feel energizes rehearsals without requiring years of jazz experience from your students. At grade 2, this chart delivers the authentic funk without asking for the technical sophistication that usually comes with it.

Sunlit and irresistible, with the kind of groove that makes audiences want to move. The cha-cha rhythm gives it a Latin swagger while the jazz harmony keeps it contemporary and cool, creating a chart that feels both timeless and immediately alive in the room.

Any jazz ensemble director working with students who are new to jazz idioms but ready to play real jazz charts. This score is designed for ensembles at the grade 2 level who have basic ensemble cohesion and can handle simple jazz articulation and phrasing without extensive foundational work.

• Lock the rhythm section into the 120 BPM groove early and keep it locked throughout; the cha-cha pocket is what carries this chart, and any wavering in the bass or drums will expose the whole ensemble.
• Let the alto and trumpet soloists breathe naturally over the changes; this is a conversational chart, not a vehicle for displaying speed, so encourage them to phrase like they're talking to the band.
• Balance the horns against the rhythm section carefully; the written lines in the ensemble sections need clarity, but they should sit in the groove, not float above it.
• Punch the ensemble hits with precision once you've established the groove; these accents define the funk, so rehearse them as a single gesture rather than as individual sections.

This works perfectly as a festival or concert feature that showcases your band's swing credentials without requiring months of preparation. The 5:03 duration makes it an ideal opener or closer on a mixed-repertoire concert, and its accessibility means you can program it alongside classical or contemporary concert pieces without apology.

• Reading and executing jazz articulation and interpretation
• Playing in a steady, groove-oriented rhythm section
• Understanding cha-cha rhythmic patterns and Latin jazz phrasing
• Accompanying and supporting written solos
• Balancing ensemble voicing in a jazz big band texture