Oo, Barbecue!: SATB Choral Octavo

Shaw knows how to make singers smile without sacrificing musicality. The novelty element here never undermines the jazz vocabulary and voice leading, so your ensemble gets to have genuine fun while building real skills in this idiom. Programming a piece like this reminds your singers that choral music includes joy and play, not just aspiration.

Informal, spirited, and full of the kind of humor that comes from musicians who genuinely know their idiom. The piece swings with warmth and never winks at the audience; it simply invites everyone to enjoy the absurdity of the subject matter and the craft beneath it.

SATB choirs looking for accessible jazz repertoire with genuine entertainment value. This works well for community choirs, high school ensembles, and college groups comfortable with a lighter concert frame. It's also an excellent teaching tool for singers new to jazz style and articulation.

• Establish the swing feel early in rehearsal by having singers listen to the recorded accompaniment multiple times before attempting any parts. Let the groove settle into their ears.
• Treat the text painting literally. The syllable choices and rhythmic placement in the word 'Barbecue' create comedy that lands best when singers commit fully to the articulation and dynamics Shaw has written.
• Balance the novelty factor with secure harmonic awareness. Spend rehearsal time on how the jazz chords function so singers understand where their voice sits within the sonority, not just where they sing.
• Keep the tempo conversational and relaxed rather than rushing the groove. Shaw's jazz arrangements depend on pocket and phrasing more than speed.

Pair this with other novelty selections to create a full concert segment or use it as a closer to a jazz or contemporary concert. It works equally well as an opener if you want to grab your audience immediately. A mixed program of Shaw arrangements shows the breadth of his writing and gives your singers varied textures and moods across a concert.

• Swing articulation and rhythmic feel in jazz contexts
• Reading jazz chord changes and understanding functional harmony
• Interpreting text and style direction in contemporary choral music
• Ensemble balance in SATB voicing with jazz sonorities
• Stylistic differentiation between classical and vernacular music