Pick Up the Pieces: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts

López nails the pocket groove that makes this tune instantly recognizable, and the chart swings throughout without requiring your ensemble to have advanced jazz reading skills. The solo options (sax or trumpet) give you flexibility in casting, and the 110-page set includes full parts that are cleanly printed and easy to read on the field.

Infectious and propulsive. The arrangement captures the signature funk bounce of the original, with bright horn lines that sit on top of a locked-in rhythm section. Once the ensemble finds the groove, this piece has the kind of kinetic energy that translates immediately to an audience.

Marching bands in the Grade 3 range who want contemporary pop repertoire that grooves authentically but remains manageable in terms of technical difficulty. Directors programming fall or spring shows that need high-energy crowd-pleasers with genuine musical substance will find this charts holds up well across repeated performances.

• Lock the rhythm section into the syncopated hi-hat patterns in the opening; these anchor the funky feel that drives the entire arrangement.
• Balance the solo section carefully so the featured player cuts through the ensemble without overpowering the horn line underneath.
• Keep the tempo steady during the vamp sections; rushing is the biggest enemy of funk arrangements at this level.
• Layer your dynamics intentionally as the energy builds through the form; this tune rewards detailed attention to crescendos and accents.

This works beautifully as a second-half opener where you need momentum and instant audience engagement, or as a closer that leaves crowds energized. Pair it with contrasting styles (ballad before, march after) to maximize its impact as a set-piece, rather than programming multiple groove-heavy tunes in succession.

• Syncopated rhythms and funk subdivision at the marchable tempo
• Balancing solo features with ensemble texture and blend
• Listening to rhythm section patterns to maintain groove pocket
• Dynamic control and articulation in contemporary pop arranging
• Reading and executing the specific idioms of funk writing