Pick Up The Pieces (arr. Roger Emerson): SATBB Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's SATBB setting captures the irresistible groove and rhythmic sophistication of this funk classic while making it accessible to choirs ready for contemporary repertoire with real edge. The arrangement respects the original's infectious pocket without requiring a full band; voices carry the propulsive energy that made this track iconic. Singers get to inhabit a genuinely cool part of music history while building serious rhythmic precision.

Propulsive, sleek, and undeniably fun. The arrangement lets the lyrics and groove carry singers forward with infectious momentum, creating that specific pleasure of nailing a tight, syncopated passage together. There's swagger in this music; it rewards precision with genuine swagger.

Choirs comfortable with contemporary styles and rhythmic independence, looking for repertoire that energizes audiences and gives singers confidence in a non-classical idiom. This works for advanced high school groups, college choirs, and community ensembles with a taste for funk and soul. If your singers can handle rhythm section independence and a modern textural approach, this earns its place on the concert.

• Lock the kick pattern in the bass line from the first rehearsal. This foundation determines whether the whole group swings or drags.
• Shape the dynamic arc across the full 19 pages by resisting the urge to sing everything at performance volume early on. Build intensity intentionally through the arrangement.
• Isolate the rhythmic hits between sections (especially any syncopated breaks) as standalone exercises before running them in context. Clean attacks matter more here than in ballads.
• Record a rough run-through and listen back for spot accuracy in the horn section voicings; funk lives in the details of voiced chords landing exactly where they're written.

Pair this with other contemporary secular repertoire to create a mixed concert that showcases range without abandoning credibility, or use it as the opener to energize an audience right from the start. At 19 pages, it anchors a concert section without overwhelming the rehearsal calendar. This also works as a morale booster during the long stretch of winter rehearsals when singers need to remember why they love to perform.

• Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated passages without instrumental support
• Singing a cappella funk grooves with clean attacks and articulation
• Executing rhythmic independence within a five-part texture
• Balancing vocal blend while preserving rhythmic definition in contemporary styles
• Reading and executing a SATBB voicing layout