Play That Funky Music: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Mike Story's arrangement captures everything that makes this tune work: the funky pocket, the accessibility, the pure joy of playing something recognizable. Young ensembles nail the groove instantly, which builds confidence and momentum early in the jazz curriculum when students need immediate musical payoff.

Pure, unfiltered funk energy wrapped in an arrangement that respects the original without overwhelming young musicians. The rhythm section gets to feel the pocket, the horns get memorable lines to own, and the whole ensemble leaves rehearsal grinning because they just played something that actually grooves.

First-year and second-year jazz ensemble students who are still building fundamentals in swing articulation, jazz phrasing, and section blend. Conductors teaching young ensembles need accessible material that feels authentic to the genre without requiring advanced solo vocabulary or complex time signatures.

• Lock the rhythm section (bass, drums, piano) together first. The funk sits entirely on their pocket; once that's solid, the horns and melody section will find their place naturally.
• Keep the written trumpet and trombone solos conversational rather than aggressive. These parts are designed to be accessible, so let the humor and infectious melody carry them.
• Emphasize the syncopation in the horn lines without dragging. Young players often push behind the beat when they encounter funk rhythms; keep them honest and ahead of the pulse.
• Don't oversell the dynamics. The arrangement's colorful harmony does the heavy lifting; let the natural brightness of well-tuned brass speak for itself.

Program this as a first-half closer on a concert featuring early jazz ensemble charts. It pairs well with straight-ahead blues heads and other simple forms, and it gives audiences what they came for: young musicians having undeniable fun with a tune everyone knows.

• Funk articulation and feel (crisp tonguing without pushing behind the beat)
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms in a groove context
• Improvisation basics through guided solo sections
• Section balance in a jazz rhythm section (bass, drums, piano)
• Swing eighth-note interpretation in a modern funk setting