Pollo Rojo: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By Les Sabina
Grade: 1 (Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0006598
$42.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Pollo Rojo: Score | $8.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: E-flat Alto Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 2nd E-flat Alto Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: B-flat Tenor Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 2nd B-flat Tenor Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: E-flat Baritone Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 1st B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 2nd B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 3rd B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 1st Trombone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 2nd Trombone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 3rd Trombone | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Guitar Chords | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Guitar | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Piano Accompaniment | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: String Bass | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Drums | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Flute | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 1st B-flat Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: 1st F Horn | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Tuba | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Baritone T.C. | $3.00 | |
| Pollo Rojo: Vibraphone | $3.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Check out the "red chicken!" "Pollo Rojo" is a Latin cha-cha performed at 146 BPM that includes easy brass ranges, a written-out alto sax solo, section solis, and a cool melody. (2:59) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Pollo Rojo: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
90
SKU:
00-PK-0006598
More about this title
About the Composer: Les Sabina
Les Sabina brings decades of performance and teaching experience to his compositions. A saxophonist who has shared bandstands with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, and the Manhattan Transfer, Sabina draws from real jazz tradition when he writes. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto, University of Windsor, University of Miami, and Michigan State University, and currently serves as professor of music and chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York.
Beyond composition, Sabina remains an active performer with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and BPO Jazz All-Stars, and has contributed a monthly jazz transcription column to Jazz UK Journal. His dual life as both educator and working musician shapes his approach to writing for student ensembles: he knows what works in the rehearsal room because he lives in the performance world.
Why we love this
Sabina writes with restraint and clarity, giving students actual jazz vocabulary to play rather than oversimplified patterns. The written-out alto sax solo and section solis reward individual players while keeping the overall difficulty accessible, making this a rare Grade 1 piece that doesn't sound like one.
What to expect
Pollo Rojo bounces with the relaxed confidence of a cha-cha you actually want to hear. Melodically straightforward and rhythmically engaging, it captures Latin joy without pretension, inviting the ensemble to swing while maintaining the crisp articulation Latin music demands.
Who it's for
First-year jazz ensembles looking for their first Latin chart. This works equally well for middle school or high school groups new to jazz, and for directors building foundational repertoire without overwhelming younger players.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the tempo at 146 BPM early in rehearsal; the cha-cha rhythm lives or dies by rhythmic confidence from the rhythm section.
- Let the section solis breathe. Each player should understand their moment is a mini-feature, not background texture.
- Blend the brass strategically. With easy ranges, players can focus on tone quality and balance rather than survival, so demand cleaner attacks and releases.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to calibrate groove feel; Latin jazz requires a different swing concept than American jazz standards.
How to use it
Place this early in the jazz season as a confidence builder, or use it on a mixed-level concert where it contrasts nicely with heavier charts. Its contest viability makes it a smart choice for a first festival appearance.
Skills your students will build
- Latin rhythm foundations (cha-cha groove and clave patterns)
- Jazz articulation and phrasing in a non-swing context
- Playing a written solo in context
- Section ensemble balance with easy brass ranges
- Listening and locking with the rhythm section at steady tempo