Relax Max (arr. Rick Stitzel): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Rick Stitzel's arrangement captures the sophisticated ease that made Dinah Washington's original so memorable, but packages it in a format that works for ensemble performance at a Grade 4 level. The writing balances a feature role (flexible between vocalist and tenor sax) with supportive, swinging ensemble parts that give every section something meaningful to do without overwhelming the soloist. This is the kind of arrangement that reminds students why jazz standards endure: the melody and harmony are simply beautiful, and they're arranged here in a way that lets students experience that beauty directly.

Sophisticated without pretension. The tune has a warm, sophisticated groove that feels like stepping into a well-lit cocktail lounge where everyone knows what they're doing. It swings with quiet confidence, and the harmony has enough sophistication to keep musicians engaged while remaining totally accessible to audiences.

Jazz ensemble directors seeking a feature that works equally well for a strong vocalist or tenor saxophonist and that sits comfortably within the upper high school or early college range. The Grade 4 level means experienced high school ensembles and college jazz combos can tackle it productively, while the arrangement's stylistic transparency makes it a smart choice for students building their jazz vocabulary.

• Allow the featured soloist genuine rubato during the head; the ensemble should breathe with the vocalist or lead saxophonist rather than locking rigidly to tempo. This flexibility is what gives the tune its signature ease.
• Balance the comping voices so they sit underneath the feature without disappearing. Stitzel's writing expects the rhythm section and horn backgrounds to support without stealing focus.
• Lean into the blues sensibility in the harmony. Blue notes and slightly behind-the-beat phrasing are authentic to the tune's DNA; rehearse these without making them sound forced.

This works beautifully as a concert opener or closer because it settles the ensemble and audience into an intimate jazz mood instantly. It also pairs naturally with other Stitzel arrangements or with standards from your library; the Grade 4 level means it won't disrupt rehearsal momentum if programmed alongside slightly more complex works. If you're building a repertoire around standard jazz literature, this should be in the mix.

• Comping strategies for horn sections (laying back, creating space for the soloist)
• Rhythmic flexibility and rubato in jazz contexts
• Blues harmony and pitch tendency awareness
• Balancing ensemble texture in small-group settings
• Listening and responding to a featured soloist in real time