Rescue Me (arr. Berty Rice): SSA Choral Octavo

Berty Rice's SSA arrangement captures the insistent energy of this soul classic while making it accessible for developing choirs. The voicing sits well for mixed voices without sacrificing the track's propulsive groove, and singers consistently engage with material this familiar and emotionally direct.

Urgent and yearning with steady propulsion forward. The arrangement maintains the original's emotional directness while creating space for each voice part to find its own line within the ensemble texture.

Programs needing accessible pop-soul repertoire for SSA or SSAA ensembles will find this arrangement rewarding. The piece works equally well for intermediate high school choirs and community groups seeking concert material with genuine staying power.

• Lock the rhythmic precision of the repeated figures in all three parts; this arrangement lives in the pocket, and any slippage pulls the arrangement apart.
• Shape the repetitive vocal lines through dynamic contrast rather than textural variety. Small decrescendos and crescendos keep familiar material fresh across thirteen pages.
• Support the alto and soprano lines with a rhythmically secure bass section underneath; the foundation holds everything in place during call-and-response moments.

Pair this with other soul and R&B standards to create a concert set that celebrates the genre's vocal traditions. Its familiarity gives audiences immediate entry into the music, making it ideal for family concerts or community showcases where connection matters as much as technical display.

• Singing rhythmic figures in unison and in counterpoint within a soul-inflected idiom
• Maintaining groove awareness while executing ensemble entrances and exits
• Shaping repeated melodic material expressively without losing textural clarity
• Balance and blend in three-part writing with independent alto and soprano lines