Rockin' in Rhythm: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
By Duke Ellington, Irving Mills and Harry Carney
Grade: 5 (Advanced / Difficult)
Item: 00-PK-0002438
$50.00
One moment…
Description
Warner Bros. Publications is proud to present this important new series, Jazz at Lincoln Center Library. Each selection was selected by the Center's musical director, Wynton Marsalis, for Essentially Ellington: The Second Annual Jazz at Lincoln Center High School Jazz Band Competition. Each transcription is direct from the recordings of the immortal Duke Ellington, and they are not only authentic, they are perfect for your jazz ensemble. Features information about the original recording, rehearsal notes from Jon Faddis and Brent Wallarab, and performance suggestions from Wynton Marsalis. These classic tunes represent jazz at its finest!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Rockin' in Rhythm: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Essentially Ellington: Jazz at Lincoln Center Library
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
118
SKU:
00-PK-0002438
More about this title
About the Composer: Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) fundamentally shaped American jazz and concert music across five decades of prolific composition and bandleading. His harmonic sophistication, orchestral innovation, and melodic gift elevated jazz ensemble writing to an art form that influenced generations of composers working in every genre. Ellington's works remain essential repertoire for jazz programs because they demand serious musicianship while remaining deeply rewarding to perform.
As a conductor and educator, Ellington understood the importance of ensemble balance and voice leading. His scores teach through their structure, revealing how soloists and sections interact, how countermelody supports primary themes, and how orchestration creates emotional depth. Studying his work is studying the craft of jazz composition itself.
Why we love this
This collection carries the authority of Wynton Marsalis's curation and direct transcription from Ellington's original recordings, ensuring your ensemble learns the real thing rather than a homogenized version. The included rehearsal notes from Jon Faddis and Brent Wallarab, paired with Marsalis's performance insights, give you the pedagogical support needed to unlock what makes these arrangements swing and breathe.
What to expect
These pieces capture the sophisticated elegance and rhythmic sophistication that defined Ellington's sound. You'll experience lush harmonies moving beneath driving rhythms, moments of solo spotlight against ensemble backgrounds, and the swinging feel that comes from precise ensemble coordination and genuine understanding of jazz phrasing.
Who it's for
Advanced high school jazz ensembles preparing for competition, festival performance, or a concert program centered on jazz history and artistry. Directors seeking authentic, pedagogically rich material that challenges ensemble musicianship across all sections while maintaining accessibility for serious students.
How to get the most out of it
- Study the original recordings before first rehearsal. Hearing the Duke Ellington Orchestra's rhythmic pocket, dynamic shaping, and solo approaches will accelerate your ensemble's understanding of how these pieces should feel, not just sound.
- Balance improvisation time with section rehearsal. These transcriptions include specific solo sections, so allot rehearsal space for soloists to develop their interpretations while the band locks into the harmonic and rhythmic foundation.
- Attend to Ellington's orchestration as you would a classical score. His doubling of lines, inner voice countermelody, and subtle doublings matter. Clarity in the lower voices and precision in section attacks make the difference between competent and compelling.
How to use it
Feature this work on a concert exploring American jazz composition, or use individual selections as part of a larger set celebrating the Essentially Ellington competition tradition. The 118-page score provides substantial programming material that can anchor a full concert while building your ensemble's command of one of jazz's greatest composers.
Skills your students will build
- Reading complex jazz harmony and voice leading in ensemble context
- Balancing section roles: melody, inner harmony, and bass line independence
- Interpreting Ellington's articulation, dynamic, and orchestration markings
- Ensemble swing and rhythmic precision at advanced tempos
- Listening and responding to solo sections while maintaining harmonic and rhythmic foundation
- Understanding how arrangement decisions affect jazz ensemble balance and character