'S Wonderful: E-flat Baritone Saxophone

Dave Wolpe's arrangement gives this beloved standard a workable jazz ensemble vehicle that actually serves the vocalist instead of burying them. The inclusion of two keys (A-flat and E-flat) and both a written tenor sax solo and a substitute part means you can cast this across your section and still keep the arrangement fresh night to night. It's the kind of professional-level chart that sounds ambitious without requiring your ensemble to be seasoned pros.

Optimistic and suave in equal measure. The melody lifts with genuine joy ('S wonderful, 's marvelous) while the harmonic sophistication keeps the arrangement grounded and adult. Gershwin's gift for melody shines throughout; the tune is instantly singable yet never simple, and the medium-swing groove gives it forward momentum without rushing.

Vocalists with solid jazz phrasing who can navigate a melody that rewards both straightforward delivery and interpretive flexibility. Jazz ensembles that want to expand their vocal programming beyond rock or contemporary styles into classic American song repertoire. Directors looking for a chart that gives advanced high school or college singers an opportunity to perform in a full ensemble context without requiring expensive orchestrations.

• Balance the vocalist's volume against the ensemble; in swing tunes, the voice should sit slightly forward of the rhythm section but never seem amplified relative to the horns. Let the drummer hear where the vocalist lands rhythmically.
• Lock the tenor sax soloist into the same swing feel as the rhythm section before adding the vocal line. The solo and vocal inhabit the same harmonic space, so transition between them should feel inevitable, not like two separate charts.
• Take the two keys seriously as a casting tool. Rather than defaulting to high key for sopranos and low key for lower voices, hear both keys in rehearsal and choose based on where each vocalist's voice sits most comfortably and projects best in your room.
• Communicate the style clearly in your first rehearsal run-through. Medium swing has a specific lilt that's neither straight eighths nor deeply laid-back; your rhythm section sets this, and the horns follow.

Pair this with other Gershwin standards or American songbook material to build a concert set around a single composer or era. It works equally well as an opening number that sets a sophisticated, accessible tone or as a moment of contrast in a program mixing original compositions with standards. The chart's flexibility across keys makes it a reliable choice when you're uncertain which vocalist will ultimately be available.

• Swing eighth-note articulation and feel in an ensemble context
• Balancing solo vocal line against full jazz ensemble sonority
• Interpretation of classic songbook melody with jazz harmonic vocabulary
• Sectional independence in jazz ensemble arrangement (tenor sax line vs. ensemble figures)
• Rhythmic communication between vocalist and rhythm section (drummer, bassist)