Sermonette: Choral Instrumental Pak
As performed by Lambert, Hendricks Ross / Arranged by Kirby Shaw
Item: 35-PK00412185
$15.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Sermonette - Guitar: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 | |
| Sermonette - Bass: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 | |
| Sermonette - Drums: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 |
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Description
The ground breaking vocal jazz ensemble Lambert, Hendricks Ross laid the groundwork for all the vocal jazz groups that have followed. Often using their voices like instruments and inventing "Vocalese", they are examples of what can be accomplished with the voice. This arrangement swings hard and updates the harmonies making it a great bridge between what was and what is.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00412185
More about this title
About the Artist: Lambert, Hendricks Ross
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross revolutionized vocal jazz by treating the human voice as a complete instrument section. Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, and Dave Lambert pioneered vocalese, the art of setting lyrics to instrumental jazz solos, and their tight harmonies and rhythmic precision influenced every vocal jazz ensemble that followed. Their recordings in the 1950s and early 1960s remain essential listening for understanding how voices can swing with the sophistication of a horn section.
What made them transformative educators, even without standing in front of a classroom, was their insistence that singers study jazz as deeply as instrumentalists did. They showed that the voice demands the same harmonic awareness, rhythmic flexibility, and ensemble listening skills as any saxophone or trumpet. Their legacy lives on in every jazz choir director who teaches students to think like improvisers.
Why we love this
Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the spirit of vocal jazz innovation while making the harmonies accessible to contemporary ensembles. The updated voicings give singers language they recognize from modern jazz while honoring the swing DNA of the original style, making this an excellent teaching tool for groups building their jazz vocabulary.
What to expect
Energetic and sophisticated, with the kind of rhythmic precision and harmonic density that makes singers feel like they're playing an instrument. The arrangement swings with conviction and invites the ensemble to find joy in the technical work of locking harmonies and riding the groove.
Who it's for
Intermediate to advanced jazz choirs and vocal jazz ensembles ready to engage with jazz history through performance. This works equally well for groups wanting to program a piece grounded in jazz tradition and those looking to teach the connection between vocalese and modern vocal jazz arranging.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the rhythmic precision of the ensemble figures before layering in melodic expression; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross succeeded because every voice knew exactly where the beat lived.
- Study recordings of the original trio to understand how tightly their lines interlock, then apply that interdependence to your balance and intonation work.
- Treat your harmonic foundation as active listening, not background; singers on chord changes need to hear where the line is moving and support it without doubling the melody.
- Let the swing feel breathe by resisting the urge to clip the ends of phrases; jazz phrasing lives in space and air, not in mechanical attacks and releases.
How to use it
Include this in a jazz or standards concert to show students where contemporary vocal jazz comes from, or pair it with a modern vocal jazz arrangement to highlight how the tradition has evolved. It also works well as a feature piece that lets your ensemble showcase both technical facility and musicality in a historically informed context.
Skills your students will build
- Jazz phrasing and swing feel at the ensemble level
- Reading updated jazz harmonies with precision
- Balancing individual voice lines within harmonic textures
- Responding to rhythmic precision demands without sacrificing musicality
- Understanding vocalese as a compositional approach