Shake Your Groove Thing: SATB Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement channels the infectious swagger of the original while making it genuinely singable across all four voices. Your singers will feel the funk immediately, and audiences respond every single time to this feel-good classic. It's the kind of piece that reminds everyone why pop music belongs in concert repertoire.

This arrangement grooves. Your singers will feel the pocket immediately, and the syncopated rhythms make every rehearsal feel like a mini dance party. It captures that carefree, move-your-body spirit that made the original a cultural moment, translated into rich four-part harmony.

Choirs looking to engage audiences with a contemporary funk classic that doesn't compromise musical integrity. This works equally well for high school show choirs, college non-majors, community ensembles, and mixed amateur groups seeking fun repertoire that still demands solid musicianship.

• Lock the rhythm section (or backing track) first. The groove only works if your foundation is airtight; spend rehearsal time isolating bass and percussion parts until they sit comfortably together.
• Push the articulation on eighth notes, particularly in the alto and tenor lines. Crisp diction here prevents the arrangement from sounding muddy and keeps the funk alive.
• Allow singers to feel the syncopation rather than overthinking it. Once they understand where the strong beats land, the offbeat accents fall into place naturally.
• Bring energy through dynamics and phrasing, not just volume. The arrangement thrives on rhythmic clarity and textural contrast between sections.

Pair this with other funk or soul arrangements as part of a themed concert section, or use it as a high-energy closer to send audiences out smiling. The 11 pages are compact enough to fit alongside more classical programming without overwhelming rehearsal time, making it ideal for spring concerts or end-of-year celebrations.

• Syncopated rhythmic reading in popular music contexts
• Funk articulation and phrasing conventions
• Singing with rhythmic independence while maintaining harmonic blend
• Maintaining groove through sustained dynamic control
• Reading and executing layered, independent melodic lines