Shout, Stomp, and Swing!: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Sabina writes swing charts that actually sit well in young ensemble hands without sacrificing the real feel of the idiom. The balance here is striking: the melody is instantly singable, the solos are written out (so your musicians aren't inventing jazz phrasing before they're ready), and the range sits comfortably for players still developing their facility. A director gets a legitimate swing experience without fighting logistics.

Immediate energy and forward motion. The 160 BPM tempo and syncopated rhythms create momentum, while the melody sits on top with clarity and charm. You hear the joy in swing music, not the difficulty.

First-year jazz ensemble directors building a program from the ground up, and ensemble members encountering swing feel for the first time. The Grade 1 level acknowledges that players may not yet read jazz notation fluently or have years of style experience, so this chart scaffolds the learning without oversimplifying the sound.

• Lock the tempo at 160 BPM during the first rehearsal run-through. Let the ensemble sit with that pulse steadily before worrying about the swing feel; once the beat is solid, the swagger comes naturally.
• Shape the written solos with dynamic contour. The alto and trumpet 1 solos are notated for a reason—treat them as composed melodic statements with rises and falls rather than as improvisation placeholders.
• Balance the melody between alto and trumpet 1 in the opening section. The alto's warmer voice and trumpet's brightness should blend, not compete; adjust microphone placement or seating if you're recording or performing in a large space.
• Dial in the rhythm section early and often. Without a locked pocket from the drums and bass, even a well-written chart will feel stiff. Isolate these players for two or three rehearsals before adding the horns.

Open a jazz festival set or concert with this piece. Its accessible difficulty and short runtime (3:07) make it an excellent way to establish ensemble competence and audience comfort early in a program, freeing you to program more ambitious work afterward. It also works beautifully as a confidence builder mid-year when your ensemble is still finding its rhythmic and stylistic voice.

• Reading and executing swing articulation and rhythmic feel at moderate tempo
• Balancing melody between two voices while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Performing written jazz solos with phrasing and expression
• Responding to the rhythm section and locking onto a steady jazz pulse
• Understanding range and transposition in the context of jazz voicing