Sideways Walking Dog: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

$42.00 USD

Sideways Walking Dog: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Sideways Walking Dog: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-41110
Price: 42.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Zachary Smith

Grade: 1 (Easy)

Item: 00-41110

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A Latin-rock groove at around 180 BPM with very simple rhythms and a great melody line. Easy brass ranges, a written solo for tenor sax, and written-out drum fills. Clever, easy to play, and well written = a quality chart. (3:15) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Sideways Walking Dog: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: First Year Charts for Jazz Ensemble

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 86

UPC: 038081465333

SKU: 00-41110

More about this title

Why we love this

Zachary Smith writes for first-year jazz ensembles with real understanding of what works in the classroom. The Latin-rock groove sits comfortably at 180 BPM with rhythms your students can execute cleanly, while the melody stays engaging enough to hold an audience. This is the kind of chart that builds confidence without sacrificing musicianship.

What to expect

Sideways Walking Dog bounces with the confidence of a working Latin-rock band. The energy never lags at 180 BPM, and the melody moves with natural phrasing that makes the piece feel spontaneous despite its composed clarity. It's the kind of tune that leaves audiences smiling.

Who it's for

First-year jazz ensemble directors looking for repertoire that challenges rhythmic precision without overwhelming developing improvisation skills. Students new to jazz idiom will appreciate the straightforward grooves and clearly notated parts, and ensemble dynamics work well for school concerts and festival play-through events.

How to get the most out of it

Lock the Latin feel early in sectional rehearsals. Have the rhythm section establish the clave pattern before adding the full ensemble, so the groove becomes the anchor rather than something layered on top.
Give the tenor saxophonist time to internalize the solo section. With a written-out solo, marking phrase breaks and breath points in rehearsal prevents it from becoming breathless or rushed.
Use the drum fills as teaching moments. Since they're notated, have the drummer count carefully through tempo changes and consult with the rhythm section to ensure the fills sit securely in the pocket.
Keep the brass dynamics controlled during the main theme. Easy ranges make it tempting to play loud, but the Latin-rock character works better when you preserve some dynamic contrast across the form.

How to use it

Pair this with a ballad and an uptempo swing chart to round out a first-year jazz concert. Its contest-ready quality makes it suitable for festival showcases, where judges appreciate writing that respects young musicians' abilities. The three-minute-fifteen-second length fits neatly between longer feature arrangements.