Sing, Sing, Sing: TTBB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes' arrangement captures everything that makes this tune a crowd-pleaser while giving TTBB voices real musical work to do. The sassy horn-and-rhythm instrumentation transforms a big band standard into something choirs can own completely, and the flexible voicing options (TB/TTB/TBB/TTBB) mean you can cast it across multiple ensemble configurations in a single program.

Pure swing-era exuberance: bright, propulsive, and built for movement. The independent vocal lines dance around each other with the kind of easy confidence you hear in classic small-group jazz, while the rhythm and horn parts push the energy forward with infectious drive.

TTBB choirs ready to program a high-energy opener or closer that audiences recognize immediately. Community and school choirs with singers comfortable navigating independent lines and swinging rhythms will find this arrangement energizing and manageable within rehearsal time.

• Lock the rhythm section parts (bass and drums, if using the available instrumental accompaniment) before layering vocal lines in. The swing feel depends entirely on those foundational rhythms staying locked and relaxed.
• Treat the independent vocal lines as countermelody conversations rather than dense harmony. Each line has its own rhythmic and melodic personality; clarity and separation matter more than blend.
• Lean into the sass. Prima's music lives in the space between sincerity and playfulness. Push for phrasing that feels natural and conversational, not stiff or overly formal.
• Emphasize the fresh lyrics that distinguish this from other big band arrangements. They're part of what makes this version feel contemporary and relevant to your singers.

Use this as your concert opener to set an immediate tone of joy and musicianship, or place it late in the program as a high-energy closer that leaves the audience smiling. The flexible voicing allows you to program it with different TTBB configurations if you're programming multiple shorter pieces in a single set.

• Swing rhythm and jazz phrasing
• Independent vocal line singing in homophonic texture
• Rhythmic precision and ensemble lock with percussion/rhythm section
• Style-specific diction and conversational articulation
• Balancing melodic independence with harmonic awareness