Sing, Sing, Sing: Choral SoundPax

Mark Hayes understands how to translate big band swagger into a choral setting without diluting its power. The vocal writing balances accessibility with genuine sophistication, and the optional horn and rhythm parts let you scale the energy up or down depending on what your ensemble can handle. This is one of those pieces that audiences recognize immediately and singers genuinely want to perform.

Stepping into a smoky jazz club where the energy is infectious and everyone's having the time of their lives. The harmonies sparkle, the rhythms propel forward, and there's a playful confidence in every phrase that makes singers smile even during the hardest rehearsals.

Choirs looking for a genuine crowd-pleaser that doesn't require advanced vocal technique. This works beautifully for school choirs, community ensembles, and any group confident enough to embrace a style outside classical repertoire.

• Lock the rhythm section into a tight pocket from the very first rehearsal. The swing feel depends entirely on the band's pocket, which then anchors the vocal lines.
• Encourage singers to lean into the rhythmic articulation, especially on the syncopated hits. This isn't legit classical singing; the style demands a touch of sass.
• Use the recorded accompaniment early and often to help singers internalize the groove before attempting to sing independently against live instruments.
• Balance the independent vocal lines by rehearsing them as separate sections first, then layering them in gradually so nothing gets lost in the texture.

Open your spring concert with this and you'll have the audience in your hand from the downbeat. It pairs beautifully with more serious choral repertoire later in the program, giving you a tonal and stylistic anchor that sets the right mood for what's to come.

• Singing syncopated rhythms with precision
• Swing phrasing and stylistic articulation
• Balancing independent vocal lines in a homophonic texture
• Coordinating with rhythm section and horn parts
• Intonation in jazz-inflected harmonic movement