Slim Chickens: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

$9.00 USD

Slim Chickens: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Name: Slim Chickens: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-47512S
Price: 9.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Kris Berg

Grade: 2.5 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-47512S

$9.00

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This chart is very accessible for young players with lead trumpet range to written G on top of the staff. It includes written-out suggested solos for tenor 1 and trombone 1 with background figures to support the soloists. It's a toe-tapper played at around 148 BPM with some nice bari sax parts, a sax soli, and full-sounding ensemble sections.

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Series: Young Jazz Ensemble

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 20

UPC: 038081548142

SKU: 00-47512S

More about this title

About the Composer: Kris Berg

Kris Berg directs the jazz program at Collin County Community College in Texas and holds degrees in jazz studies from the University of North Texas. His work has taken him across the globe as both a performer and clinician, sharing the stage with artists including Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Clark Terry. He founded and directs both the Collin Jazz Fest and the Texas All-Star Jazz Camp, and his ensembles have earned multiple invitations to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Berg is a prolific composer and arranger whose charts circulate widely among jazz ensembles worldwide. His big band writing for Belwin Jazz has become a staple in school programs, and he authored the instructional resource Bass Lines in Minutes. As a Yamaha artist and clinician, he continues to develop accessible yet musically substantive repertoire for student ensembles.

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Why we love this

Berg understands what young jazz ensembles need to sound and feel like a real band from day one. The written-out solos for tenor 1 and trombone 1 give inexperienced improvisers a secure starting point while the carefully voiced ensemble sections let everyone contribute to the groove, making this chart genuinely fun to conduct and rewarding to rehearse.

What to expect

Slim Chickens swings with infectious funk energy. The tune bounces along at a comfortable tempo with a toe-tapping groove that makes even young players feel like they're part of something happening right now, not just reading notes on a page.

Who it's for

This chart serves developing jazz ensembles where some players are reading jazz for the first time. The accessible lead trumpet range and provided solo lines make it ideal for groups with mixed improvisation experience, and the manageable page count works well for students still building jazz reading stamina.

How to get the most out of it

Keep the groove pocket-centered at 148 BPM; resist rushing, which is the most common tempo problem at this level. Have the rhythm section lock in together before bringing in the horns.
Balance the bari sax against the tenor and alto voices during the sax soli; the baritone adds color but shouldn't overpower the section's blend.
Give the trumpet soloist space to breathe between phrases. The background figures support without crowding; encourage the lead trumpet to play expressively within the written range.
Work the ensemble sections for crisp articulation and uniform style. Young players tend to lag slightly on funk feels, so isolate these passages and emphasize the offbeat hits.

How to use it

Program this as a festival or contest selection where you want to showcase both musicality and accessibility; judges consistently respond well to well-executed charts at this level. It also works beautifully as a concert closer when you want to send the audience out smiling, or as a confidence builder early in the season when ensembles are still developing their jazz vocabulary.