Great medium-tempo funk that entertains and is fun to play. It opens with a tongue-in-cheek bari sax and bass bone soli with everyone involved in five short measures.
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Ryan Fraley writes with genuine humor and doesn't take himself seriously, which means your students will actually want to play this. The bari sax and bass trombone conversation at the top is immediately memorable, and the groove sits comfortably in the intermediate range without dumbing down the harmonic or rhythmic content.
What to expect
Picture a turtle moving through water with unexpected swagger. The opening is quirky and dry, building into a groove that's propulsive but never frantic. There's lightness here, wit disguised as a casual funk shuffle.
Who it's for
Intermediate jazz ensembles ready to program something that entertains an audience without requiring advanced soloists. This works equally well for a concert that needs levity and a group looking to sharpen their funk rhythms.
How to get the most out of it
Lock in the medium-tempo pocket early. The funk only lands if the rhythm section commits to the feel without pushing or dragging.
Highlight the bari sax and bass trombone during their opening dialogue. Give them enough space to breathe; this moment sets the playful tone for everything that follows.
Balance the full ensemble section that follows the solos. With everyone entering within five measures, clarity matters more than volume.
How to use it
Slot this early in a set to establish energy and set an audience at ease. The entertainment value and reasonable technical demands make it an ideal opener before moving into weightier material, or pair it with other blues and rock selections for a focused thematic concert.
Skills your students will build
funk and rock rhythm section phrasing
medium-tempo groove ensemble entrances
call-and-response textures between soloists and full ensemble
balancing individual character with group cohesion
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