Solar: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Rick Stitzel's arrangement respects the tune's essential character while making it genuinely playful for younger ensembles. The phrase extensions at the opening give students something immediately interesting to latch onto, and the strategic contrast between full ensemble and small group writing keeps the energy dynamic without overwhelming developing players. Trumpet and tenor solos invite your strongest improvisers to step forward while the rest of the band locks into supportive ensemble figures.

Solar swings with the ease of a classic: no overwrought harmonies, no frantic bebop runs, just a medium-tempo blues head that feels like settling into a conversation. The tune has an openness to it, a breathing quality that lets young soloists find their footing while the ensemble bounces along underneath. There's genuine warmth in this chart, the kind of writing that makes students want to get better at their instruments so they can do it justice.

Jazz ensembles working at Grade 3 who are ready to explore standards with real solo opportunities. This works equally well for intermediate high school bands or strong middle school groups seeking to deepen their understanding of swing-era composition. Directors looking for repertoire that teaches ensemble cohesion alongside improvisation will find this particularly useful.

• Nail the articulation in those opening phrase extensions; they're short, punchy figures that need clarity and precision to land the compositional humor Stitzel built in.
• Balance the blend when the small group enters. Younger players often push too hard when they get exposed; remind them that less intensity with good intonation always sounds more mature than more volume with uncertainty.
• Have your trumpet and tenor soloists prepare variations over the changes rather than memorizing one solo. The best way to learn this tune is to treat it as a vehicle for improvisation, not a scripted solo to recite.
• Keep the swing section (piano, bass, drums) locked tight throughout. The ensemble figures land better when the rhythm section is genuinely swinging rather than keeping metronomic time.

Pair this with other Davis-era standards if you're building a concert around timeless swing repertoire. It's also an ideal teaching piece for a concert where you're highlighting improvisation as part of your ensemble's work. Consider programming it mid-concert where the pacing of the small group section creates a natural lift in energy without requiring anything too virtuosic.

• Swing articulation and phrasing at medium tempo
• Ensemble balance and blend across full and reduced voicings
• Blues changes and implied harmonic motion
• Listening actively to other section members during phrase extensions
• Basic jazz improvisation over a blues form
• Part independence within a sectional framework