Straighten Up and Fly Right: Vocal Solo with Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

This arrangement gives your ensemble a chance to accompany a genuine jazz standard with the kind of professional framework that makes rehearsal efficient and performance polished. Dave Wolpe's writing includes a written tenor sax solo and shout chorus that give the piece structure and momentum, so your vocalist isn't carrying the entire musical weight. The two-key option solves real scheduling problems if you have multiple soloists of different ranges.

Warm, conversational, and gently propulsive. The medium swing tempo invites a relaxed groove while the shout chorus brings the energy up for a satisfying finale. Cole's original recording has an almost intimate quality despite the big band setting, and this arrangement preserves that balance between sophistication and accessibility.

Jazz ensemble directors working with vocalists who need professional-quality swing material. Singers at the intermediate level who are ready to interpret a standard with jazz accompaniment and want the security of a fully notated arrangement. Programs that program jazz combos or big band settings with a featured vocalist.

• Balance the vocalist's tone against the ensemble sound; the rhythm section should sit back enough to let the voice breathe, especially during the verse and chorus sections.
• Work the shout chorus as a true ensemble moment. The backgrounds need to lock in rhythmically so the vocalist can sit confidently on top rather than fight for pocket.
• Shape the tenor sax solo with the same care you'd give a vocal passage. It's a featured moment, not filler, so clarity of tone and confident phrasing matter as much as technical accuracy.
• At 148 BPM, the medium swing tempo demands crisp articulation from the ensemble without rushing. Use the conductor score to establish a feel that lets both the soloist and accompanists settle into the groove.

Place this as a featured moment in a jazz band or ensemble concert to give your vocalist a chance to shine with real orchestral support. It works equally well as part of a standards showcase or mixed into a program of swing classics. The 36 pages of material (full ensemble parts) make it substantial enough to anchor a set without dominating it.

• Singing jazz phrasing and interpretation over a written swing feel
• Reading and navigating a full score with multiple key options
• Balancing solo and ensemble roles in a jazz combo setting
• Interpreting a written tenor sax solo as a featured orchestral moment
• Controlling breath and maintaining phrasing over a 148 BPM medium swing tempo