The Best of Big and Easy, Volume 2: Opt. B-flat Clarinet Book

Story's arrangements in this collection strip away unnecessary complexity while keeping the signature hooks and grooves that make these songs instantly recognizable. The Grade 2 level means your clarinet section gets to play real melodic material without drowning in technical demands, leaving room for ensemble balance and musical phrasing. From "Bad to the Bone" to "Funkytown," every chart delivers immediate audience appeal without requiring extensive rehearsal.

These arrangements crackle with the energy of recognizable pop and rock hits adapted for a live ensemble. The clarinet part sits in the groove, delivering familiar melodies and rhythmic figures that anchor the ensemble sound while keeping the infectious character of each original song intact.

This book is designed for marching band clarinetists at the Grade 2 level who are building foundational musicianship alongside repertoire. Ensembles looking for accessible charts that audiences actually recognize will find immediate value in this collection, whether you're programming a pep band concert, football halftime show, or community performance.

• Lock the clarinet line with the keyboard and electric bass parts during the opening statements of each tune. Story's voicings rely on that rhythmic pocket, so playing with precision timing makes the arrangement sing.
• Shape the melodic passages dynamically even within the Grade 2 range. These are singable tunes that benefit from the clarinet bringing out the contour and character of the original.
• Coordinate register shifts with the rhythm section's transitions. Many of these arrangements move between grooves or key moments, and the clarinet's clarity is essential for marking those sectional changes.
• Balance your tone so the clarinet can sit comfortably in the mix alongside the drumset and bass. You're not soloing; you're part of the texture that makes the tune groove.

Program individual selections from this collection during pep band or halftime performances where audience engagement matters. The variety spanning blues, rock, and novelty tunes gives you flexibility to build a concert set that doesn't require weeks of preparation, freeing rehearsal time for your more demanding repertoire.

• Playing rhythmically precise parts in syncopated grooves
• Balancing clarinet tone within a rhythm section context
• Reading Grade 2 clarinet parts with mixed stylistic demands
• Responding to dynamic and sectional changes across multiple song forms