The Best of Big and Easy, Volume 2: Cymbals Book

Story's cymbals part sits right in the pocket throughout this collection, giving your percussion section memorable figures to anchor each tune without overshadowing the groove. These are working charts written by someone who understands what actually makes a crowd move, and the cymbal writing rewards steady time-keeping and musical sensitivity.

These arrangements capture the energy and swagger of their source material while maintaining the snap and precision that brass-forward marching band charts demand. Whether you are digging into the funk of Funkytown or the spy-film cool of Dragnet, the cymbal writing keeps your ensemble's heartbeat visible and strong.

Marching bands and pep bands looking for tested, crowd-pleasing repertoire that demands minimal rehearsal investment. Percussion sections who want clarity on their role within a full ensemble sound will find these parts well-crafted and musically rewarding.

• Lock into the backbeat with the drumset on songs like Funkytown and Jump; your crisp articulation is what pulls the whole groove forward
• Shade your dynamics across the 15 tunes so that ballads like Sleigh Ride and Blues in the Night feel intimate, not generic
• Use the written cues to stay synchronized with the keyboard and bass, especially during head arrangements and fill sections
• Balance crash placement with the chart's harmonic rhythm; Story writes these moments deliberately, so hit them cleanly but without overplaying

Build a concert that celebrates pop and entertainment repertoire by programming several charts from this collection back-to-back; audiences recognize these tunes instantly, and Story's orchestrations keep them fresh. Alternatively, slot individual pieces into pep band or community performance contexts where rehearsal time is tight and musical payoff needs to be immediate.

• Locking rhythmic figures with the drumset across multiple tempo and style contexts
• Dynamic shading and articulation control in pop and funk idioms
• Following written cues and harmonic structure within ensemble settings
• Maintaining consistent groove feel across ballads, up-tempo funk, and novelty pieces