There's the Rub: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Goodwin writes big band charts that swing effortlessly and showcase genuine melodic ideas rather than relying on formula. The burnished shout chorus here is genuinely exciting without demanding unreasonable technical acrobatics, and the solo section architecture gives you flexibility in featuring different soloists depending on your section strengths. This is the kind of chart that stays in rotation because the band enjoys playing it and audiences respond to its infectious groove.

A funky, contemporary take on big band writing that sits somewhere between laid-back groove and explosive energy. The opening feels cool and slightly askew before the ensemble locks into the shout chorus with full-throated power and drive.

Advanced jazz ensembles ready for a chart with real teeth and sophisticated groove sensibilities. This score works for high school and college big bands that have strong section leaders and at least one capable piano soloist or saxophonist who can handle improvisation.

• Lock the half-time shuffle feel early in sectionals; the groove sits slightly behind the beat, so have rhythm section and horns discuss the pocket before full ensemble run-throughs.
• Shape the opening alto and trumpet melody with clear phrasing and vibrato control to let Goodwin's angular melodic writing speak. Resist the urge to oversell it.
• Assign soloists for piano, alto, and tenor sax well before final rehearsals and give them space in sectionals to develop their lines. Solo space is most effective when the improviser has genuine ownership.
• The shout chorus demands precision articulation and dynamic control across all sections. Mark individual parts with staccato vs. legato breath marks so every player understands the attack.

Program this as a centerpiece of a jazz concert or as a set-closer that sends the audience out energized. The chart's swagger and contemporary sound makes it an ideal bridge between traditional big band repertoire and modern jazz programming, so it pairs well with both classic and current material.

• Half-time shuffle groove feel and subdivisions
• Improvisation over a jazz blues or standard changes (depending on solo section harmonic structure)
• Articulation precision and dynamic control in ensemble shout choruses
• Listening and responding to rhythm section pocket in a funky context
• Individual voice in melodic unison and sectional blend