This Is It!: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Pendowski captures the swagger and precision that made Maynard Ferguson's big band arrangements legendary, but at a grade 3 level where students can actually execute the hits. The optional fifth trumpet part transforms this from a solid section feature into a showcase moment, giving you the flexibility to spotlight a strong player or keep the section unified depending on your ensemble's strengths.

Tight, driving, and unapologetically rock inflected. The energy builds on itself, with the optional trumpet part adding an extra layer of excitement and aspirational range work that screams confidence and control.

Jazz ensembles at the high school or middle school level who want to program something with serious swagger and authentic jazz credentials without the technical complexity of advanced Ferguson charts. Directors looking for a contest or festival vehicle that students will genuinely enjoy playing.

• Lock the articulation in the horn section from day one. The Ferguson sound depends on crisp tonguing and uniform phrasing; sloppy attacks will lose all the energy that makes this chart work.
• Push the rhythm section to sit behind the beat slightly. Jazz and rock grooves feel heavier when the drums and bass play with patience rather than chasing the tempo.
• If you're using the optional trumpet part as a solo feature, let that player stretch their range in rehearsals. The screamer register is earned through comfort and confidence, not volume alone.
• Balance the ensemble so the shout sections cut without drowning out the melodic figures in the saxes and trombones.

Program this as a festival submission where you need something that stands out without requiring your ensemble to sight-read complex harmonic movement. It also works as a natural closer for a jazz concert, especially if you're pairing it with a slower ballad earlier in the set.

• Articulation consistency across a horn section
• Blues and rock groove pocket playing
• Upper register trumpet facility (optional solo part)
• Balanced ensemble voicing in high-energy contexts
• Jazz phrasing and swing interpretation