Two Front Teeth: 1st Trombone

Festive and playful, with the lifted energy of samba rhythm underneath familiar melodic material. The piece has a conversational quality as the melody travels between sections, creating moments of surprise and delight while the rhythm section propels everything forward with infectious groove.

Jazz ensembles at the high school or advanced middle school level who want accessible, fun repertoire without sacrificing musicality. Directors seeking Grade 2 literature that actually engages students with melody, solo opportunities, and modern jazz vocabulary will find this immediately useful.

• Shape the rubato intro with space and intentionality. Even though it's marked medium, allow the ensemble to breathe and settle into the groove before the samba tempo locks in.
• Balance the altos and trumpets carefully in the opening samba statement. These sections carry the primary melody, so their intonation and blend set the foundation for everything that follows.
• Keep the written solos (2nd trumpet and 2nd trombone) grounded in the rhythm section's pocket. Young soloists often rush; anchor them by having the drums and bass lock in tight during those passages.
• Let the montuna interlude breathe as a transition. This moment gives the ensemble a chance to reset before the solo section and builds anticipation for the shout chorus.

Ideal for winter and holiday concerts where you want something that feels celebratory without being heavy-handed. This works equally well as a closer (the big shout chorus sends audiences out smiling) or as an opener that sets a lighter, more energetic tone for the rest of your set.

• Samba rhythm and feel, including clave-based phrasing
• Jazz articulation and phrasing across ensemble sections
• Reading and executing written jazz solos within simplified harmonic changes
• Section balance and transparency when passing melody between trumpet, alto, and trombone voices
• Listening to and locking into a rhythm section's pocket