Unit 7: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Rich Sigler's arrangement strikes that rare balance between accessibility and genuine swing character. The written-out alto solo gives your section something concrete to learn from, while the big shout chorus keeps the energy up without requiring players to navigate complex voicings. For a Grade 2 ensemble, this chart delivers legitimate jazz sophistication without overwhelming your students.

Swinging and propulsive, with the kind of straightforward melodic charm that makes jazz standards endure. The nod to Stan Kenton's sensibility gives it a slightly sophisticated edge without losing the approachability that makes it fun to play in a younger ensemble.

Jazz ensemble directors working with developing players who need a musically rewarding standard that doesn't demand advanced reading or sophisticated harmonic navigation. This works equally well for festival prep or concert programming when you want to showcase genuine jazz writing at a medium-easy level.

• Lock into the swing feel early in rehearsal. The 150 BPM tempo sits in a pocket where the rhythm section can either lock tight or drift; establishing that groove from day one saves weeks of frustrating refinement later.
• Shape the big shout chorus with dynamic clarity. The contrast between section hits and ensemble unison passages creates the excitement; undershooting the volume dynamics flattens the payoff.
• Study the written alto solo as a section. Even if only one student plays it, having the band internalize its phrasing and articulation helps the soloist sit confidently in the pocket.
• Don't rush the tempo. 150 BPM can feel like it wants to accelerate under the energy of a live performance; mark a steady click in rehearsal and trust the chart's architecture to carry momentum.

This fits naturally into a jazz concert as a solid mid-program number that builds confidence after an opener and sets up something more advanced later. At contests or festivals, it demonstrates your ensemble's ability to execute swing style cleanly while the transcribed solo gives adjudicators a window into your section's musicianship.

• Swing articulation and subdivision feel
• Reading and executing a written solo with appropriate style and phrasing
• Ensemble blend and balance in a big shout chorus
• Listening to and locking with the rhythm section
• Dynamic contrast between solo and tutti sections