What A Fool Believes: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Mike Tomaro's arrangement captures what made the original a radio staple while giving your saxes real musical meat to work with. The tenor solo slot provides a natural spotlight for your next emerging soloist, and the authenticity of the voicings keeps the whole group engaged rather than relegated to rhythm section duty.

Smooth, introspective, and undeniably grooving. The chart holds the original's soulful character, that blend of melancholy reflection and laid-back sophistication that made the Doobie Brothers' version stick in listeners' heads for decades. There's space for dynamics and ensemble sensitivity here, not just technical display.

Young jazz ensembles ready for Grade 3 material with solid fundamentals in section playing and basic jazz vocabulary. This works equally well for a group building their first jazz concert as it does for an ensemble adding more contemporary material to their repetoire.

• Balance the sax section carefully in the ensemble passages. These voices carry the harmonic color of the tune, so they need presence without overwhelming the rhythm section's pocket.
• Work the tenor solo with whoever takes that role well before the first full rehearsal. Encourage phrasing that echoes the smoothness of the original recording; this chart responds well to a vocalist's sense of melodic line rather than pure technical display.
• Keep the tempo sitting comfortably in the groove pocket. Too fast loses the soulful quality; too slow feels static. Reference the original for the right feel.

Anchor a pop or rock themed concert with this track, or use it as a bridge piece when programming a mix of jazz standards and contemporary material. It sits well in the middle of a set where you need something familiar enough to relax your audience while still showcasing your ensemble's jazz chops.

• Balancing sax section voicings within a small ensemble texture
• Responding to and accompanying a jazz solo
• Maintaining groove and pocket in a rock-inflected jazz setting
• Reading authentic jazz chord changes and comping patterns
• Phrasing in a contemporary rock context