What Is This Thing Called Love?: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score

Paul Baker's arrangement strips away unnecessary complexity while keeping the Porter charm intact. Every section gets meaningful time in the spotlight, which means your entire ensemble stays engaged and accountable, not just waiting for the saxes to finish their moment. The solos are written-out suggestions rather than blank spaces, so students learn how jazz lines actually sit under chord changes.

Sophisticated without pretension. This is a standard that sounds effortless when played well, built on a melody that swings naturally and harmonic progressions that give soloists real places to land. There's a sense of confidence here, the kind that comes from playing something with proven musical substance.

High school jazz ensembles and serious middle school groups looking for a program piece that doesn't sacrifice musical content for accessibility. The Grade 2.5 difficulty makes it reachable for developing players while still demanding solid fundamentals and ensemble awareness.

• Lock the tempo at 160 BPM and keep it steady through the form. The swing feel lives in the pocket, not in rushing or dragging the beat.
• Balance the featured soloists so they project without drowning out the rhythm section. A tight comping sound from piano and guitar makes the soloists sound better.
• Work the dynamics of the head arrangement before diving into solos. The written melody sets the energy level for what comes after.
• Have trumpet and tenor practice their suggested solos separately from the band first. Knowing the line cold frees them to focus on phrasing and tone quality when the band joins in.

Fit this into a mid-season concert after your ensemble has developed some rhythmic security and blend. It works beautifully on a program alongside other Porter standards or as a stepping stone to more complex swing charts later in the year.

• Swing eighth-note feel and placement
• Solo construction over jazz chord changes
• Section-specific voicing and balance in an ensemble setting
• Reading and executing written melodic lines with phrasing intent
• Comping patterns and rhythm section interaction