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

Alan Baylock's arrangement captures the sophistication Porter built into this standard while injecting modern swing energy that audiences expect from contemporary jazz ensembles. The alternation between a driving double-time feel and a samba groove keeps the piece fresh across its 4+ minutes, and the solo opportunities for tenor saxophone and drums give your players genuine moments to shine. It's a crowd-pleasing opener or closer that works equally well at a jazz festival or a community concert.

The piece swings with sophisticated ease in the double-time sections, all sharp articulations and forward momentum. When the samba groove kicks in, the energy shifts to something more relaxed and groovy, giving the band a chance to breathe before diving back into the brisk swing feel that closes the piece.

Jazz ensemble directors programming at the high school or college level who want a vehicle that satisfies both players and audiences. This arrangement works for groups with confident soloists in tenor saxophone and drums, though it's accessible enough that developing players can learn from the structured solo framework provided.

• Lock the double-time swing feel at 110 BPM in the head; the rhythm section needs to be locked in so soloists have a stable platform for their improvisations.
• Balance the lead trumpet's top-note writing (up to written A) with the rest of the brass; this is an ensemble sound first, not a showpiece for the lead player.
• Shape the samba groove section with lighter articulation and a forward-driving hi-hat feel from the drums to contrast the grittier double-time swing sections.
• Use the provided tenor solo sample as a springboard for your student's own voice, not a transcription to memorize; encourage interpretation and phrasing choices that fit their strengths.

This works beautifully as a concert opener because it establishes energy and instructs the audience that they're hearing a jazz ensemble that can swing hard. Alternatively, program it as a closer to send the audience home on a high note. Either way, it's short enough to sit comfortably alongside ballads or more ambitious arrangements without overwhelming the program.

• Reading and executing double-time swing feel at tempo
• Transitioning between swing and samba grooves
• Solo improvisation over blues-based harmonic changes
• Comping and accompanying techniques for rhythm section players
• Balancing lead melody with ensemble voicing in brass and reeds