Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Score

Goodwin writes for the ensemble that can execute at a high level, and this chart respects that ambition without apology. The solo spaces (tenor, trumpet, trombone) pull directly from the Little Big Phat Band recording, giving your advanced players a clear model while leaving room for interpretation. It's the kind of piece that sounds impossibly complex until the rhythm section locks in and the band discovers the groove underneath all that activity.

A propulsive, confidence-soaked swing chart with the rhythmic snap of straight-ahead big band tradition and the harmonic sophistication Goodwin brings from his orchestral background. The barn-burning energy never relents, but the compositional craft underneath keeps it interesting; this isn't groove for its own sake. It demands commitment and precision, then rewards both with genuine fun.

This chart is built for experienced jazz ensembles with solid section cohesion and soloists comfortable navigating contemporary big band vocabulary. Your band needs reliable readers and players who understand swing rhythm, not just play it mechanically. If your ensemble has placed at festivals and your soloists regularly perform, this is the level of material where they belong.

• Study the recorded version with your ensemble before the first read; Goodwin's articulation and phrasing choices are integral to the chart's personality, and hearing the source material accelerates learning.
• Lock the rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, drums) in sectional rehearsals before running the full chart; the soloists and horns will find their pocket once the foundation is solid.
• Allow adequate space for soloists to prepare and rehearse their material separately; the tenor, trumpet, and trombone solo sections reward individualized practice and phrasing choices.
• Balance the auxiliary percussion carefully; it's easy for brushes and hits to overwhelm the ensemble at concert dynamic, so check levels during full-band rehearsals.

Program this for a festival or end-of-year concert where your ensemble can compete or showcase alongside other advanced groups; the six-minute duration and professional-level sound balance classical art song programs effectively. It also works as the centerpiece of a jazz-focused concert, especially when paired with other contemporary big band repertoire that similarly challenges your players.

• reading and executing complex swing articulation across the ensemble
• maintaining groove and time feel through syncopated rhythmic figures
• balancing solo space with ensemble support and blend
• understanding contemporary big band voicing and harmonic movement
• coordinating section and full-band dynamics in a high-energy context