Wrappin' It Up: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

This is a genuine hit from the swing era, not a obscure deep cut, which means your students will recognize it and feel the historical weight of what they're playing. The riff-based melody makes it teachable for ensembles still building their jazz vocabulary, while the alto, trumpet, and clarinet solos demand real interpretive chops. It sits perfectly in a concert that needs both energy and musicianship.

Propulsive and infectious. The riff melody carries an irresistible bounce, and the solo sections invite players to swing hard without pretense. This is music designed to move people, whether they're dancing or listening in a concert hall.

Jazz ensembles at the medium-advanced level who are ready to tackle authentic swing era repertoire with solo responsibility. Your section leaders and principal players need confidence, but the overall difficulty is manageable for a complete ensemble rehearsing seriously.

• Balance the section riffs tightly; Henderson's style depends on unison clarity in the saxophones and brass. Sloppy riffs kill the groove.
• Give soloists room to breathe and swing. Grade 4 difficulty includes managing tempo flexibility without losing the band.
• Use the 64-page score to study section voicing and arrangement technique. There's pedagogy embedded in every page.

Program this as the centerpiece of a swing era set or as the opening number in a jazz concert where you want to establish energy and joy immediately. It pairs well with other Henderson arrangements or contrasts nicely with bebop or cool jazz selections that follow.

• Balancing section riffs with rhythmic precision in a swing groove
• Interpreting solo space with stylistic consistency (blues vocabulary, phrasing, dynamics)
• Reading and voicing four-part harmony typical of Henderson's big band arrangements
• Maintaining groove and time feel across ensemble transitions