You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Scott Ragsdale's arrangement captures the intimate sophistication of Porter's composition while giving your big band real work to do. The scat section with the saxophones creates an exciting textural moment that feels both playful and polished, making this chart a genuine feature rather than background accompaniment. At Grade 3.5, it's accessible enough for high school ensembles yet musically substantial enough to impress at festivals.

Elegant nostalgia wrapped in swinging confidence. The melody carries the warmth and longing of a lover's sentiment, while the big band foundation keeps everything grounded in groove. The scat section breaks that mood open just enough to remind listeners this is living, breathing jazz.

Jazz ensemble directors seeking a vocal feature that balances sophistication with accessibility, and vocalists ready to handle both lyrical singing and energetic scat work. This chart works equally well in the rehearsal room and the festival hall, making it valuable for programs that perform both concert and contest settings.

• Balance the vocalist's entrance carefully during cut time; the tempo at 92 BPM can feel deceptive on the downbeat. Have your vocalist practice against a click at tempo before full ensemble rehearsals begin.
• The scat section demands clarity from all saxophones. Mark individual parts with dynamic peaks so the texture builds rather than blurs; this section lives or dies by articulation.
• Lead trumpet's written A above the staff is high enough to demand preparation from your lead player. Build up to full dynamic by bar before the passage arrives; surprise attacks often crack.
• Shape the vocal line as if the lyric were spoken conversation. Porter's phrasing works best when it sounds like reflection, not recitation. Your vocalist should understand the emotional arc of each phrase.

Use this as a centerpiece for a jazz standards set in spring concert or festival performance. The cut-time feel and moderate tempo give audiences permission to relax into the lyrical content while your ensemble demonstrates ensemble balance and restraint. It pairs naturally with other Porter standards or sits comfortably among mid-century American songbook selections.

• Reading and performing in cut time at moderate tempo
• Balancing a featured vocalist with big band dynamics and texture
• Executing stylistically authentic jazz articulation across the ensemble
• Trading melodic material between voice and instruments (vocal-sax scat section)
• Maintaining groove and swing feel while supporting a lyrical vocalist