News & Views Sunday, May 26, 2013

Does your youngster get excited about hearing music, or “reading” along with you?  Here are four picture books,  each including a CD that goes along with the book.  The books have heavy card stock pages with colorful illustrations.  Each page has a corresponding song on its CD.  The players in the  jazz band recording are some of New York City’s hottest young jazz players. ”Duck Ellington Swings Through the Zoo” is about Duck going to the zoo to relieve the boredom of the zoo animals with his jazz piano.  Things certainly liven up!  “Charlie Bird Counts to the Beat” tells the story of Charlie Bird playing his sax and counting up to ten.  Three Happy Hippos playing harmonicas never sounded so good!  “Mingus Mouse Plays Christmastime Jazz” is about Mingus Mouse, who, upon arriving at home for Christmas, realizes he hasn’t brought a present for his mom.  After a little brainstorming, he solves the problem.  (Sorry. You have to read the book.)  In “Nursery Rhyme Jazz“, we meet the main jazz characters, which include Ella the Elephant and a few more we haven’t mentioned, yet.  You have never heard nursery rhymes quite like this!  Delight your little one(s) with one or more of these wonderful books.  For more information about these, or other children’s books or songbooks, please contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC, email us at keyboard@stantons.com, or visit our website, www.stantons.com

2 guys, 1 van, and about 50 boxes of jazz!

Stanton’s Sheet Music exhibited at the 4th Annual Jazz Education Network Conference at the Hyatt Regency Peachtree in Atlanta, GA on January 2-5, 2013. Ben (The Jazz Guy) and Ken from our instrumental department filled a van with big band charts, Real Books, and jazz play-alongs and headed south the day after New Year’s for the annual jazz hang.

Thursday morning was load-in and booth set-up, with an Exhibitors’ Welcome from 5:30-7:30 p.m., followed by two solid days of exhibition. Students, educators and jazz luminaries alike perused and purchased jazz books and charts from the Stanton’s booth.

We saw many friends from Columbus and around Ohio, – you know, all the Ohio jazz people head to Atlanta to see each other! – as well as publisher friends from Hal Leonard, Alfred, Kendor, and Mike Carubia of Smart Chart Music.

Musically we got to check out Kris Berg and the Metroplexity Big Band on Thursday night, hear bits of the ChiArts Jazz Sextet (these 16-17 year olds can not only play, but play with maturity!), and caught part of the rehearsal/sound check with Bob Mintzer and Jeff Coffin with the University of Kentucky saxophone ensemble. We also each got to take in a session – Ben went to Dave Liebman’s session on chromaticism in jazz playing, and Ken attended Jeff Coffin’s session on listening to classic saxophone recordings from Coleman Hawkins to Ornette Coleman.

Jeff Coffin

Other highlights included meeting Wycliffe Gordon and Victor Goines (Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra/Wynton Marsalis Septet), pianist Lynne Arriale shopping our booth, legendary bassist Bob Cranshaw (Sonny Rollins/Sesame Street) looking for a recommendation for a piano voicing book – yes, we found one for him!, talking with Gordon Goodwin about digital downloading of jazz charts and the challenges of international shipping, and Ken finally meeting saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band/Bela Fleck & the Flecktones/the Mu’tet).

As always, the music and conference were great, exhibit traffic was solid, and if you find yourself in Atlanta, we have some tasty restaurant recommendations – check out Pittypat’s Porch and Max Lager’s!

If you’re tired of lackluster arrangements, or titles that sound cool, but don’t live up to their musical billing, check out these fantastic, authentic-sounding arrangements for advancing bands.  There is plenty of variety, and your band and audience are sure to enjoy them. If you teach young bands, our article Authentic Pieces Your Young Band Will Love, features excellent new works for grades 1-2.5.

Chisholm Trail, Carl Strommen – Grade 3.5
Chisholm Trail has a truly American folk song quality, containing hints of music from the mountains, evoking the rugged terrain and pioneering spirit that were so important to the early growth of this great nation.

Come Fly with Me, arr. Paul Murtha – Grade 3
Written for Frank Sinatra, and the title track of his 1958 album, this wonderful big band-style arrangement remains masterfully true to the original recording.  Perfect for pop, summer, or community band concerts!

Earhart: Sounds of Courage, Robert W. Smith – Grade 3.5
Eternally sparking our curiosity and taste for adventure, the legend & mystery of Amelia Earhart is brilliantly captured in this soaring, musical journey of multicultural styles and a timeless spirit of discovery.

Everest: The Forbidden Journey, Rob Romeyn – Grade 3.5
Expeditions to find joy at the top of the world are an intoxicating mixture of danger, excitement, awe and solitude, all of which are finely woven into this emotional musical adventure with a driving pulse and a soaring spirit.

Hava Nagila, arr. David Bobrowitz – Grade 3
The excitement builds with the tempo in this wonderfully authentic arrangement of the traditional Hebrew song. Opening with a solo group consisting of flute, saxophone, euphonium, and bells, the unfolding musical tide gains momentum with each section, right through the boisterous, celebratory ending.

Legends of Jazz, arr. Stephen Bulla – Grade 4
Learning opportunities just seem to go hand-in-hand with this outstanding medley of milestones in American jazz, each a classic in its own style: Boplicity (Miles Davis), ‘Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) and In a Mellow Tone (Duke Ellington).

Spyscape, Timothy Loest – Grade 3
Sneaky, sinister, superbly scored, and loaded for undercover action – the perfect montage of menacing musical cliches chase and intercept, building to a rousing free-for-all climax that parents and students will love.

The Stormchasers, Robert Sheldon – Grade 4
Traditional “screamers” are mostly historical icons, but this lightning-charged circus march for the 21st century carries on the bloodline magnificently, from its thundering energy, to its sweet lyrical lines, to the accelerando finale that remains crisp & controlled to the last breathless note.

Introduce jazz to your elementary students with through the engaging world of “Freddie the Frog!”

In “Freddie the Frog and the Flying Jazz Kitten,” Freddie finds adventure again when some cool jazz cats fly their plane to Treble Clef Island to pick up a new horn. With the help of the Flying Jazz Kitten and a swingin’ beat, Freddie becomes a jazz sensation. The enclosed audio CD includes the dramatized story, sing-along songs and an instrumental blues track to create your own special scat.

Scat singing is the easiest way for kids to begin developing their jazz chops, but singing nonsense syllables as a soloist can be unnerving. The “Scat Singing for Kids” teacher’s guide contains a detailed step-by-step process that creates a “safe zone.” Using this guide, in partnership with the “Scat Words” flash cards, will help you lead even the most insecure student to uninhibited scattin’ fun!

You can separately purchase Freddie’s 5th Adventure “The Flying Jazz Kitten” Book/CD, the “Scat Words” flashcard set, and the “Scat Singing for Kids” teacher’s guide, or buy all three products together in one, cost-saving bundle! All of these products are in stock and ready to ship from Stanton’s.

We’re always talking about our knowledgeable staff—you’ll find that very phrase on much of our printed advertising, as well as on our website. Stanton’s sales staff is separated into departments to ensure that each staff member is well informed about a specific area of the wide variety of music that we carry. So when you call and ask about music for trumpet, you’ll be speaking with someone who has first-hand knowledge of repertoire, not just a phone operator with no musical experience. Here’s what you’ll find in each department:

CHORAL DEPARTMENT (ex. 1)
Choral Music for School & Church
Elementary General Music
Classical Solo Vocal
Handbell

BAND DEPARTMENT (ex. 2)
Concert Band
Marching Band
Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra
Solos for all concert instruments
Instrumental Method Books
Music Software/Technology

POP/KEYBOARD (ex. 3)
Sacred & Secular Piano
Organ
Piano Method Books
Popular/Broadway Solo Vocal
Contemporary Christian Vocal
Guitar Solos and Methods
Music for Folk Instruments

You can direct emails to the exact department you need by clicking the links above, or press the appropriate extension when you call 1-800-42-MUSIC. If you’re unsure of which department to choose, we’re always happy to direct you to whoever can best address your needs. At Stanton’s, it is important to us that you receive the most educated answers to your questions and the finest music recommendations.

So a little jazz combo with a female vocalist were performing at a big city nightclub one night, when a wealthy patron strolled up with a fifty dollar tip and a request for “When Sunny Gets Blue.”  For that kind of money from that kind of customer, the band leader was willing to do anything, so he said, “Sure, we’ll be happy to do that one for you!”

As the generous tipper walked back to his table, the singer confessed to the band leader that she wasn’t sure she knew all the lyrics.  He told her, “Don’t worry, we’ve all done this tune for years – one of us can feed you the next line if you draw a blank.”

They kicked off the tune, and the singer crooned, “When Sunny Gets Blue…” and her brain froze – she couldn’t think of the next line.  All the horn players had their instruments in their mouth so she looked at the bass player beseechingly to give her a cue.

He looked back at her with a quizzical expression and said, “B flat minor seven!”

At Stanton’s Sheet Music, we vicariously help teach your students with you! It’s true…We look through hundreds of new titles every summer and choose the select few that we would use if we were teaching.  These are the titles we share with you in our promotions on-line and in the mail.

So if you are thinking:
“Why should I spend my time looking at Stanton’s promotions?”
It’s because:
• Stanton’s Staff has already spent hours looking at and listening to hundreds of new titles.
• They have picked pieces at all levels that they would use if they were teaching.
• Their aim is to make your life easier and to help you succeed.

And if you are thinking:
“Why is Stanton’s Staff qualified to make these recommendations?”
It’s because:
• Stanton’s Staff is made up of college-trained musicians.
• Some of them have taught in the public schools and many teach privately.
• They know what has proven to be successful for Stanton’s customers over the years.

And if you are thinking:
“Why did Stanton’s Staff pick these particular pieces to recommend to me?”
It’s because:
Stanton’s only selects pieces that they believe are
• The most educationally valid
• The best sounding
• The most highly programmable

So if you are thinking:
“I can’t go wrong with Stanton’s Choices!”
It’s because:
• You’re right!

This collection of songs sung by Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. includes eleven timeless standards including “That’s Life“, “Fly Me to the Moon(In Other Words)”, and “My Way”. The piano accompaniments are rich and full of jazz harmonies.  This young man won the sixth season of America’s Got Talent in 2011, and was scheduled to begin a headlining act in Las Vegas in October of 2011.   He loves the standards, and you can tell it. His enthusiasm is infectious!  To take a closer look at this collection or other music you may be interested in, please call us at 1-800-24-MUSIC or email us at keyboard@stantons.com

Esperanza‘s “Chamber Music Society”  is the album that helped her win the 2011 Grammy for best new artist!

Here is the sheet music collection, which includes all eleven songs.  Bass parts are written out, and all the notes for her scat singing are present-you fill in the syllables!  Now that you’ve heard the music, you can play it. If you haven’t heard this album, check out her website and give it a listen!

To check out this album or anything else musical you may be interested in, please contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or email us at keyboard@stantons.com.

Esperanza Spalding is an exciting, up-and-coming  jazz artist whose debut album, “Esperanza” has just come into print. She won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011,  making her the first jazz artist to win that award.   Her skills as an instrumentalist and vocalist make her shine in this album, in which she sings in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.   This collection is worth a good look!  Please contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or at keyboard@stantons.com to inquire about this collection or other Stanton’s products.

This group of books from Hal Leonard’s Essential Elements Guitar Ensembles is perfect for your guitar class, beginning at the mid-beginner level, and going up to the mid intermediate level. As long as all three parts are covered, any number of players can participate. These are great fun if you have 2 more guitar buddies who want to play ensembles, too.

Each book includes the score with all three parts, and has 14-15 songs per book.  Each book of sheet music costs $9.95, so each trio costs only sixty- six cents!  There is a melody part, a harmony part, and a bass line written for the regular six string guitar.  There are several styles of music to choose from:  pop, rock, jazz, and even Disney!

If you would like to know more about these or any other music we have, feel free to contact us at 1-800.42-MUSIC or at keyboard@stantons.com.

School Teachers – we’re talking your budget allotment here!  In these tough economic times, you will want to make sure that you use what you have been given!  If you have money left on any of your Purchase Orders, we recommend that you get it spent before someone in the office decides to pull it out from under you and buy soccer balls with it!  Plus if you don’t use your allotment, there is a chance you won’t get as much next year because the clerk/treasurer sees that you don’t spend what you’ve been given, so they’ll give you less the next time!

With that in mind, Stanton’s Sheet Music has some great music with which you can finish out the school year.  Whether you want serious literature or something on the lighter side, we have plenty of choral, band and orchestra music that would be perfect for your Spring Concerts, for graduation, for teaching new concepts or practicing sight-reading or just to get a head start on next year. 

Check out the recommendations on our website, or call Stanton’s at 1-800-42-MUSIC (1-800-426-8742) and talk to one of our knowledgeable sales people about top notch music to finish out your budget.  The music we recommend is educationally valid, the best sounding and the most highly programmable, so you can count on getting just the right pieces for your groups to get your precious money’s worth.  Contact Stanton’s today!

Jazz Warm-Ups and Vocalises by Gary Walth is a perfect set of warm-ups for the vocal jazz ensemble that’s designed to enhance and stimulate the growth of each member’s vocal and choral ability. Thinking of the warm-up as a “mini voice lesson,” you can reinforce concepts with consistent encouragement, criticism, problem-solving and praise. This practical volume will help the conductor provide purposeful leadership and develop artistry in each individual through exercises that build styles such as Swing, Latin and Rock using solfege and scat syllables as well as tone and blend in ballad style. Each exercise includes a notated keyboard accompaniment with multiple modulations and professional recordings of a rhythm section and singers performing each drill on the enclosed CD.

Please contact us for more exciting resources for your jazz choir!

Do you ever need sheet music in a big hurry?  Check out Stanton’s Digital Delivery to browse our digital sheet music library. There are pop songs, Broadway songs, sacred songs, guitar tabs, and much more!

You’ll need to download a free Scorch program that allows you to see the first page of each song you look up, and it allows you to print on your own printer.  Many songs can also be transposed to whatever key you need! Just pay with a credit card, download and print.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Happy browsing!

Copyright law and its implications affect musicians and educators every day, yet most of us have little to no understanding of it.  Whether majoring in performance or education, undergraduate courses of study rarely present an introduction to the subject, let alone offer any courses that study it in detail.  It is challenging to know what is permissible under the law, and what exactly is allowed under the doctrine of ‘fair use.’  Violations of copyright occur frequently in our schools mostly due to the lack of education on the subject, and, like it or not, use in an educational setting alone does not necessarily constitute compliance with the ‘fair use’ provision of the law.  With increased scrutiny and debate over copyright infringement on the internet, the staff at Stanton’s would like to recommend the following resources to shed light on the subject for musicians and educators alike.  They are presented in order of increasing detail, and we highly recommend The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law for music educators.  In addition, YouTube in Music Education is a great resource for those looking to use this technology to enhance their programs, but have concerns about how to do so appropriately.

Music Copyright Basics – Joel Leach
What is copyright?  This seemingly simple question often causes confusion with its complex answers.  In Music Copyright Basics, professor and expert copyright witness Joel Leach answers frequent questions in a straightforward, easy-to-use format.  Whether you are searching for a simple answer to a common question or want a general knowledge of the copyright procedure, this book will quickly provide you with the information you want.  Music Copyright Basics features: a convenient question-and-answer format; easy-to-understand answers to all your copyright questions; coverage of copyright basics, copyright submission process, copyright ownership, copyright and earnings potential, and international copyright; and a compact, portable design that keeps information easily at hand. (2003)

The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law – James Frankel
The easy-to-understand guide for teachers using copyrighted music and media in the classroom.  In this era of unprecedented access to information, teachers have a wealth of readily available resources for lesson planning, but determining what you can and can’t use legally in the classroom is a difficult task.  Written by a 15-year veteran of the New Jerseypublic schools, The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law helps explain just how information, images, video, and music can be incorporated into any kind of lesson plan without running afoul of copyright laws.  This resource includes: what resources you can use without obtaining permission, how to obtain and license the works you need permission to use, how to check the copyright status of any media item, and how to apply copyright legality examples to real classroom situations. (2009)

Music Copyright Law – Moser & Slay
Music Copyright Law will help you gain an in-depth understanding of a topic that is vital to the success of anyone in or entering the music industry.  From songwriters and performers to managers, producers, and agents, everyone is affected by the issues covered in this book.  Avoiding the technical jargon and “legalese” that bogs down other books on the subject, this book explores the world of copyright law and homes in on how it applies to music.  It begins by building a foundational knowledge of the fundamentals of copyright law – what it protects, the benefits of registering a copyright, and what to do when copyright has been infringed.  Once the fundamentals are established, coverage expands to include controversies involving copyright and music in the digital age and the debates over online music.  Packed with practical examples that bring complex concepts to life, this book is a must-have for any professional in or entering the music business. (2012)

Do you have a significant other that makes you smile with your heart?  Their looks may be laughable (and even unphotographable) yet they’re your favorite work of art?  Then you could call them “My Funny Valentine.”

With lyrics close to those written above, the well known song, “My Funny Valentine,” has become a staple for the day set aside to honor your favorite loved one.  Written in 1937 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for their musical, Babes in Arms, it is sung in the show by the female lead, Billie Smith, to her love interest, Valentine “Val” LaMar.  She pokes gentle fun at some of his characteristics, but ultimately tells him not to change, because they are what gives him his charm.  Just about everyone can relate to that set of circumstances.  After all, love reigns supreme – especially on Valentine’s Day!

If you would like to perform this wonderful song, there are many settings from which to choose. There are versions for vocal solo with piano, as well as arrangements for choir, jazz ensemble (with or without vocal solo), jazz combo, concert band and full or string orchestra.  You can find these all on Stanton’s website, or try our Digital Delivery option if there’s no time to lose!