Get Your Developing Jazz Band Started for 2023! Monday, September 18, 2023
recommended by Eric Stratton, Jazz Specialist
All Blues by Miles Davis/arr. Michael Sweeney, Grade 2
Here’s the classic Miles Davis tune from the landmark album “Kind Of Blue” carefully arranged for young groups. Written in 3/4 for ease of reading, Mike has kept the feel and sound of the original in this excellent setting. Enjoy great flexibility with the Easy Jazz Ensemble series! Playable with 4 saxes, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and rhythm.
Blue Skies by Irving Berlin/arr. Rick Stitzel, Grade 2
One of Irving Berlin’s most performed melodies, “Blue Skies” is arranged here in a medium swing style to sound great with inexperienced players. Enjoy great flexibility with the Easy Jazz Ensemble series! Playable with 4 saxes, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and rhythm.
Recorda Me (Remember Me) by Joe Henderson/arr. Mike Kamuf, Grade 2.5
One of the best jazz standards arranged in a Latin groove played at 156 BPM. The melody is handled by tenor, trumpet, and guitar with written solos provided for tenor and trumpet. Lead trumpet range is to written G on top of the staff. Optional parts provided for vibraphone, flute, and clarinet.
The Biscuit Shuffle by Greg Yasinitsky, Easy
If you are looking for a blues tinged shuffle that features all the sections of the band, you’ve found the right chart with “The Biscuit Shuffle!” The catchy riff that starts the chart is the figure that ties this piece together beautifully. There is a cool passage for the brass and saxes with light rhythm section figures that follows the solo section.
Midnight Express by Doug Beach, Grade 1
Here is the perfect combination of an infectious melody, great scoring and many of the swing figures that are essential for young players to learn. Scored for 4 horns with rhythm section and expandable to full big band at the very easy level, written or ad lib solos for all are included, along with optional parts for flute, clarinet and horn in F.
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About the Author:
Eric Stratton is the Jazz Specialist at Stanton’s Sheet Music. From Westerville, OH, Eric received a Bachelor of Music in Classical Bass Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies from Otterbein University. On both electric and double bass, he plays in various groups around Columbus, including New Albany Symphony and Westerville Symphony orchestras. He enjoys listening to and playing many types of music, from jazz, pop, to rock and metal. Some of Eric’s favorite performance opportunities are in the pit orchestras of musical theatre productions. When Eric isn’t gigging or at Stanton’s, he enjoys playing video games, hanging out with his cats, performing repair and tech work on guitars, and going to local restaurants and breweries with friends.