THE NEW ORLEANS BLUES: Jazz-Inspired Music for Orchestra Wednesday, November 19, 2025
recommended by Austin Swack, Instrumental Education Specialist
The New Orleans Blues by Jelly Roll Morton/arr. Richard Webb, Grade 4
Ferdinand Joseph LeMonthe (c. 1890-1941), better known by his pen name “Jelly Roll” Morton, was a New Orleans-born ragtime pianist, composer, and band leader. One of the first musicians to play the New Orleans music that would come to be known as “jazz,” he was also one of the first artists to notate his jazz compositions on paper. He would claim, years later, that he had “invented” jazz, something historians dispute. His popular works include Dead Man’s Blues, King Porter Stomp, Alabama Bound, and the Tiger Rag. His 1920s recordings by his hand-picked band The Red Hot Peppers are considered classics in the early jazz idiom. Morton’s “The New Orleans Blues” appears to have been composed between 1900-1910, when the composer was touring the United States.
Bubble Gum Blues by Caryn Wiegand Neidhold, Grade 1
Get ready to groove with “Bubble Gum Blues” – the perfect introduction to jazz for your beginning orchestra! Students will learn to swing like pros, lay down a smooth walking bass line, and take their turn in the spotlight with an easy-to-learn solo – either improvised or pre-written. Fun rehearsal lyrics help lock in the rhythms, and an optional drumset part adds an authentic jazz vibe. Watch your students “POP” with excitement as they bring this catchy tune to life!
Droid Funk by Dylan Fixmer, Grade 3
Inspired by the whimsical space robots of childhood, this exciting piece will get your string orchestra grooving and improvising with confidence. Written solos in each part provide scaffolded improvisation practice and highlight students seeking a challenge. Prepare for a jump to groove-speed; your orchestra is about to get funky!
Cyborg by Michael Hopkins, Grade 4
“Cyborg” by Michael Hopkins is an upbeat, high energy blues-rock piece for intermediate orchestra. This is a great piece for working on left hand chromatic fingering, syncopated rhythms, and crisp articulations. Written in a modified 12-bar blues form, the music features all sections of the orchestra on thematic material. You and your students will have fun performing this exciting work for intermediate orchestra.
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About the Author:
Austin Swack joined the Stanton’s team after a decade of teaching band in Texas public schools, where his ensembles were consistently recognized for superior performance. He is equally at home with beginner and advanced students and has extensive experience programming for ensembles at all ability levels. Additionally, he is a versatile arranger as well as an experienced clinician and adjudicator. In his free time, Austin enjoys running, cycling, and cheering on the Blue Jackets!