Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Rumba/Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Amongst the wide field of Duke Ellington-composed masterpieces, Conga Brava (1940) stands near the top of the ranks. One of the earliest examples of a crossover of jazz and Afro-Cuban music, the performance features all of the trademark mannerisms of the Ellington sound - unique melodies, use of plunger-muted brass, and a heavy emphasis on the personalities of his sidemen - operating at their peak creativity.

Beginning with a churning rumba feel in the rhythm section (propelled by Ellington's angular piano riff), the main melody is handled by valve trombonist Juan Tizol. He is eventually joined by a brass trio that Ellington affectionately dubbed the "pep section" in his score - Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams, and Tricky Sam Nanton - who provide some biting plunger-mute work. The arrangement shifts to a swing feel at measure 27, with Barney Bigard's clarinet taking the lead atop a slightly reduced ensemble to finish out the chart's first segment.

Tenor saxophone titan Ben Webster steps into the spotlight for an improvised solo at measure 41. He's followed up by another interjection from the pep section before Stewart takes the spotlight for himself atop the saxes at measure 73. The brass soli section at measure 89 is the most technically challenging portion of the piece, and will take both collective and individual work to get tightened up. One last send-off returns the band to the original rhumba groove at measure 111, with Tizol stating the melody once more as the performance slowly winds down via a vamp and fade.

The piano part that Ellington plays during the introduction changed from the studio recording to the live at Fargo recording; both options are included in the piano part.

This publication was based on Duke Ellington’s partial score, an incomplete set of parts from 1940, and a complete set of parts from 1972-73. The later set of parts were slightly re-scored and included a 4th trumpet. Missing from Ellington’s score (and the 1940 set of parts) was a 6-bar section (at measure 35); this was transcribed from the 1940 studio and live recordings.

 

Full Score
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones (Tenor Saxophone 1 Doubles on Clarinet)
Baritone Saxophone
3 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Piano
Bass
Drums

Trumpet 1: C6
Trombones 1 & 2: Bb4