Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Medium Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Originally written for and recorded by Dizzy Gillespie's big band, Quincy Jones created an updated version of his catchy original tune Jessica's Day for the Count Basie Orchestra. Released in 1959 on the album Basie One More Time, this version maintains the joyous cheekiness of the original while adapting and expanding upon it to take advantage of the unmistakable sound of the Basie organization.

A four-bar walking bass introduction sets up the reduced-sized group that handles most of the melody duties. The only real exception comes at measure 16, where the full band plays a couple of simple ascending figures to frame Frank Wess's breezy flute work. An extended tag at the end of the melody serves as an exciting send off for a half chorus of Joe Newman's trumpet at measure 38, followed by a half chorus of Marshall Royal's alto sax.

The full ensemble gets a half chorus soli section to shine beginning at measure 64. In traditional Basie fashion, the shout begins at a low volume level before gradually building up to an intense roar after a few measures. The first half of the shout is an original invention, while the second half is almost identical to the original Gillespie version. An eight measure piano solo sets up the melody's return at measure 88. The arrangement ends on a surprisingly modern note, with a fugue-like figure in the small ensemble that fakes the listener out by petering down to a whisper, only for some grand-scale full band hits to explode out of nowhere to serve as quite the shocking finale.

This publication was prepared using a modified score that Quincy Jones prepared in 1965 that included an optional 5th trumpet and a trombone 4 part - this is not a transcription.

Full Score
2 Alto Saxophones (Alto Saxophone 1 doubles Flute)
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
5 Trumpets (Trumpet 5 optional)
4 Trombones
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drums
Percussion: Shaker

Trumpet 1: Gb6
Trombone 1: Cb5