Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Walrus Music Publishing

Where's Reg is an up-tempo straight ahead jazz minor blues with a bridge outing in the style of Don Menza and the bands of Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson. The intro begins with an ensemble hit, then 3 blues choruses of piano (or other instrument) solo with backgrounds. The saxes play the melody on the first two blues A sections, with the trumpets coming in on a unison counter-line with voiced trombone hits. The 8- bar bridge is led by the brass section with sax commentary. The last blues A theme is begun by the trumpets over the ensemble and then switches back to the saxes with brass hits. A pedal section extends the form into a sendoff that is used in two successive improv sections, the first for either tenor or alto, and the second for either trumpet or trombone. Both solo sections have backgrounds that can be played 2nd x or 1st x with no repeats. There’s a quick brass sendoff into a 24-bar sax soli, a linear unison dual on the bridge for the trumpets and trombones, and a full ensemble shout for 10 bars into the 'expected'(!) open drum solo. Then it’s back to the melody on the bridge, last A, and pedal section with another drum solo (brief or extended) between the last two ensemble fermatas.

This chart has been played by All-State and District High School Jazz bands, as well as collegiate and professional ensembles. Scored for 5 saxes (no doubles), 5 trumpets (5th optional, as well as flugelhorn doubles optional), 5 trombones (5th is optional and is an additional tenor trb. part – the 4th is the bass bone), optional horn and vibes parts, piano, guitar, bass and drums. It checks a lot of boxes for festival performance: sax soli, solos, individual horn section focus and tutti involvement, drum solo(s) et al, and works for guest soloists, and, as an opener/closer. Quarter note = 200 but certainly can be played slower than that if desired.

Full Score
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
5 Trumpets (Trumpet 5 Optional)
Horn in F (Optional)
5 Trombones (Trombone 5 Optional)
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drums

Trumpet 1: E6
Trombone 1: B4