Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

There are few collaborations in American popular music that rise to the quality and consistency of that of Frank Sinatra and Billy May. This arrangement, released on the 1961 album Swing Along with Me, is an excellent demonstration of how May's brassy, energetic writing was an ideal foil to Sinatra's calm, collected vocals.

Kicking off at a brisk swing tempo, the band provides a brash launching pad for Sinatra's entrance at measure 9. Each horn section gets a chance to back the vocalist up, beginning with saxes, followed by muted trumpets and trombones, and finally returning to the saxes. A gradual crescendo sets up a full ensemble shout chorus at measure 41, powered by May's driving writing. The band gets a short break to rest their chops for an eight bar piano solo at measure 57.

Once the band has had its say, Sinatra returns for a second pass at the melody at measure 73. The first half features a new set of backgrounds, a set of call and response riffs between the trumpets and trombones. On the bridge, a quick vibraphone interlude marks a return to the original sax figure before a roaring conclusion where the band riffs hard all the way to a Basie-inspired finale.

This publication was prepared from Billy May's original pencil score and the set of parts used for the recording session - this is not a transcription.

 

Full Score
Vocal
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets
4 Trombones
Tuba
Guitar
Piano
Acoustic Bass
Percussion (Optional): Vibraphone/Timpani
Drum Set

Vocal Key: F
Ranges: Trumpet 1: Eb6
Trombone 1: C5