Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Guaguancó with Mambo Bell - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz at Lincoln Center

The nexus of bebop and Afro-Cuban music existed between the years 1948 till 1966 on West 52nd and West 53rd Streets on Broadway in New York City. It was at Birdland and the Palladium Ballroom, the Home of The Mambo, where the musicians from the worlds of jazz and Afro- Cuban dance music would visit each other on their breaks sitting in with whomever was performing.

Cannonball Adderley was a member of Miles Davis group, playing alongside future tenor sax legend John Coltrane. Both were featured on the album Milestones where Davis began exploring a minimalistic harmonic approach to his compositions. But this concept was already a common practice in all forms of Latin music - in particular Afro-Cuban forms. The Machito Afro-Cubans explored the concept in full force going back to 1943 with their one chord theme song (later versions would modulate to another chord after improvisation on the first one) attributed to Mario Bauzá, Tanga - the Bantú Congo word for energy. It is imperative that you sit with your students and play the recording of Tanga for them as it is considered the birth of true Afro-Cuban jazz.

Part of the 2023 Essentially Ellington Competition.

Full Score
Solo Trumpet
Solo Alto Saxophone
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Piano
Bass
Drum Set
Timbales
Congas
Bongo Bells
Claves

Trumpet 1: F6
Trombone 1: Cb5