Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Latin - Advanced

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Med Flory's adaptation of Neal Hefti's Repetition is based on a recording from 1947 that saw Charlie Parker accompanied by a studio orchestra. This arrangement was originally recorded on Supersax's 1973 debut album Supersax Plays Bird, and although it (appropriately) focuses primarily on the sax section, the rest of the band gets some chances to shine as well.

One of those chances comes almost right at the top, where trumpeter Conte Candoli gets a chance to flex his Dizzy Gillespie-influenced chops with an improvised solo atop the ensemble. The first half of the performance sees the various string and wind parts passed around between the three horn sections, with a steadily grooving Afro-Cuban feel from the rhythm section. Measure 70 sees the arrival of Supersax's trademark: a harmonized soli based off of Bird's solo, with all the technical and musical virtuosity one would expect. The brass section is relegated to a background role, and despite being in the mid-upper register most of the time, these parts should be played fairly delicately. Ending in the same way as the classic Bird performance, the saxes play a rapid-fire cascading line over a slightly unnerving brass chord.

Supersax also performed this live in Japan in 1975 and released it on their Japanese Tour, Vol. 2 album. For that ocassion, the ensemble featured trombonist Frank Rosolino with only the saxophone quintet and rhythm section (no other brass). So, this arrangement may be played without those additional brass instruments. Included are optional trumpet and trombone soloist parts that allow this arrangement to be played with the sax ensemble, rhythm section and 1 featured soloist.

Only 3 parts (both tenors and baritone sax) from the 1973 session have been retained over the years. As a result, the two alto sax parts, all brass parts, and all rhythm section parts have been transcribed from the original recording.

 

Full Score
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets (Trumpets 1-3 Optional)
3 Trombones (Trombones 2-3 Optional)
Guitar (Optional)
Piano
Bass
Drum Set

Trumpet 1: D6
Trumpets 2-4: C#6
Trombone 1: A4