Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Ballad - Medium

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Thad Jones's To You is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful big band ballad arrangements of all time. The version presented here is the chart in its original form, as recorded by the Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras on their one-off battle-of-the-bands 1961 album First Time! The Count Meets The Duke. Overall, this version is a bit less dissonant than the re-vamped version Jones wrote in the late 1970s, with a few different melody lines as well. It also employs some woodwind doubling, unlike the later arrangement.

The ensemble sections should be performed at barely above a whisper throughout the initial melody. Even though the voicings are a little less dense, they still need to be played with immaculate intonation in order to maintain the chart’s necessary warmth and beauty. Breath marks based off of the original recording have been included to help with keeping everyone’s phrasing together. One of the highlights of both versions of this tune is a plunger-muted trombone solo at measure 37, handled on the original recording by Quentin ‘Butter’ Jackson. It should be performed in a relatively melancholy and somber fashion. Underneath the solo are some flute and clarinet backgrounds that will require a fairly talented section of doublers to pull off (see the 'contents' tab for the required doubles).

This publication was prepared from the original set of parts used for the 1961 recording session - this is not a transcription.

 

Full Score
Woodwind 1: Alto Sax./Clarinet
Woodwind 2: Alto Sax./Flute
Woodwind 3: Tenor Sax./Clarinet
Woodwind 4: Tenor Sax./Clarinet
Woodwind 5: Baritone Sax./Flute
4 Trumpets
4 Trombones (Trombone 4 Optional)
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drum Set

Trumpet 1: C6
Trombone 1: A4